Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-07-28


the Stake.
The following is true wolf story
written from data furnished by DR..
Thornton Of Lewisburg, Pa, whose "a
ther figures as the hero:
"About the year 1915 wolves were
abundant in Tomhickon valley, between
Catawissa and Hazleton. When the
Catawissa railroad, part Of the Phil
adelphia and Reading, was being built,
DR.. Thomas A. H. Thornton, a practic.
ing physician, one cold autumn night
| was called out of bed to visit a patient
about 20 miles from his home. At tina,
time there were no regular roads as we
now have. In their place the traveller
used narrow paths or trails. DR.. Thorn
ton in his anxiety to reach the bedside
Of the sufferer attempted to make q
short cut. He lost his way and for q
week wandered through the wilderness
| and, having no gun, was obliged to
| subsist ON roots and herbs The doctor
was ON horseback and after wandering
aimlessly about the painless forests for
four or five days got into large swamp.
where the horse stepped into a quag-
| mire, from which his owner was unable
| to extricate him, and the animal had
to be abandoned, imbedded as he was
| almost to his belly in the soft and DOGGY
bed. The doctor removed the saddle
bags containing his supply of medicine,
etc. threw them over his shoulders 8 :.
started off.
Several hours after .ne doctor got
out of the swamp where he had aban-
doned his horce he was Mortified to see
that he vas being followed by band
of five or six wolves. At first they kept
az respectful distance when stones
/ were thrown at them, but finally, as if
they appreciated the helpless condition
of their intended victim, and as dark
ness came on. the hungry, bloodthirsty
band became holder and holder. They
circled around the terrified and jaded
man and, closing in, started to attack
him on all sides. One more vicious and
impulsive than the others made spring
at the Doctors throat, but well direct
| ed blow from a club temporarily dis
| abled the animal and caused his raven
GUS companions to discontinue at that
time their premeditated and combined
attack.
1.-THE doctor. by this thrilling episode
and the frightened condition of the
wolves, succeeded in going perhaps a
mile unmolested when, to his great
horror, he found the whole pack, led by
the vicious brute he believed he had
manned with his club, hot on his trail.
The stunning blow administered to the
leader Of the bowling band seemed to
have only intensified the brute's cour-
| age and thirst for blood. The man,
weakened by long exposure and loss Of
| food, realized that he would soon be torn
to pieces if he did not adopt some new
means Of defense.
Fortunately, as the animals began
closing around him for another on
slaught, he reached a high rock and
mounted on its top, where a giant tree
served to protect him from falling back
ward. He reached this eminence in time
to provide himself with some stones and
two or three good clubs before his pur-
suers started to attack him. He stood
back to the tree, and as the animals at.
tempted to come up he drove them back
with his primitive weapons. A large
stone hurled with great force and &C.
curacy broke the head of one of the as.
sailants, and this gave the doctor q
breathing spell.
1.-The man, however, realized that be
must soon quit his refuge, and, remem.
bering that he had in his saddlebags a
large bottle full of ammonia, he deter.
mined to employ it as final resort to
save his life. He quickly removed one
of his green baize leggings, tied it Sc.
curely to a stick, and after saturating
the logging with ammonia he boldly
started down the rocky promontory to.
ward the wolves. The cunning animals,
apparently aware that he could be more
easily overpowered on level ground,
separated, skunk off and permitted him
to proceed several hundred yards before
they renewed the pursuit. They did not,
however, allow much time to elapse be.
fore they took the trail of the man who
had thus far SO successfully baff1ed thei,
powers.
| 1.-THE doctor stood still and waited
until one of the brutes rushed within
an arms length, when he struck him
in the face with the cloth saturated
with ammonia. This reception was
most novel and unique one for the wolf,
who ran of bowling with pain. Two
more Of the band were slapped across
the mouths with the saturated baize,
and they also left. After this experience
the wolves followed the doctor till day.
light next morning, when they gave up
the chase, which they had continued TO,
4S hours and which unquestionably
would have resulted in most horrible
death if it had not been for the contents
Of the ammonia bottle.
"Dr. Thornton succeeded in finding a
shanty occupied by the men construct.
ing the Catawissa railroad, where be
was carefully cared for, and in the
course Of four or five days N.-s taken to
his home, where he was i'll for fully q
month. "-P6iladelphia Record.
Where the World Lives.
OF every 1000 inhabitants Of the
globe 55S live in Asia, 242 in Europe,