The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-10-09

aDle u pe VI use Oh q udlry Idrm, ana
her breed is as uncertain as her
years; but any suggestion that she
be transformed into beef always
meets with a decided negative from
Tom Ottway.
"She's the mascot of the herd,- is
all her owner usually will say in ex-
PLANTATION of her privileges; but some
times, when in a more communica-
tive mood, he will tell how she lost
her right horn and earned her present
name.
1t was nearly dozen years ago,
and Crophorn was then known as
Dapple. Late in one of the hardest
winters the peninsula of Northern
Michigan has ever known she proud
ly stood guard over spindle-legged
calf only a few days old.
Tom Ottway was not yet married,
and had recently bought the valley
farm, on which only four fields were
fully cleared. His widowed mother
kept house for him, but had been alb
sent for more than fortnight, visit
pected to be away not more than a
week, but was detained by a severe
February storm. The back country
then could be reached only by stage
or in private conveyances.
Tom was very busy while she was
gone. In addition to feeding the six
teen head of cattle, tho pigs, poultry
and three horses, and getting his own
meals, he spent every spare moment
In telling trees in the south slashing.
He wished to clear at least five acres
there before the sap started, so as to
burn the tract over early in the sum-
mer.
AS the result of his hard work,
Tom ordinarily slept we'll, but of late
bis nights had been disturbed by the
presence of wolves. There were
many big gray ones about, but while
game was abundant they caused him
little anxiety. Now, however, the
ieep snow had lessened their ordinary
supply of food, and they were draw
ing nearer and nearer to the settled
country. Tom had no neighbors with
in three miles. and his clearing was
one of the most exposed in the
county.
For nearly week he had heard
pack in full cry not far from the open
fields, and then, as their tracks
showed, they had made dash at the
:attle yard. The high log fence had
repealed them, although in one place
!hay had made repeated efforts to
Jump over.
This yard was rooted over at the
west end, and the shed thus formed
was boarded up, except for a. narrow
gate next to the barn. A strawstack
near the centre afforded additional
shelter, the sides having been eaten
away by the young stock till they
could burrow practically out of sight.
Here they gathered to sleep at night,
although the shed was deeply bedded
In straw and was usually left open.
The small barn was a strong but
temporary structure, only large
enough to shelter the horses and farm
implements. The combined pigpen
and henhouse was of logs. built as a
ieanto, on the south side of the barn.
On the day following the first ac-
tual visit of the wolves, sou west
er" gathered itself together some
where over Lake Michigan, and came
snrieking across water, field and for
est, bringing eighteen inches more
OF snow. This fresh snow was rather
heavy, but not damp enough to pre-
vent 1t from drifting in hard wind
rows. The backwoods roads were
thus rendered again impossible.
Tom heard the hunting cry of the
pack even above the bowling of the
storm; and in going to the slashing,
ne found skull and thigh bones
Wnere belated deer had been pulled
uown and devoured. Most of its sur
wing companions had gone far to
the southwark long before.
When he started for the house at
sunset ne saw two wolves sitting on
their launches on knoll thirty or
torty rods away, watching him. He
pointed his ax-helve at them, like a
gun, and they skunk off into the tim
Der; but when he reached the barn.
he discovered that five lean creatures
mad followed him to the limits OF the
underbrush.
ION made everything snug for the
night before attending to his own
wants. The cattle were little I'M
easy; they had already detected the
presence OF the pack. The stout
fence seemed impregnable, but there
was a great drift at the southeast
corner that ran up to within a ward
OF the topmost log. The young man
regretted that he had not taken the
time to dig it away that afternoon.
and resolved to come out after supper
and cut trench next to the fence.
Darkness came on while the meal
was being prepared. and as he was
eating, he heard howl just below the
barn. Going to a window, he saw a
succession of dim forms scurryine
across the snow round the end of the
cattle yard. Hastily securing has re-
peating rifle and cartridge belt he i,ur-