Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-12-23

The bullets were much too small for
the bore OF my gun, therefore put two
in each barrel. with a light charge of
shot, and descended to the lower
branch. where l seated myself upon the
one where could get the clearest view
of the ground.
The wolves greeted my reappear-
ance with chorus of savage yelps as
they gathered eagerly beneath me.
swapping and snarling. each struggling
for the nearest place that he might be
first at the expected feast. One grizzled
old fellow, the patriarch of the tribe,
who had curled himself up in the fallen
treetop. to bide my downfall. now had
his philosophical patience overcome
and limped forth from his lair. sneak
ing around the outskirts of the crowd
with his hungry eyes constantly upon
me. The largest and strongest of the
pack kept the position directly under
me, now springing upward more than
his length. then tumbling back upon
his mates that crowded beneath him,
now standing upright on his hinder
feet and paving the air and swapping
his fanged jaws viciously. While he
was in this posture I fired one barrel
straight into his mouth.
The recoil almost unseated me, but
recovered myself with no greater mis-
hap than losing the toys out of my
pocket. The big wolf made no motion
but to sink in hfeless heap with the
back of his head blown out. The others
scattered a little, but presently re-
turned, shifting at their dead comrade
and tapping his blood. Poor Dolly got
cruel bite from one that spoiled her
beauty forever. Another nosing jack
in-the-box unlocked the lid, whereup-
On the little imp flliped his snout, and
1 could not help laughing at the fright
ii gave the great cowardly brute.
I fired the second barrel at the old
grandfather as he warily skulked past.
beyond the others, and the charge
broke his back. He writhed about. bit
ing the wound a moment, and then.
dragging his paralyzed hinder parts,
crawled out of sight. The others were
getting somewhat shy, but plucked up
courage during the cessation of hostili
ties, while l reloaded, and then came
close under me again.
A third shot killed one nearly out
right, and the fourth broke the shoulder
of another as he ran. He retreated to
a safe distance and amused himself
with his wound, while the unhurt sur
vivors stood off, now regarding curious
ly their dead ard wounded companions.
now me, with growing respect, and evil
IDENTIFY doubling whether it was worth
their while to continue any longer in
my neighborhood.
When my gun was reloaded settled
the question for them with two shots.
The first one bore such a hole in the
belly of one that his entrails dragged
upon the ground, and the second stung
another so sharply that he stood not on
the order of his going. but made off in
all speed in company with his I'M
scathed ccmrade. while the fellow with
the broken shoulder hobbled after
them, and the other poor wretch tried
to follow them, turning now and again
to bite his own entrails, entangling his
feet and catching on stubs and stones.
Evening was already deepening the
forest shadows. and I had little time
to spare in mercy to the merciless
brute, but when I got to tie ground I
hastily loaded my gun and Inished hitS
with a shot in the head
Then, picking up the toys and taking
ing star, held forward at such speed as
the rough and darkening way would
permit. Fortunately, the almost full
noon was well up in the clear sky. and
had little difficulty in finding my way
down the mountain and reached Brad
ley's before their early bedtime.
Little Molly Bradley priced the doll
all the more for the scars which proved
her hairbreadth escape, and her brother
looked upon Othe jack-in-the-box that
had scared wolf as a hero as doughty
as Jack the Giant Killer.
Their father seemed to doubt my
story till led him to the scene OF my
adventure the next morning, and
showed him the four wolves, for we
found the brolen-backed patriarch af-
ter short search.
When we returned with the pelts the
Christmas dinner was ready for us, no
mean part of it being the cartridges.
much more nicely cooked by Mrs. Brad
ley than I could have done it on the
tree stump had been obliged to.
When I went home the next day there
was full pouch of buckshot in my
pocket, but found no use for it.-Row
land Robinson. in Chicago Inter Ocean
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