St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-05-04

Gorden (Neb.) Times. T
Lance Butterfield. ranchman OF this
vicinity. is richer today than he was last
week by the possession of some dozen
wolf skins and All exciting experience
with the animals they originally coy
cred. with about twenty more thrown
In to make good measure.
: Situated about 800 yards from his.
! main dwelling house Is roofed-in fold,
where are placed at night the sheep
having little ones, aud this fold is en-
trusted to boy named Ezekiel. But it
happened that Zekieps young affections
are placed on neighbur's buxom
daughter, and. while thinking deeply of
the fascinating damsel. enjoying in an.
ticipation the evening with her, Ezekiel
forgot to secure the door OF this place.
He was still absent when Mr.. Butter
field was awakened by his wife, who
declared that there was some one in the
''lamb house," as it is called.
The ranchman was prepared to dis
pute this with the lady, when a series
of suspicious sounds caused him to
spring quickly from his bed. These
sounds were Of several sheep and the
young being caught by the throat. the
cry stifled and choked as If cruel
clutch killed it before it was we'll given
birth to. Mr.. Butter6eld threw open
the window and called for EZEKIEL, and
receiving no answer. dressed himself
hurriedly. and Selling his revolver,
made for the spot.
There was a moon just going down.
but 1t gave sufficient light to show him
that the door was partly open, aud on
approaching still nearer that the sheep
were huddled together in terror of a
score of dark objects almost as large as
month-old calves. which were running
about the fold. pulling down mother
sheep here or devouring some tender
lambling there.
At FIRST Mr.. Batterield could not dis
tinguish what these creatures we're, but
took them for dogs. Convinced. how
ever, whatever they were. that he was
justified in preventing the slaughter of
his poor sheep, he drew his pistol and
discharged it at the nearest. when its
=shriIl yelp told him that these ma
RAIDERS were wolves, and wolves of the
large, ferocious gray variety. He fred
again and again, a wolf falling at every
shot.
The robbers then tried to run out of
the door. but the ranchman. determined
on revenge, closed the only exit and
continued firing. But feeling them
selves trapped, the animals seemed to
grow frantic, and before Mr.. Butterield
ont,lA ho sx,os nh tn hop
few at him with such force as to cause
him to stagger back against the wall.
His pistol was now empty, and he was
only able to defend himself from his
bloodthirsty foes by Knocking about
him with the butt end Of the weapon.
They tore at his limbs, but poorly
covered by pair OF light boots that he
had drawn on in coming out, and his
feet and lower legs were soon bleedi ng
freely, while the sharp fangs of the ami.
mails found the bone itself often under
the lacerated flesh.
MIR. Butterfield shouted loudly to his
wife to bring help to him. but such was
the yelplng, snarling and bowling In
the fold that he doubted that his voice
would reach her. But she heard the
pistol shots and the noise of the strug-
gle and screamed afresh for Ezekiel,
who by this time was approaching the
house, whistling merrlly.
Mrs. Butter6eld flew out to meet him
and informed him of what had hap
pened, and gave him his masters gun
to go to the rescue. Nearing the fold
then Ezekiel heard his employers cries
for assistance. and reac he'd him just in
time to see an enormous male wolf leap
upon the exhausted mgn and seize him
by the throat. Mr.. Butterfield fell with
this monster clinging to him. aud gave
himself up for lost, but the boy, placing
the muzzle of the gun to the VOLTS
head, blew out his brains.
The door being left open by the new.
conner, most of the Gagged creatures es-
capped by it. but Ezekiel continued to
pursue them with running fire, man
aging 10 kill half dozen himself.
But one old fellow. engaged in eating a
lamb he had slain, declared war to the
knife and refused to be routed. but
turned on Ezekiel with determination
to kill or be killed right there. The
boy fired upon him, tearing open his
side and sending the blood all about
the fold, but the big wolf gave no token
of fright and rushed at his enemy with
furious yell. Ezekiel fired again. but the
ball went far over the creatures
head, and before he could fire again the
wolf had pinned him down.
In falling the boy struck his head
against the door sill. and for several
minutes was too dazed to take any fur
Their part in the combat. The wolf
bent his mead to worry the remains, as
he thought. but MIR. Butterfieid. crawl
ing toward the two, secured Zekiei's
gun and put couple of shots in
the animals body, but did not kill
him, as he had hoped to do. The
wolf whirled sharply about aud, still
standing over Ezekiel, made a snap at
the other man, which Mr.. Butterfield
parted by getting to one side. He then
brought the gun down OH the creatures