Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-04
A PIONEER WOLF HUNT.

| "' '"NN III 'lc J1 y, says writer
in the New Orleans Times-Democrat. I
remember We lived in new country
but thinly settled. where the wolves
We're menace to the safety. not only
of the domestic animals. but TO the SET
tiers children | was but q lad then.
fired with all the ambition OF inexperi-
enced youth, and longing for fame like
an old politician. The highest ambi-
ton of my life was to XIII a wolf and
accordingly, often begged my father TO
let me accompany him on one of his
hunting expeditions. AT last one day,
to my delight, he consented. There
was to be a spiral hunt that night. and
l was permitted to 90 20 the stand or
scaffold and await the arrival of the
| hunters.
This stand consisted Of four poles,
| firmly pinned to as many trees. about
10 feet from the ground. and covered
with smaller poles and brush so as 10
make a safe and comfortable resting
place. Knowing the woods like an old
| hunter, had no difficulty in finding the
| place, where | soon scrambled into DO
sitiOn, and with my old nint-lOck I
waited the coming exciting events.
| The State had just passed a bounty lava
allowing s. a head for every wolf scalp
that was brought in, and therefore it
became profitable, as well as excellent
sport.
The old hunters stopped at the edge
of the forest. which was almost adjoin-
ing the house, and, after rubbing ASA
fetida on their shoe soles, separated.
and each taking n different route, madd
a circuit of the stand some three o. four
miles in extent, gradually drawing
nearer to the center as they walked.
| This occurred about the midle Of the az
ternoOn, and such was the extent OF
their journey that all of them did not
arrive until nearly dark
The first one to come IN was my faith
err. impelled, no doubt by fear OF my
safety. l was lying on the scanold,
sound asleep when he came, and near
" fell TO the ground when awakened.
| Presently the others came in, one at
time. till there were six of MS. Each
hunter had 100 rounds OF ammunition
for his muzzle-loading rifle, and sat
down and told stories of adventure I'LL
near 10 o'clock before we heard sounG
of anything that called for a passing
thought. At last sudden silence was
observed. as if by instinct and then
murmur of approval brought forth the
remark:
"The gray-backs have struck our
trail at last
Yes. and they are making a -
us" calmly remarked my faLhe--j.I
Presently 81 yc0uhf sce cdT1f --1rTss-eS'
fitting hither aud thither through the
bushes. gradually getting nearer and
more numerous. All were still as deaths
but strictly on the alert The dismal
bowls and short, sharp snaps were noS
heard on every hand, and suddenly
with a bound one old dog bounded
right out I'm the open moonlight near
our scaffold. Ny father raised his rlhe,
and the sharp report that followed re-
vealed that one at least had paid mo
penalty with his life. Al the sisnJ Oh
their dying comrade II seemed as II
fury was turned loose, and anna tho
awful confusion that then reigned no
one uttered word but simply loaded
and fired as fast as they could, inc
shot taking effect in nearly every In-
stance They were now as thick as
bees. and as az rather long intervals
nv old musket rang out, there would
he 4 sudden scattering and then
closing of ranks. Ike well-disc.plined
soldiers.
We kent ND our slaughter tll about
| o'clock i'm the morning, without APP
( f.ft ID
M last ceased for the lack Of ammunl-
ton. The others lay down ana calmly
| silent fin morning. but the excitement
had been TOO much for me, ana ] lay
and listened to the uproar all night
long. At daylight the wolves dispenser
to their lairs. and we came down 10
count the spells of our victory There
were the scalps of 1874 wolves 10 teil
tho story. besides many which hab
been torn to pieces and deyourel Dy
their ravenous companions.
But what gave me- and, in fact. all
of us the greatest shock was when Wo
discovered that one Of the trees "Aicn
supported our sca1old had D,'n
gnawed nearly i'm two during the n--A-
Had they accomplished this ieal .I't
would have precipitatod us mo l1.F
midst where we would have been ON
equal footing with themselyes' Dig
hopelessIy I'm the minority Inet 'l
said thev had never seen such lh'hB
attempted before, and resolt'ai. TO ,,n3
larger trees on which 10 Dl''' '.''
scaffold next time. .tt.t
Among the dead was wolf VINO.
had young. and one of me nuii''l
| be knew lust where the lair was ana
Il would be a fitting climax 70 800 anu
tal,e them alive TO this ii IedliIs
accented and accordingly 500 i ou-
deenar into the forest Presently N9
came 10 an old hollow .12 ana "5
down our guns 'he leader or s'll1 .,ii
Now. BOYS. stand outside ana B VIZ
On I'm and throw our mo toIA1
Accordingly i'm Doc went. ana %. i'.
a minnie The sounds OF The nisA1 81 -''7
ed about 10 be repeated. 80
Look ont. boys came OH
dantbs Of the log "I'yc found me olI
one at home A moment later he e'u
ont With face and hands laceratel ana
6Ieeding but with q knife 10 DIS ,e u
~ ,iae 'drae,ing after him the carcass
of a dead wolf. ,,t- tt, log
w 49,, Ion and made easy prison.
er p If the six young ones. H
oa.-;nd homo alive. and raised so.A. y-
- - so. nots until they got 1ls .A0lst
10 kill sheep. when "e .'' ~, tleir
them and get the DouN.' ~
scalps, too.