, 1892-03-23

Lonely Forest Road. an Old Man FindsA
Cave with Two opspings. One of which
the Wolves Didn't Know Of
Benjamin Piper, an old pioneer of
Jefferson county, Wis, had a thrilling
adventure with a pack of wolves. 1t
was one evening while he was making
his way from Watertown on foot. There
was snow IN the ground, and it had last
ed long enough to make wolves unusu-
ally fierce 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 forests
through which Piper had to pass, but as
they had not yet ventured to attack any
one, little attention had been paid 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 up a howl for its companions. But
Piper was utterly indifferent to their
bowls and walked boldly along.
Suddenly, just as he turned a sharp
corner of the roadway among the dense
timber, a large gray wolf walked across
the road slowly n deliberately about
two rods ahead of him and hen turned
and leisurely recrossed to the side from
where it came, swinging its tail aloft,
and with the hair raised on its neck. 1t
also howled in a dismal manner as if to
hurry up its companions, whose answers
now began to come from many direc-
tions. Piper marched straight ahead as
if nothing had happened, save that he
picked up a good sized club, intending
to brow it at the animal should it 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 lodging 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 bowls for its companions.
A DESPERATE SITUATION.
Piper now began to get frightened.
He gathered sticks INT stone and hurled
them at the wolf until it was glad to get
out of his way and let him proceed. But
he knew from the sounds still coming
behind him that a 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
fleet of foot, but he had had nc expecta-
ton of winning against a lot of wolves
in a foot race, should they determine to
pursue him. So he 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 up in n tree all night in
such cold weather. =
The desperateness of the situation
called to his mind a singular cave con-
tanning two narrow openings, and he
concluded that it might afford him pro-
lection and give him a chance to defend
himself. So away he hurried for the
ave. 1t was now long after dusk, but
the moon shone brightly, yet owing to
the shadows Of the trees Piper expert
enced considerable difficulty in finding
the entrance to the cavern. Before
crawling n the narrow passageway
he secured a large, heavy club TO use
should the wolves attempt to follow him
into his retreat. He was scarcely half n
dozen feet inside ere he heard their hor-
rible howls neal 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 nj started
inside, and then all squeezed themselves
into the opening until it was jammed
tight.
n A BAD HALL HOUR.
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-
stantly 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 so perfectly filled with
wolves that they could neither get for
ward nor backward, while their savage
bowls resounded in the narrow place
with such deafening effect that it made
Piper tremble, and his sole thought was
to get out and away from them.
Cropping around with his hands he
found some good sized, loose stones, with
which he hastily filled into the opening
just in front of the wolves as tightly as
he could pack it, and then, with club in
hand, he crawled along and sought exit
at the opposite entrance to the cavern.
The dismal darkness prevented him from
seeing anything, and it was some time
before he found the way out. The
wolves did not know, or else had forgot
ten, this entrance, and Piper left them
still bowling with fury crowded into the
narrow mouth of the cave at least sixty
yards away from where he had emerged.
He now made his way to the road again,
and two hours later had reached home.
A few days later he visited the cavern,
but found nothing save a few bones, the
dead and wounded wolves having been,
as he supposed, eaten up by their raven
GUS companions .-Cor. Chicago Inter
Ocean.