Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-04-20
For the Ellsworth American.
The Old Hunters Story.
BY THos. A. CRABrREE.

BY THOS. A. CRABrREE.
Come, Mr.. Cross" said our friend
whose name was Carver, 'tell US some.
thing more about the wolves and your
fights with them"
80, yes" added. "tell us good story. -
well, l will tell you one, be repeated,
"as we want something to keep Us awake =
Mr.. Carver and myself moved a. near
to him as possible for we knew when Mr..
Cross told story it was worth hearing
II gave you some account of ms early
ife,' he said ''the tirst night | stopped
with yon. lived al my old farm a few
years after buried my wife and children
and was, probably, one Of the most dis
consolate human beings that ever lived |
visited my little graveyard every day, for
1t seemed there was no spot on earth |
loved so we'll | commenced my des,ruc-
ton of the wolves by poisoning and no
| labor was too great for me If could only
| place bait within their reach. At that
time they were very plentiful In the north
ern part of the state aud near the Canadian
| line, often dangerous.
| | had an uncle who lived In Winonski a
| town a number Of miles northwest from
| Northfeld, my home. He had heard OF
my sad loss. and wrote TO me 10 pay him
visit. He enclosed -, and requested me
| to get q small bill of goods, which he need
| ed for his country trade, and among the
rest were four pounds Of pepper. Il WAS
| then. as the road went nearly seventy miles
| from Northticld to Winooskl. but thought
my good horse would make II ID one day,
as the sleishing was excellent.
| procured the goods in the bin and
stored them away under my seat, except
the pepper. which | laid on the seat
started esrly In the morning and after
driving about ten miles my horse began to
slip, and on examining. found that by some
means a shoe had been torn or | inquired
for blacksmith aud learned that one lived
nearly mile off on another road. took
the road aud soon arrived at his shop, but
he was not at home and had To wait an
was an hour and half. 1 Kept on and
al dark arrived At what wa called The ten
miles woods,
stopped at lone house to bait my
horse. Are yoh going through them
woods 70 nlehts" inquired rough-louk
ing man who met me At the door
replied. II thought should"
Yen better not, said lie, wolves tarbIe
thick, cum pooty nigh eatin' man up
tuther night. He happened u have max
in his sleigh, 80 he Kept them on
~ there 20 tavern on the roads' fn-
quIred,
None tina, know pv but ych can Stop
here, better do that Than be eat By wolves :
Il was No, inclined 70 believe all he said
and as had quite quantity Of money
with me had more fear Of him than
had of The wolves. | gave NY horse
few quarts Of oats mud. went 90 my
journey. The Stars had already come out
aud the evening was beautiful | had
gone almost three miles when my horse
= L----f = ..-.1f Na,binp ,xiu
alarm a horse more than the how o.
wolves For moment he refused ID 10
and trisd 10 turn around. | urged him on
and he broke into run. He would look
from side TO side and tremhled all over
At this moment the bowling Of the wolves
commenced and il seemed that The woods
swarmed with them.
now began 10 think that would give
all of my morey 10 be back Al the house
where | had received So kind an offer All
the weapon had was my whip, which was
heavy one. | tried to stop my horse for
q moment 70 cut club, but found ii i'm
possible to hold him | looked back and
saw four wolves in par-ut, am presently
smother lraped into the road ami another,
till there were % many could not count
them. | urged my horse forward At Ills
utmost speed, but | saw tina, the long lank
forms Of the wolves we're gaining Oh me.
now began 10 think that this would be
my last tght on earth with wolves. and |
resolved If were to die would fight till
the last
l thought OF my early home ami the
mangled bodies Of my dear children seem
cd 10 lie before Inc, and vengeance moved
my whol- being. BY this time the wolves
had overtakcn me and one sprung at me
over the back Of my Sleigh, but met
HIM with the butt of my whip and sent
him bowling away. | cut right and
left and for time kept them at
distance, but still they came on, and
the number increased every minute, and
had now begun to spring at my horse,
which | saw could not hold out much long
er. | tried TO tear up the seat Of my sleigh
to get weapon heavier than my whip; in
50 doing broke open the paper Of pepper.
| seized handful and let it 60 right into
the faces Of the wolves. Good heavens
what powwow Another and another fol
lowed in quick succession, till | had given
the howling brutes at least two pounds.
| looked back there was one solid pyramid
of wolves, as it seemed, six feet in height
and such unearthly yels and .narls | never
heard before and never expect To again
My horse seemed to know that the danger
was passed and neighed with delight, and"
continued he, IF | were going to fight a
| drove of wolves again, give me pepper"
1t was now quite late in the forenoon.
We thanked Mr.. Cross for his very inter
esting narrative, and he arose and began
to prepare our dinner
East Surry, Nov, 1892.
Relics Of Washington.