New-York tribune., 1891-02-20
THE THOrSIND-dCGE WOODS

We reed scarcely say that there many wild
animals which are exceedingly isagreeabe to
man when brought into close relations. II is true
that returned African travellers often tell OF sneak
ing mp through the jungle and of seiZnc a ti.cr
by the tail aud of "waloping' tho helpless beast
around tree Til they were tired, but the man
who puts his trust in African travellers hears
many remarkable things Tiers, lions, bears
and similar big game are not 10 be light; toycd
with. especially when they are hungry. But after
all there seems TO he nothing 80 dangerous as a
usually harmless domestic animal gone mad. For
instance, there comes from the wihs OF Connect
cut a story calculated to make each particular
hair 20 stand on end.
\ farmer named Elliot Phelps. living in Enfield,
has, or did have, promising two-ycar-od hciicr.
She was a calm, mild-cycd creature, much given
to chewing her cud and indulSing in peaceful
philosophic thought. At heart. however, she
seems to have been a rampant Anarchist. for a
few week, ago She appeared TO become disguised
with mankind and started ont 10 make war on
society. She broke out Of her stall and went out
into the wood, and began to lead the lie OF II
bovine brigand. Three times Mr. Phelps went
out 20 catch her with losso, but she charged him
in every ease and chased him up tree. She CON
santly grew Gerccr and no one dared go into the
choppers and hunters, and number OF men had
rofrn,y cScaucs Finally man named Hitchcock
went after her with n rifle lie fred three or four
shot, at her when She discovered him in Il clump
of bushes and chased him To tie open country,
occasionally helping him along in his wild Hight
b,. nlod,Iing him with horn. Then people kept
away from her though since that time she has
been fercely believing, ripping the bark OIL trees.
and so forth After the late snOwsiorm she found
the pasturagc poor in the woods and came out one
NIGHT 10 Joseph Aliens place Opening the out
side cellar door with her teeth, she went down the
stairs and ate So worth OF turnps aud cabhages.
She forgot, or purposcly neglected, 10 shut the
door when she went away and S2i worth more
were frozen. Twice since she has been caught IN
.nares but beth tines has escaped with loud
defiant below She is still at large, and mere
may be heard from her any day.
I'm connection with this narrative it may be
interesting TO take backward glance at the
rccion now infested by the dangerous
t,yo-year-oM hcifer. She is in what is
known as the "thousand-acre woods y
reference 10 the files OF our able contemporary
in which we find the account of the hciicr shows
that its valued correspondent in years past las
found much of human il forest in this same most
remarkable wood. 4 year ago he nd a wild man
in the thousand.acre woods, gnashing his teeth
and uttcring strange cries. In lsss the woods
contained an immense panther which carried ot
sheep and calves and thought TO have de
SIGNS on several men. In 1885 the thous,nd-acrc
woods produced a colony OF mad dogs. In 1854
there was another wild man Two years earlier,
in 1882 the correspondent rcportcG great nests
of venomous snakes in the tlousand-acrc woods.
In 1850 an immense eagle carried child into
the woods and il was only rescued with difficulty.
In 1877 tie enterprising correspondent heard
strange noises issuing from the thousan1-acre
woods which Inc could not account for in any way
except supernatural grounds. Indeed, this
was not unreasonable, he had seen Ghosts there
.hrec years before, in 1874. 1ha noises might
however, have come from the insane and halt
naked negro which ne stolei there in 1872, or
from the wildcat seen in 1871. or from the gang
of robbers reported there in 1870 or from Hiram
Jamcson's wild colt, which was thaIe IN 1863,
with which Yea" tie correspondent first took
charge Of the thousand acre woods 1t will bc
seen from this that ,hc sagacious hcIfcr has 81.
lccted most favorable ncichborhood in which to
carry on her operations against the human race.
We shall watch contemporary for further re-