The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-30
"A TenderfOOt
On Wolf Ranch

Out in the country, where the south
western mountains throw their shadows
on the plains, you may hear this story
of Wolf Ranch.
Wolf Ranch was the property Of
"Dad'' Perkins, first name long since
passed out Of everybody s memory save
possibly that Dad himself. Perkins
had a charming daughter, Phoebe, who
lived with him and kept the ranch
house sweet and orderly. Phoebe was
pretty PRETTY K and the boys Sa Of al the country
A young man came out Of the east
and took up quarters at Dad Perkins,
ranch. He was big and handsome, and
when he WASH t shooting in the noun
tains he was talking to Phoebe Perkins
Of books and poetry and all sorts Of
things, which made the girl believe he
was OF a different mold than the ranch
men, %sa Me- vo
after while and stayed about the
ranch, and, the hours that he was not
with Phoebe were not many. The New
Yorker talked to the ranch girl of the
delights Of city life and of the pleas
ures that awaited her there if she would
but 60 with him. The New Yorker
WASH It an honest man.
There was a sheepherder named George
Wilson on Dad Perkins ranch. The
herder had loved Phoebe in his own
way for a year; He knew that the
girl was not for him any more than the
stars that looked down at him when
he kept his sheepfold vigil. George
Wilson had eyes in his head He had
seen more than anyone else of the at
tentions that the New Yorker was pay
ing to Phoebe.
Wilson alternated with another herd
er in the matter of his nights on duty
with the focks. When not on guard
he stayed at the ranchhouse. The New
Yorker and Phoebe sometimes sat un-
der the wide-reaching roof Of the porch
after the mountains had shut out the
sun and the shadows filled the valley.
One night they sat there and spoke in
low tones. The girl said: 81 must
not go.' s.. ..To@..... 49,
Then there followed some words of
pleading.
There was movement back of them.
girl and turned. George Wilson was
| standing just back Of him. He looked
at the New Yorker and said:
"You asked me the other day while
called Wolf Ranch. I expect to leave
here tomorrow to take place on an
| other ranch many miles away, and to.
night | will tell you why this is called
Wolf Ranch.
cit has been so known only for two
years: There were not many wolves
in this section; in fact, there had been
none for years, until one came-a big,
lightly on tie i foId' o %ao do asftSRse
| Of no service. The wolf was too smart
for them. He had hunger for lambs,
and he was shrewd enough to find a
| way to get his meal. We tried poison
and spring guns, and we could do moth
| ing with that wolf. He knew his wolf
ish business, and knew it well from
| the wolf's standpoint. -.
Il said our dogs were no good. There
was something about that wolf that
made them fear. had dog at=the
home Of my father miles away. The
men said: This is no wolf; it s devil.
Your. dog will be no better than the
rest -. ~
him to the fold. For I've NIGHTS lH' we We
lay and watched together, but saw no
wolf, and yet during the time three
| lambs were lost.
con the sixth night I lay on the
ground looking down into a corner Of
the fold. The moon was full, and it
twas almost as light as day. In the
| coluei oL -Iue lOlQ where was look
ing was motherless lamb. My dog
jim, I called him-was at my side.
IT watched until my eyes ached,
but finally saw shadow over beyond.
Then the shadow took shape, for on
a mound full in the moonlight I saw
4 a wolf, the biggest so far as we know
that this valley ever held. I knew then
why our dogs had gone back on us, but
I still believed in Jim.
d" Jim saw the wolf when I saw him,
and his hair went up like bristles.
/ That dog crawled away from me to
J the enemy. He knew that this wolf
. was after that poor little motherless
lamb, and to save that lamb he would
try.' H. p 3I> .-.s
AS Wilson went on with his story
he moved toward the New Yorker.
! Even in the gloom of the night the
eastern man could see the sheep herd
/ er IS eyes CLEAN, and there was some
thing cold at his heart.
~ 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 dogs
He had seen our dogs turn tail and
run.
"Jim kept on crawling. It was moth.
near the lamb.'
AS Wilson said this he was stand.
ing as tho ready to spring. He was
carried away with his story.
tEThe wolf came nearer the lamb
and Jim got nearer, too. The wolf
made one spring and Jim met him in
midair. In second he had this wolf
monster by the throat and had killed
! him.
"Jim saved that lamb, and he killed
/ the wolf. That's why this is called
Wolf Ranch. - .-.-~ -
The next morning at daybreak the
New Yorker was striking back over the
trail to the nearest railroad station.
Chicago Post.
HOPEFUL NEWS
! The Snnhrette-Are Won aware Mr.