Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-19
SOME WOLF STORIES.
Captures Made in New Brunswick When
the Bounty Was SO Skull.

C0rrs, pORdeat in Forest and STRAIN
''Did you ever see WOLFF" asks
friend of mine. Yes, more times than
once. The first time was in this wise:
We were boys together. johnson and
myself, born in the same neighborhood,
strapped with the same piece of leather
in the red school house that topped the
hill, behind which was pond In which
we bathed and swan together; gathered
beechnuts into the same basket, shot
cartridges in the same woods, and last,
but not least, trapped wolves and other
game, honestly dividing the proceeds
between US.
1t was winter, the snow two feet
deep in our settlement, which was in
the Province of New Brunswick.
Wolves were plenty, and johnson and
myself were doing good business trap
ping them. On each was bounty OF
$40, and each skin was worth So more.
One Sunday morning, after johnson
had made himself ready for church, he
thought he would examine one OF his
traps set Ia the edge Of the woods near
his fathers field. Putting on his heavy
boots and without gun or axe, he stroll
ed across the field. When near the spot,
the rafting of the chains by which the
trap was fastened Quickened his pace;
aud behold, a large wolf was in the trap.
Johnson saw at a glance he was
slightly caught by the end of his paw.
Now he solioquized: "If go back for
the gun he may succeed in getting free
before my return" for the brute was
making frantic efforts to free himself.
The bounty $40, skin SO, 1t would not
do to miss him. Being fine athlete,
Johnson made bound for the wolf,
catching him by the throat. In the
meantime the wolf had cleared himself
from the trap. Then came the tug-of-
war in that two feet of snow. The
struggle was short and furious.
Johnson held his death grip, some
times on top and again underneath the
brute, both so covered in snow it was
difficult to distinguish wolf from man.
The wolf at last was overcome, kicked
snd choked TO death by his powerful
antagonist. Johnson did not attend
church that day, for his Sunday clothes
hung in tatters; besides, there were
some ugly scratches from the sharp
claws OF the now dead game.
Il never will try that again, Mack"
he said to me, 81 thought myself a
match for almost any wild animal Of
these woods but this fellow was big
ger job than reckoned on" John was
but seventeen years OF age and was
sixteen. That winter was my first ex-
perience with wolves.
Five years later l was working in
logging woods at place called the Mar
rows, head OF Grand Lake, In Maine.
The second evening after our arrival at
camp the most of the crew had turned
into their berthS, the cook only was out
side the camp door, when he called:
Boys, I hear dog bowling across the
lake | had seen q wolf track that
afternoon, and knew thes kind OF dog
across the lake. We were all outside
the camp in few seconds. The moon
was full and bright and the wind asleep
not a sound but the howl OF the wolf.
Soon another and another gave tongue,
until the recruits numbered dozen or
more. Boys" | said, "thoSe devils are
no TO some mischief; they are old ac-
ouaintances of mine. Listenr One
would think pandemonium had broken
loose. They had discovered deer at
our water hole. Over they came, the
hills echoing and re-echoing their cries,
making the night hideous with howl
ings.
The startled deer rushed to our camp,
with wolves in close pursuit. 1t was an
UNEQUAL match. The poor animal found
they were closing with him, and ran
back to the lake, the merciless pack at
his heels. Again he made for the woods,
and in clump Of thick cedars they
took his life. There was but one gun
in the caew, and that was not loaded.
We did not enter into the scutfie.
Not one Of the men but myself had
ever heard or seen wolf before; and
none of us had desire for nearer &C
quaintauce. The Text morning we Wis
tied the spot. After killing their game
they had dragged it out OF the ice; aud
so ompletely demolished was the car
cass that scarcely vestige remained.