The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-02

u bluff overlook
ing the Smoky river. in western Kan
saS.
In those early times buffalo ante
lope and the large prairie wolf en-
joyed unchecked freedom, where the
pillow of the farmer has made productive
wheat and corn fields.
The cabin was occupied by Trapper
Wheeler and his son Ed, O robust,
strapping youth of eighteen, who had
left their home in Michigan to enjoy
the sport of hunting and trapping in
the new country, which wns just then
beginning to settle up.
Wheeler and his boy had stopped @
few days ut one of the settlements in
the eastern part of the territory, but
the political agitation of the times was
too hot for them there. Both father and
son cared far more, then, for hunting,
fishing and trapping than for politics.
so they went clear beyond sight and
hearing of the settlements and their
fierce contentious.
The Indians did not offer to modest
them, and, here, buried from all civil
zation. they pursued their favorite
sport to their hearts content.
They never complained for the com
forts they had given up, for the streams
and prairics yielded them food in abun-
dance; besides. they were laying up
fine store of hides and furs, which
would some day being them in snug
sum.
One day Trapper Wheeler set off.
bright and early to secure n supply of
ammunition from some traders who
were visiting tribe of Indians about
twenty miles distant
After his father had gone, Ed busted
himself cleaning his gun and revolver,
then started out along the river and
through tho brush TO examine the traps,
OF which they had great number.
He decided to visit the farthermost
ones first, SO if they had secured any
game his load would grow heavier by
degrees, as he returned home
lie had gone about q mile and half
from the cabin when he was startled by
the howl of a wolf. about three hundred
yards off on the prairie
1t was midwinter, and though there
was no sun on the ground. the wolves
being SO numerous had a difficult matter
to get much to eat, and as natural re-
suit they had become somewhat
ferocious.
Ed Wheeler knew this, but he felt no
fear until the howl was taken up be-
hind him. to his left and to his right.
The prairie seemed suddenly to re-
sound with their hideous bowling. and
the young trapper realized that they
were following his trail.
He had not brought his gun with him,
intending to be absent from the cabin
only short time, but he carried his
revolver in his belt and would not suf-
fer them to approach too n ear his heels.
He determined, however, not to fire
upon the beasts unless they pursued
him too closely. He had only two
charges in his revolver, and had neg
lected to bring any ammunition along.
A few hundred rods before him was
thinly timbered stream, which flowed
into the river about half mile dis
tant- Toward this Ed Wheeler was
making his way when his attention
first became attracted to the wolves.
He h ad no notion of being attacked
by them out on the open prairie, so he
struck out on kind of .dog trot" for
the creek.
beasts to increase their pace.
They came tearing along through the
long prairie grass. brown ard dead,
but still tall and thick, in swift pursuit
after the young trapper.
Ed Wheeler began TO realize that it
would be hard run for life against
such pack as had suddenly material.
lied in his rear.
He judged that the gang Yves being
almost constantly reinforced by new
recruits, whose howls could be heard
nearly every minute in some new quar-
ter.
He broke into swtfter run II he
could only reach n tree on the creek, he
would climb it and defy his hungry
would-be captors
He had almost gained the stream,
when his foot struck an unseen log half
buried in the rank grass, and down he
came headlong to the ground.
Before he was fairly aware what had
happened to himself, the whole pack
rushed down upon him, swapping and
snarling i'll most hideous manner.
Young Wheeler's first thought was
that his doom was scaled then and
there But he was courageous youth,
and one of his principles was never tc
say die" q
Sooner than Che pen is able to relate
it, ne was on his feet and had sent the
foremost wolf back with one savage
kick from his stout boot. Then. grasp.
ing his revolver, he put bullet through
the next one.
This created little panic among the
voracious beasts, and Ed took advan-
tage of the recoil to dash away toward
the creek.
The whole gang paused long enough