Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-07-21
KILLED WOLF
WITH CLUB
Peter Watson and His Ken
lucky Horse Ran Down a
Fierce Beast.

his stockings a dash or iron gray IN
his hair, a chest and arms like a Her,
cules, a face as strong and rugged as
this is Pete Watson, of Maryland, the
pride of Sioux County. He is the finest
of horsemen and the most tireless
hunter of the great Rocky Mountains,
Pete was called out of bed last Tues
day evening by an importunate re-
porter, who discovered him among the
guests at the Murray, and he rose like
horse shaking the dew from his
name, but ready to talk and to laugh.
Like a true frontiersman, lie sprang
from sleep with every nerve alert.
SO he said, you want to hear
some of my yarns? Well, l don't know
any other way than to just fire away,
and if it helps you out any, all right.
Just wait till put on my socks this
floor is little too cool on my toes.
There, / guess, I'm ready.
Il live on Whistle Creek. about eigh-
teen miles southwest of Marsland,
W ANAN nave n lhhNlis W l0dltSl
neighbor is Ashbrook, six miles up the
creek, which is feeder of the Mo
brara. It's ten miles to Pine Ridge
twenty to the Dry Spotted Tail coun-
try and about thirty 10 Alliance.
Il rode down to Alliance last Fourth.
and l never ride to a celebration with
out good hose. This time had my
best one-a big bay of Kentucky
blood. l call him Lee, and tell you
he is a horse They were TO have
rough riders parade but l found the
boys all sore at the leader, all riding
through the streets like mad, painting
the town in the true COW puncher
style. The leader was ready to give
in, and when he caught sight of my
big Lee carolling up the street, nothing
would satisfy him but that / should
imperSonate Roosevelt He wrapped
long banner around me, and the color
put Lee Oh his mettle. / know my
horse, and touch Of the spur set him
and whirling. He can turn
Oh the top of a bushel measure The
boys began to cheer, and soon they all
crowded around on their horses Then
said Boys, you see what's up? They
say I've got TO run this here parade
expect if / only had my wolf club
might beat you all over the head
and get you into line. Now, what do
you say
"'Go ahead, Pete" they wells. You
say go ahead says 1. Go ahead,
says they again. Well, then blame yer
Dict'er you fellers with grays hike up
that street a block an git together.
You black ones tother way, an don't
We dare come back till l tell We"
well, we had the finest parade last
Fourth we ever had. The boys all like
me, and they'll do what ! say. | eX-
poet it's because I'm always up and
l-comin' Blamed if they didn't all line
up ana boiler, Three howls fer Pete,
tn biggest wolf hunter in til United
States The fellers know how to coyote
calls, l tell you, and old Alliance got
a wakin' up, that's sure. felt pretty
good when | rode home next day.
That brings me around to the way
/ happened to break up the den up on
Dry Spotted Tail. That is the toughest
spot of land this side Of the foothills.
There are hundreds Of rocky gulches
and ridges and not a drop Of water in
any Of them. I'd thought for a long
spell that there was a big den in some
Of them gulches, for as sure as any Of
Ashbrook's cattle got TO ranging that
way he'd lose a calf or two every
night.
We'll when l come back from that
along toward night next
day, l saw Ashbrook waiting at my
gate long before l got there. He
looked pretty dark and thundeg', and
knew something was up.
Say said he how many dogs you
got?
Two grayhounds, two staghounds,'
said !.
~ know you hain't been out after
a wolf for long time said Ashbrook.
~
10 get out now. What do you think,
l turned my hig stallion out so that lie
could get something to eat and drink,
while we were at the celebration yester-
day, and come home tonight and find
him with both his hams eat out drag
ging himself around. almost dead, on
his forelegS. Pete you've got to run
them varnints down. You can't poison
them. You can't do nothing Ill give
you So apiece for all you kill
Where are your cattle| / asked
him, and he said they were fifteen
miles up the range toward Dry Spotted
Tail. All right, Ashbrook You go
over to Jake's and to Williams, and
then up to Marsland to the stable there
and get all the dogs you can borrow
That'll take you all night and more
I'm going to ride around your bunch
Of cattle so as to gel there early ID the
morning
II rode twenty-five miles that night.
and just at the very first streak of red
in the east came upon the herd ]
noticed that every critter was standing
and moving with a shaky, restless
motion. a mile away could hear
their low, mournful believing. /
worked around to the lee side. and
kept edgiug in closer. and the light
was getting brighter all the time. Just
RS the sun shot over the valley / saw
the long, gaunt, shaggy mother wolf
slipping like shadow along a dry
watercourse.
Jerusalem I turned Lee loose. and
tell you when | do nobody gets
ahead of Inc. My four dogs knew Id
sighted game, for they'd run ahead
like mad, and stand up on their bind
legs to look. Then they'd jump ia the
air aud whine softly. Ia forbidden
them 10 bay. The wolf was carrying
the hind quarters OF u calf aud did not
sight me until was within a thousand
Yards. When she did she drop ed ID.
IL. ia F-.t.,..Q.1 g.. -.