Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1898-04-11
AMMONIA SAVED HIM.
A PENNSYLVANIA DOCTORS sExPs-
RENEE WITH WOLVES.

tbs Horse and For Forty eight Hours
Carried on a Contest With His Life as
the stake.
The following is a true wolf story
written from data furnished by DR..
Thornton Of Lewisburg, Pa, whose ia
Their figures as the hero:
"About the year 1916 wolves were
abundant in Tomhickon valley, between
Catawissa and Hazleton. When the
Catawissa railroad, a 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 patient
about 20 miles from his home. At that
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 a
short cut. He lost his way and for
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 quag-
mlre, from which his owner was unable
to extrieate 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 and
started off.
Several hours after the doctor got
out OF the swamp where he had aban-
doned his horse be was Mortified to see
that he was being followed by a band
of five or six wolves. At first they kept
at 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
impulsiye than the others made a spring
at the DOCTORS throat, but we'll direct
ed blow from club temporarily dis
abled the animal and caused his raven
Gus companions to discontinue at that
time their premeditated and combined
attack.
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
hay have only intensified the brute's eour-
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 giant tree
served to protect him from falling back
ward. He reached this eminence in time
to provide him self 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 ac-
curacy broke the head of one of the as
sailants, and this gave the doctor
breathing spell.
"The man, however, realized that he
must soon quit his refuge, and, remem-
bering that he had in his saddlebags
large bottle full of ammonia, he deter
mined to employ it as a 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 oyerpowered on level ground,
separated, SUNK 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 bafled their
powers.
"Tho doctor stood still and waited
until one of the brutes rushed within
an arm s 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 off bowling with pain. Two
more of the band were slapped across
the mouths with the saturated baize,
and they also left. After this experience
- 2 I L !: L.