Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-02-22
BATTLE WITH WOLVES.
A Ranchman'S Terrible Encounter
With the Vicious BruteS.

Lance Butterfield, a ranchman of
Gordon, Neb., is richer today than he
was last week by the possession of
some dozen wolf skins and an exciting
experience with the animals they orr
ginally covered, with about twenty
more thrown in to make good measure.
Those who aspire to the enjoyment
Of a feast of reason and Il how of
SOUL must learn to listen patiently
and without betraying an anxiety to
speak themselves, or a ~patronizing
cOndescenSiOn to the speaker. We are
all Il little egOtiStical, but in the mo-
ment we betray it we become obpoX-
iouS.
Conversation is like a game of see
saw, as one goes up another goes
down, but the game is over in an in
slant if the two ends are up at the
same time. The moment, therefore,
that a person essays to speak, give
way, no matter what good thihg you
may have ready at the moment. If
in the midst of a nrrative which YOU
are relating some bore should break
in with an interruption to displace
you let him have his way at once;
suspend your dialogue and let him go
on, and he will, unless hard as granite,
feel your fOrbearance to be a much
greater blow to his rudeness than if
you were to presevere. A preSOn so
breaking the thread of another's dis
, course deserves severe rebuke, and you
will find nOn so severe, so salutary,
rs u polite yielding at Once-nOt sulkily
and with a frown, but with fullest dis
position to hear him patiently, and to
enjoy his obtrusive nonsense.
Self-possession must be cultivated by
the conversationalist, that he may not
u away headlong and say many
; things that be may afterwards regret.
This is the Source of that gentlemanly
reserve which distinguishes the man
, of refinement from the mere bore and
begets that patience in listening and
that generous spirit of appreciation
Situated about three hundred yards
from his main dwelling house is a
rOofed-in fold, where are placed at
night the sheep having little ones,
and this fold is entrusted to the car
Of a boy named Ezekiel. But it happen
ed that Zekiels young affections are
placed on a neighbours buXom daughter
and it was while thinking deeply of
the fascinating damsel, enjoying in
anticipation the evening with her, that
Ezekiel forgot to secure the door Of
this place. He was still absent when
Mr.. Butterfield was awakened by his
wife, who declared that there was
some n in the lambs 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 stifed and choked as if a cruel
clutch killed it before it was we'll given
birth to. Mr.. Butterfield threw open
the window and called for Ezekiel,
and receiving no answer, dressed him
self hurriedly, and Selling his revolver,
made for the spot.
There vas a just going down,
I but it gave sufficient light to show
him that the doOr was partly open,
and on approaching till nearer, that
the sheep were huddled together in
terror of a score Of dark objects al
most as large as month-old calves,
which were running about the fold,
pulling down a mother sheep here or
devouring some tender lambling there.
At first Mr.. Butterfield could not
distinguish what these creatures We're,
but took them for dogs. Convinced,
however, that whatever they were,
the slaughter of his poor sheep, he
| drew his pistol, and discharged it at
the nearest, when its shrill yelp told
him that these marauders were wolves,
and wolves CT the large, ferocious grey
variety. He fired again and again, a
wolf falling at every shot.
The robbers then tried to run out
Of the door, but the ranchman, deter
mined on revenge, closed the only
exit and continued firing. But feeling
themselves trapped the animals seemed
to grow frantic, and before Mr.. But
terfield could suspect what was about
to happen flew 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 de-
fend himself from his bIoodthirsty
foes by knocking about him with the
butt end of the waepon. They tore
at his limbs, but poorly covered by a
pair Of light boots that he had drawn
on in coming out, and his feet and
lower legs were soon bleeding freely.
while the sharp fangs of the animals
found the bone itself often under the
lacerated flesh.
Mr.. Butterield shouted loudly to his
/ wife to bring help to him, but such
was the yelping, 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
struggle and screamed afresh for Ze-
kiel, who by this time was approach
ing the house, whistling merrily.
Mrs. Butterfeld flew out to meet
him and informed him of what had
happened and gave him his masters
gun to go to the rescue. Nearing the
fold then Ezekiel heard his employers
cries for assistance, and reached him
jut in time to see an enormous male
wolf leap upon the exhausted man
a-I raI1a HS-o h- thu -hpnn% Mr.