River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-07-11
Wild Motherhood. J
BY CHARLES d. ID. ROBERTS.
Observation-Disclosures

was IIOuGen down TO the moss,
and darkly soiled with many days Of
occupancy. The young spruce and
birch trees which dotted the trodden
space were cropped of all but their
toughest and coarsest branches and
the wall of loftier growth which
fenced the yard was stripped of its
tenderer twigs TO the utmost height
of the tall bulls neck. The available
provender was all but gone, and the
herd was in that restlessness which
Drecedes move to new pastures.
The herd of moose was a small one
three gaunt, rusty-brown, slouch-
ing cows, two ungainly calves Of n
lighter hue, and one huge, high
shOuldered bull, whose sweep of
palmated antlers bristled like for
est. Compared with the towering
bulk of his forequarters, the massive
depth Of his rouehmaned neck, the
weight of the formidable antlers. the
length and thickness of his clumsy,
hooked muzzle with its prehensile up
per hp-his lean and frayed hiudquar-
ters looked grotesquely diminutiye.
snowfall, the great bull moose had
been forced to establish the yard for
his herd in an unfavorable neighbor-
hood; and now he found himself con-
fronted by the necessity of long
march through snow of such softness
and depth as would make swift move
ment impossible and fetter him in the
face of his enemies. In deep snow
the moose can neither flee nor fight,
at both of which he is adept under
fair conditions; and deep snow, as he
knew, is the opportunity of the wolf
and the hunter. But in this case the
herd had no choice. 1t was simply
take the risk or starye.
That same night, when the moon
was rising round and white behind
the firtopS the tall bull breasted and
trod down the snowy barrier, and led
his herd off northward between the
hemlock trunks and the jutting gran
lite powders. He moved slowly his inn
nense muzzle stretched straight out be-
fore him, the bony array of his antlers
laid back level to avoid the hindrance
of clinging boughs. Here and there
a hollow under the level surface
would set him plunging and wallow-
ing for moment, but in the main
his giant strength enabled him to
forge his way ahead with q steady
aajesty of might. Behind him, in
dutiful line, came the three cows;
and behind these, again, the calves
followed at ease in a clear trail, their
muzzles not outstretched like that of
the leader but dropping almost to
the snow their high shoulders work
sng awlCwardly at every stride. In
utter silence, like dark. monstrous
specters, the line of strange shapes
moved on; and down the bewildering,
.ever-rearranging forest corridors the
'ominOus fingers of long moonlight
felt curiously after them When
they had journeyed for some hours
the herd came out upon n high and
somewhat bare plateau, dotted sparse
W with clumps of aspen. stunted yell
low birch and spruce. From this
tableland the streaming northwest
winds had swept the snow almost
clean, carrying it Off to fill the neigh
boring valley. The big bull, who
knew where he was going and had
no will to linger on the way halted
only for few minutes browsing,
and then started forward on a long.
swinging trot. At every stride his
loose-hung, wide-cleft, spreading
hooves came sharply together with a
fiat, clacling noise, The rest of the
line swept dutifnlly into place. and
the herd was Off.
But not all the herd One of the
calves, tempted a little aside by
thicbet Of special juciness and SAVIOR,
took alarm, and thought he was go
ing TO be left behind He sprang
forward, powerful but clumsy
stride, careless of his footing A
trcachcrous screen of suow-crusted
scrub gave way, and he slid SPRAYING
TO the bottom of little narrow gull
iy or creyice, natural pitfan His
mother, looking solicitously back
ward saw him disappear With a
leave of her shoulders, IA sweep of
her long, hornlesS head. an anxious
flick of her little naked tail, she
swung ont of the line and trotted
swiftly TO the rescue.
There was nothing she could do.
The creyicc was some ten or twelve
feet long and FIVE or six in width,
with sides almost perpendicular The
calf could just reach its bushy edges
with his up-stretched muzzle, but he
could get no foothold by which to
chamber out On every side he cs-
saycd it, falling back with hoarse
bieat from each frightened effort;
while the mother with head down
and pteous eyes staring upon him.
ran round and round the rim Of the
trap. At last, when he stopped and
stood with palpitating sides and wide
nostrilS of terror. she, too matted.
Dropping awkwardiy upon her knees
In the snowy bushes, with loud. blow
Ing breaths, She reached down her
head TO nose and comfort him with
her sensitive muzzle. The calf leaned
up as close as possible to her carcsscs.
Hinder their tenderness tho tro,,, H.; ., r~.-