Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1880 — Desperate Struggle with Wolves. [ARTICLE]

Desperate Struggle with Wolves.

Valentine White, one of the oldest farmers residing in Bradford county, Pa., had a desperate encounter with two almost famished wolves not long since. Around Mr. White’s farm is a dense forest, almost untouched by the pioneers. Bear, deer and wolf are abundant, notwithstanding which they are seldom disturbed by hunters. In the rear of Mr. White’s house is a huge frame barn, with great cracks caused by decaying boards. On going out to the bam he heard a great commotion. Thinking some of the animals had broken loose he did not open the front door lest they should escape, but squeezed himself through a large aperture left by a broken board. As soon as he entered the uproar increased, and he saw in the middle of the barn floor a heiftr wh’ch had torn herself from the stanchion by main force, and broken one horn in the set. Clinging to her muzzle was a large gray wolf, with its long sharp teeth fastened in the animal’s nose with a bull-dog grip, while another was trying to hamstring the poor creature. The bellowing of the heifer, the snarling of the wolves, and the ja'tling of the loose barn floor made a deafening racket, and the human intruder was unnoticed. The cow shook the wolf like a limp rag, and pounded the sides of the stable with it, but in vain. Old White’s anger at tl e attack on his stock overmastered all feelings of prudence, and, seizing a pitchfork, he prepared himself for an attack. No sooner did the wolves see him, than, maddened by the taste of blood, they turned from the heifer and attacked him. As one of the infunated animals sprang toward the old man, he dealt it a mighty blow with the fork, sending it to a corner. v But the other animal caught its teeth in the old man's right coat sleeve, and in such close quarters that the weapon was of no avail. After kicking uselessly at the animal, he grasped its throat with his left hand, and choked the wolf until it let go. Then, seizing again the pitchfork, he dealt a well-directed blow, and broke the leg of one of the animals, which then dodged through the hole behind him and limped off, howling dismally. The other wolf held its ground, and, whenever opportunity was offered, sprung at the old man, now and then fastening its teeth into his arms. Though bleeding profusely, White continued the fight, and finally, with a welldirected thrustof the pitchfork, sent the tines through the animal’s heart, killing it almost instantly. The dead wolf was of large size, gaunt with hunger, and with a shaggy coat of light gray. White’s clothes were torn into shreds, and his face, neck and breast were scarred deeply by the claws ot the animal.