Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-06
GRAY TIMBER WOLVES
CRUEL MALE PARENT DEVOURED
HIS OWN OFFSPRING.

CRUEL MALE PARENT DEVOURED
HIS OWN OFFSPRING.
Written for The Star.
I was standing in front Of TIE wolf dens
In big geological garden. when the quiet
voice of a keeper arrested my attention.
Look out there. sir! That big timber
wolf in the last sage is a devil: If you put
your hand within reach, he'll have your
fingers off before you know it. He killed
and ate two of his own cubs the other day,
and since then. when the wolf in the next
cage stuck his paw through the bars. that
fellow chewed 1t right off,
This was surely an interesting brute, and
I took step back to get a good look at
him. He was not such a bad one to look
at. He was a big, powerful fellow, with
handsome head and an air which suggested
considerable self-confidence. A long red
scar on one side of his head showed one
result of a recent combat and with one
eye on a wolf in the next cage he was
whining much after the manner of a big
dog who sees an old enemy, but is restrain
ed from clinching with him-a sort of Just
let-me-get -at-him" whine. which is very
expressive.
Ready for ANY Emergency.
close to the dividing bars, and the change
which came over the big fellow was mar
velous to behold The moment before he
was a big restless dog; now he was a
great gray timber wolf. the long hair Of his
back and neck rising on end and giving one
the impression that he was half as tall
again. He could not get at the other wolf.
but he was ready for any emergency. His
head would have made a good study for
"Ferocity." There was savage light in
his eyes, and his lips were curled back from
his half-open jaws, displaying two long lines
of white fangs, which were streaked with
blood flowing from wound caused by Crap
ping with the iron bars.
That" said the keeper, with a jerk Of
his thumb toward the satanic brute before
me- lis the father of those cubs you've
come for, and l guess they're all wolf: that
is, all that's left of them"
The Baby Wolves.
"All that's left of them proved to be
four; their amiable father had devoured
two before he was removed. We went
round to look at the babies. and found
them lying all together in a nest in a cor
ner of their den; just one bunch or gray
fur Their mother. alert-lookng crea-
ture but not nearly so formidable as ner
mate, watched us anXiOusly as we looked
her youngsters over. Then 1 went to at
tend to some other matters, and when L
returned the little wolves were all together
in a box covered with wire netting and
ready for their long railroad journey to my
home in New Hampshire. OF course, the
infants would have to be fed frequently
en- route so the first thing to do was to
get supply of milk. with the necessary
'dropper' and baby's bottle with which to
administer it.
| was going by way of Boston, and my
train started from the Grand Central sta
ton, New York, at IL pm. l reached 42d
street at 1858. too late to get anything
but an upper berth. and started out on
the platform.
Gateman Eyed the Box Suspiciously.
The watchful ticket-puncher threw a
glance of his eagle eye at the big box con-
tanning my wolves, but. as the netting was
hidden beneath a cloth. he never suspected
live stock. The size of the box, however,
held his attention, and he remarked rather
severely: You II have to put that in your
berth; there's no room for box of that
size in the aisle" A moment later L
stepped the train, just it pulled out
of the station. The porter was busy making
up a berth, 50 l set my box down and
waited. Waiting with me was good
natured looking fellow, with whom 1 ex-
changed few words. and who happened to
have the berth below my own. Presently
the little captives, getting hungry, no
doubt. began to scratch on the side of
their box.
'Hellor' said the man. What have you
Hush" 1 answered. putting my fingers
to my lips. Tomato plants"
"Ah! L thought so by the sound" he re-
piled. We'll. 1 have the berth below
yours l hope they won't grow through the
side of the box before morning"
When the porter came let him take my
bag and few other traps: the box l han
died myself. and swung 1t up into the
berth. following fast as l could and
keeping up running fire OF conversation
with the porter to drown the whlnes and
scratchings of the babies, who were grow
ing more hungry every moment.
Trouble on the Train.
AT last he was gone. and 1 drew the
drapery of my couch around me-" without,
however, lying down to pleasant dreams.
The instant 1 took the from the box
the wolf puppies scrambled out and fairly
besieged me. whining with all their might.
Ir their eagerness for food two OF them
scrambled to the very edge of the berth,
and | Just saved them from tumblng over
into the aisle by snatching them back by
their tails. But, hungry as they were. they
had no knowledge of either medicine drop
pers or nursing bottles. and 1 had a warm
time of it before / succeeded in pumping
into my charges enough milk to last them
until morning. In the excitement fear we
made more noise than l had been aware Of
and Just as / was putting the cubs back into
the box the curtains Were drawn apart and
a black face appeared at the opening
Whats de trouble, sub? All you sick
suh?'
mo: Just little tired: that's ALL" and as
his eye rested on the face of one of the
young wolves, which indscreetly poked its
nose over the edge of the box I added:
Here's something for your trouble, and il
I'm not disturbed again tonight there'H be
another for you In the morning"
"A right. sub, and, showing ivory from
ear to ear, he drew the curtains close to-
gether and disappeared down the dimIy-
lighted aisle. j
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES