The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-09
LESSONS OF THE WOLF.
IFrom the Record Herald.l

ciple is all in the bark
Edward Blocker with his guide hunt
ed in the mountains back OF Won
Ranch and whipped every mountain /
side stream within 30 miles with his line
and leader to take the ganey trout. He
had been a month at Wolf Ranch, ana
yet he fingered. 1t was Old DAD Per
kins' ranch. and naa had an only and
pretty daughter. Phoebe, VINO was Jus
turning 20. There weren't any flowers
to he found in the sunny spots in TIE
mountains that were prettier tnan
Phoebe Perkins. and she was as shy
and retiring as any blossom hidden
away among the mountain Businesses
The pig handsome New Yorker, with
his citv bred airs. was a revelation 10
Phoebe Perkins. Blocker knew that
he had made an impression on tn
heart of this mountain maiden. and
Blocker was glad of it. He was oHt
for sport and here was game of the
kind of which he had no thought when
he had left the railroad station behind
him He talked books and poetry and
all sorts of things that made the girl
believe he was of q different mold tran
the rough ranchmen around her. Bleeck-
er played his hand well. He held trump |
caros and he felt that the odd was his,
though the honor might go by default. |
Old Dad Perkins smoked his pipe and
was unsuspicfous, Rleeclxer and Phoebe
would stroll through the twilight. ana
he wauld talk ever and again about
the delights of. the life in the great
pulse of Phoebe Perkins stirred at the
sound of his subtle voice.
On Wolf ranch, employed as a sheep |
herder, was young fellow named Geo
Wilson. He was an illiterate man. The
IeR1ing o! books was to him an I'M
known quantity. but he could read ma
ture, and her page is broader and falrer
than that of any book which ever came /
from the press. Not only could George /
Wilson read nature as she spread her
lesson on plain and mountain side, but
he could read nature in man-huma2
nature, or inhuman nature, as you VIII.
This sheep herder for more than a year
had in his own way loved Phoebe Per-
kns. He loved her as he loved the stars
that glittered above him. while he kept
his vigil by the fold, knowing full we'll
that while he loved the girl. like the
star. she was far above his reach. He
had seen more than had anyone else on
that ranch of Edward Bleecker's atten- I
ton to Phoebe, and more than anyone
else on that ranch he felt that he knew
the purport of these attentions
George Wilson's heart was hot within /
him He alternated with another herder
his nights on duty with the sheep fold I
When not on guard he stayed at the
great ranch house. Blocker and Phoebe /
sometimes sat under the great reaching /
roof of the ranch porch after the sun
had gone below the mountain and the
forbidding shadows filled the valley. /
Wilson, ordinarily silent, had now for a
week past been making little advances
toward a closer acquaintance with
Bleechker. He had volunteered on one
occasion to guide him on hunting. trip
into the mountains to a place where he
knew game to be abundant Blocker
had accepted the service, and had found (
that Wilson knew what he was talking
about when he said he would take him 1
to a good game country He had felt
a curious sensation, however, at times
during the day of the trips He felt that
this sheep herder was watching him.
Perha rsf Ffeeckerss conscience was not
nf F.
ed for it.
Edward Blocker and Phoebe Perkins
were on the porch of the ranch. The
night was dark to the point of gloom
They were speaking IN low tones. No,
I must not 60" said the girl.
Then followed some words of pleading.
There was a movement back of them;
Blocker drew apart from the girl and
turned in his seat. George Wilson was
standing just back of him. Mr.. Bleeck-
err" he said. you asked me the other
day while we were hunting why this
place is called Wolf ranch. 1 expect to
leave here tomorrow to take a place or
another ranch many miles away, and
tonight I will tell you why this is called
Wolf ranch. It has only been so known
for two years. There were not many
wolves in this section. In fact, there
had been none for years until one came
"a big, gray, hungry fellow, who fat
tened nightly on the fold. Our dogs
were of no service. The wolf was too
smart for them. He had hunger for
find a way to get his meal. We tried
poison and spring guns. and we could
do nothing with that wolf He knew his
wolfish business. and knew it well from
the VOLTS standpoint
I said our dogs were no good. There
was something about that wolf that
made them fear. 1 had a dog at the
home of my father miles AWAY The
men said. This is no wolff it's a devil
Your dog will be no better than the rest
But l knew my dog. brought him 10
the fold For five nights we lay and
watched together but saw no wolf and
vet during the time three lambs were
lost. On the sixth night 1 lay on the
ground looking down into a corner of
the fold. The moon was full and it was
almost as light as day.. In corner OF
the fold where I was looking was a
motherless lamb, My dog Jim 7 called
him, was at my. side. I watched until
my eyes ached but finally I saw a
shadow over beyond the corner of tho
fold Then the shadow took shape for
on little mound, full in the moonlight.
saw the wolf, the biggest I had ever
seen, and the biggest so far as we know
this valley ever held I knew wI1v ON,
dogs had gone back on US, but I still
Jim saw the wolf, when I saw him and
his hair went up like bristles. That dog
crawled away from me toward the enemy.
He knew that this wolf was after thaf
poor little motherless lamb and save that
lamb he going to-"
As Wilson went on with his story he
moved toward Blocker. Even in the
gloom of the night the New Yorker co111d
see the sheep herder's eyes CLEAN and he
experienced an uncomfortable feeling al
his heart
Il just stayed and watched said Wilson
Jim went on and on. The wolf had his
head up. He had located the lamb What
cared he for dog? He had seen our dogs
turn tail and run.
Jim kept on crawling. It was nothing
but crawl. The wolf near the
lamb
As Wilson said this he was standing as
though ready TO, spring. He was carried
away with his story.
THE wolf came nearer the lamb and
Jim got nearer. too. The wolf made on