Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1892-03-31
~ WITH ANGRY WOLVES
Nh PIPER,s ESCAPE FROM A PHcK
or HUNGRY CREATURES.
-Atsaeked By Half Starved Beats ia .
Lonely forest Road, an Old Man Finds .
cave vith Two opsnins.. One ef Wllieh
th. yvoYvos Didn,t Know OL

3 Lonely Forest Road, an Old Man Fin ds
=. cave With Two Opsninsa. One Sf Which
tho wolves Didn't Know oL
benjamin Piper. an old pioneer Eof
jefferson county, Wis, had q thrilling
adventure with pack OF wolves. 1t
was one evening while he was making
his way from Wstertown on foot. There
was snow on the ground, and it hadhist-
cd long enough to make wolves unrsu-
ally ferce and savage with hunger.
Piper had been warned by friends In
Watertown not to attempt the trip but
he told them that he had not the slight
est fear. Numerous large timber wolves
had been seen near these Same foSests
through which Piper had to pass, but Is
they had not yet ventured to attack any
one, little attention had been pddL to
their presence, But. now, in their des-
.perate hunger and while lurking about
for something TO prey upon, some OF
them had discovered Piper, and at once
set mp q howl for its companions. But
Piper was utterly Indifferent to their
.howls and walked boldly along.
q Suddenly, just as he turned q sharp
corner Of the roadway among theden
timber, large gray wolf walked across
the road slowly and deliberately about
two rods ahead of him and then turned
and leisurely reeroesed to the side from
where 1t came, swinging its tail slott.
and with the hair raised on it's neck. 1t
also howled In q dismal manner, as II to
hurry mp its companions, whose answers
now began to come from many direc-
tions. Piper marched straight ahead IS
II nothing had happened, save that be
picked up q good sized club, intending,
to throw it at the animal should 1t ap-
proach him again. A moment later TIE
same wolf trotted out from the brush
much nearer to him than before, and
Piper hurled the club at the animal with
tremendous force. But quickly stepping
aside and dodging the weapon. the wolf
planted itself in the middle Of the road
and was not disposed to move any farther,
but showed its teeth savagely and uttered
more howls for its companions.
A DESPERATE SITUATION.
Piper now began to get frightened.
he gathered sticks and stones and hurled
them at the wolf until it was glad to get
out of his way and lot him proceed. But
he knew from the sounds still coming
behind him that pack Of the animals
was on his trail and he would need to
make haste or they would soon overtake
him. he was a strong man and very
feet of foot; bat he had had no expecta-
ton of winning against lot Of wolves
in a foot raco, ehould they determine to
pursue him. SO be concluded that he
must at once bring all his wits into play
and, If possible, deceive them. The for
est trees around him were rather small
to climb and be safe among their
branches, and he did not relish the idea
of being kept mp in q tree all night In
such cold weather.
The desperatenees of the situation
called to his mind singular cave con-
tanning two narrow openings. and be
concluded that it might afford him pro-
lection and give him o chance to defend
himself. So away he hurried for the
cave. It was now long after dusk, but
the moon shone brightly, yot owing to
the shadows Of the trees Piper expert
enced considerable difficulty In finding
the entrance 10 the cavern. Before
crawling into the narrow passagewsy
he secured . large, heavy club to use
should the wolves attempt to follow him
into his retreat. He,wss scarcely halsa
dozen feet inside ere he heard their hor-
rible howls near the entrance, and saw
their eyes like balls of fire glaring On
him from the outside.
At first they seemed disinclined to
follow after him, apparently fearing a
trap, but finally the boldest one started
inside, and then all squeezed themselves
into the opening until 1t was jammed
tight.
A BAD HALE HOUR. M
AS the forward wolf came within his
reach, Piper pounded it with his club
until it was utterly disabled, but the
great pressure Of those from behind con-
stsntly brought the heads Of Others nearer
and nearer. Piper never stopped fight
ing, but whacked and beat and gouged
and disabled wolf after wolf as they
came within reach. But at length the
entrance became 80 perfectly filed with
wolves that they could neither get for
ward nor backward, while their savage
howls resounded In the narrow place
with such deafening effect that It made
Piper tremble, and his sole thought was
to get ont and away from them.
Cropping around wits. his hands Inc
found soma good sized, loose stones, with
which he hastily filed into the opening
Just In front of the wolves as tightly as
he could pack it, and then, with club ID
hend ha crawled along and sought exit