Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-04-27
THE STORY OF THE GRAY WOLF.

lie oloNt UT lie oNAI WILL
! In the spring of l8-, Jim Boyce, with
his wife and two sons, John and Fred
moved to claim in the extreme north
west Illinois. A two-room cabin OF logs
rooted with split pihe slabs, for them
selves, and one built on the same plan
but smaller, for the COW and team o
horses, were the only buildings at thai
time in radius Of four miles. The first
season was one OF continuous toll, with
no returns in money and very little ir
farm produce, for every foot Of land had
to be broken that dry summer, and there
was brush to be cleared off and burned
rails to be split, fences built and the hun
dredS OF other jobs that keep the settler
busy. Winter was coming on apace, and
there was little to meet il with but four
pairs of willing hands. After the second
frost in November, Jim Boyce took po-
sition at lumber camp some forty-five
miles distance, leaving the farm in charge
of his wife and boys.
Although left to their own resources
for recreation. John and Fred were never
at loss for means. What country boy is,
for that matter2 Game and fish were TO
be had in abundance, rabbits, quailS,
grouse and squirrels could all be started
in a half hours walk, and sometimes a
deer or two would venture down from
the lake country to Craze for a time in the
clearings and on the rich pastures. A
few dozen steel trips would have been a
source of much profit and pleasure to the
boys, for fur-bearing animals were ex-
ceedingly plentiful. Along the water
courses mink and coon tracks were al
ways in evidence. Lynx, wild cats and
skunk also were numberlesS in the tim
Der and in the hills. True, with the help
Of Smoky Joe, an Indian acquaintance,
they had constructed few dead-fallS,
rabbit snares and figure -four traps, but
as their father said, "lniun gifts amt
white mans gifts" and with these artful
contrivances of the Redskins, they had
little success the first winter.
All through the summer and autumn
the cattlemen and sheep owners OF that
locality had been troubled by some ami
NAL or animals that greatly harassed their
flocks; killing sheep and calves and now
and then young steer. No one knew
positively the nature OF the beast, though,
of course, everyone freely expressed an
opinion. "Big gray wolf" said Indian
Joe, who several times had been on the
spot shortly after killing but his belief
was that OF only few, "For look you" 1"
said they, "what wolf could throw a
grown COW without first hamstringing =?
And what wolf would attack flock of
sheep and be content with one, when the
nature of the beast is TO kill and kill, for
the mere love of killing, while single
animal remains within reach ?"
"No, sir" they said, mot wolf, but a
panther turned this trick" And some
there were who had heard ofan animal call
ed the wolverine, and these wisely talked Of
Indian devils, and cited instances where
his strength and ferocity had come to
their personal notice.
Still the Indian stoutly averred, "Big
wolf" and John and Fred, who had i'm
plicit confidence in his knowledge OF
animals and woodcraft, believed also.
Another thing that caused them TO be-
lieye was this: AT irregular intervals
throughout the summer strange voice
had Joined in with the nightly yapping
of the coyotes, voice stronger, bolder
and more insstent. Whereas the prairie
wolves mourned song of fear and hun
ger, this strangers howl had in it note
of defiance. And when OF night the
menace OF his song came down to them ;
when il sounded loud and compelling
above dle wind that shrieked and tore at
the little cabin; then the old dog whimp-
cred and covered closer to the blaze, the
hair standing up stiff above his shoulders.
And the boys somehow felt better that
the shotgun rested on its deer-foot rack,
in plain view above the fireplace. Yet,
with the coming of daylight, what fears
they had entertained through the night
vanished, and their thoughts were all on
hunting this disturber OF their rest. Then,
too, besioes the state bounty OF eight dol
lars on every wolf scalp, so inceSsant
were the animals depredationS, such the
loss sustained by the farmers, that a halt
dozen of the more wealthy among them
had made up a purse of forty dollars, 10
be paid to whoever should rid the COM
munity of this pest. The boys knew that
the first fall OF snow would prove the ma
ture of the animal without doubt and
result in the speedy hunting down OF him,
so il behooved them to be watcflful, If
they would have finger in the pie.
In their search they had happened on a
range of low hills, replete with dens and
assures, which they thought an ideal spot
for a wolf to hold forth. And they re-
membered deal of their fear inspiring
bowling had sounded from this direction.
While no kills were made in the vicinity,
n =
sh,ey considered it far from being a bad
sion. for their Indian friend had once told
them an old wolf would often conduct
his hunting at a considerable distance
from the den for fear of attracting enc
mics to the spot.
About the middle Of December Dig
thaw came to that part of the county, the
temperature raised thirty degrees IN
twenty-four hours, while from the skies