Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-05-10
AMMONIA SAVED HIM.
A PENNSYLVANIA DOCTORS exPE-
 HENCE WITH WOLVES.

Carried 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. ther figures as the hero:
 About the year 1845 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, practic- ing physician, ono 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 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 aimie.sly about the pathiess forests for four or five days got into a large swamp where the horse stepped into a quag mire, from which his owner was unable to extricate him, and tho animal had to be abandoned, imbedded as he was almost to his belly in the soft and boggy bed. The doctor removed the saddle bags containing his supply of medicine, etc., threw them oyer his shoulders and started off.
 Several hours after tue doctor got out of the swamp where he had aban- that he was being followed by a band of five or six wolves. At first they kept at a 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 bolder and holder. They eircled around tho terrifiud and jaded man and, closing in, started to attack him on all sides. One moro vicious and impulsiye than the others made spring at the doctor throat, but a well direct ed blow from club temporarily dis abled the animal and caused his raven ous 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 maimed with his club, hot on Lis trail. The stunning blow administered to the leader of the bowling band seemed to have only intensified the brute's eour- age and thirst for blood. The man, weakened by long exposure and loss of 1 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 high rock and mounted on it's top, where 8 giant tree served to protect him from falling back ward. He reached this eminenee i'll time l to provide him self with some stones and two or three good clubs before his pur- suers started to attack him. He stood l back to the tree, and as the animals at- l 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, renlem- bering that he had in his saddlebags a large bottle full of ammonia, be deter mined to employ it as a final resort to save bis life. He quickly removed one of his green baize leggings, tied it se- curely to ssstiel, alil after saturating l the logging with ammonia he boldly started down the rocky promontory to- ward the wolves. The cunning animals, apparently aware that he could be moro 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 baffied their powers
 1.-The doctor stood still and waited until one of the brutes rushed within an arm s length when he struck him m 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 the wolves followed the doctor till day