Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12
A Famous Wolf Hunt.

Early in the fifteenth century wolves in
| France were very numerous and very trou-
| blesome. 1t was not because the French
| had no other troubles. for the plague swept
| away thousands OF people yearly. the hum
| dred years war with England was still
| raging and at times the French were al
| most fighting among themselves. They
were stirring times.
Paris was already city with tens OF
| thousands OF people and q strong high WALL
according to the custom. Many were the
wolves that came down from the forests
and hills to steal sheep and chickens and
calves from the unfortunate peasants who
lived outside the city walls. Many were
| the wolves that dared to come squarely up
to the citys gates, and some OF them were
killed by soldiers guarding the gates and
walls.
Now. there was wolf sometimes seen
who was a half larger than any of the rest
and had peculiar mark-the greater part
OF his tail was gone. No doubt he had lost
Ii In some trap other during MS younger
days. though that was not known. One
thing only was certain-"Short Tall" as he
was called, was an enemy to be feared. NO
| hunter ever yet had been brave enough to
assail him. Men who had seen him with
other wolves declared that Short Tail was
a leader whom all the rest followed and
obeyed.
The time this narrative tells about was
long. cold winter. 1t had not been easy for
the wolves to find food. Sometimes on
would gather on the hiltops Just outside the
city walls and howl there until daylight.
So fierce and so desperate did they seem
that the armed bands OF hunters who
usually went out to give them battle were
now afraid to do so.
One dreadful night when the wolves were
desperately hungry they roamed in great
hordes around the walls of Paris. Short
Tail in the lead At last they came to the
River Seine. 1t was frozen over, but the
water was so low that the ice after freez-
Ing had settled down. leaving a space be-
tween the ice and the flood gates that
swung above 1t.
Through that space the wolves rushed
Men who were on the street were defence
less against the starving beasts. Others
who came to what happening or
to help In the defense also perished. All
night the carnage lasted and at dawn the
wolf army departed the way it had come
Some of the animals were slain, OF course,
but no one could find the body of old Short
Tail
And now not only the city but all the
surrounding country was in a panic. No
body felt safe. In truth, nobody safe.
Business between the city and the country
was al standstill. Any hour, day or night.
that bowling. hungry horde might come
over the hills again. Indeed. there could
be doubt that sooner or later 1t surely
would come.
AT last all were agreed that there must
be a great wolf hunt and that Short Tail
must to taken at all hazards. Every able
bodied youth and man was commanded to
join in the hunt. armed with the best of
weapons he could find
The army numbered several thousand.
and they marched out one winters morning
to surround the forest where they believed
the ravenous beasts lived. When the circle
was completed the order was given to
march forward Thus the circle grew
smaller. Here and there wolf dens were
found. and the animals were driven In to-
ward the center. Some who tried to escape
were killed
Now, the ring of hunters was three and
four deep, so small had the circle
become. Inside the ring was the growl-
ing. frenzied pack. Short Tail among them
Still the circle narrowed and the business
of destruction went on. There was almost
a wolf for man. Finally, at the very GEN.
ter when the fight done. the fierce gray
beasts lay piled high enc above the other.
and at the very top. resisting to the last.
was the old giant. Short Tall.