Boys' Column. WHAT THE WOLF HID. BY M. P. HARDY.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1672, 24 March 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

Boys' Column. WHAT THE WOLF HID. BY M. P. HARDY.

Wk were standing at the window watching Lion, the house-dog, burying a bone in the dead leaves near the fence. ' •« Why does he do that? " asked my little cousin. "Animal instinct," replied my father, to whom the question was addressed. •' He has more dinner than he cares to eat just how, and so puts away some for the next time, Other animals do the same thing sometimes. I once knew an old lady who, when a child, had a singular adventure in connection with this same instinct." Of coarse there was an immediate demand for the story. Father teased us for a little while, and then he told it, as follows : u Sixty or seventy years ago, my friend's father was a pioneer in the region bordering on the Ohio Biver. He and his son were cutting wood in the forest one day, and Polly, then a' little girl of five years old or so, was playing near them while they worked. When the time came to go home, Polly was nowhere to be seen. •' ' That's strange,' said her father. • She always obeys so well. I don't see how she could have strayed off.' ' " • She wouldn't have gone home without telling us, 1 said her brother. ' Look 1 here's her sun-bonnet full of nuts. She must be somewhere around.' " They looked again and again in every ditection, calling, •Polly! Polly! ' all in vain. There were no Indians living near, but wolves and panthers were plenty, and only thewinter before the father and son had killed two bears in an attack on the cow-house. So they began to feel seriously alarmed. " Presently the brother, looking anxiously about, espied an odd-looking heap of leaves on the farther slope of the hill, where no wind could possibly have tossed them. He went to have a closer look at it. Carelessly throwing aside a portion of the heap, he uncovered, to his joyful surprise, a bit of Polly's red frock. '•Father, come here,' he called,' and in a moment more they had the child safe and sound, but fast asleep, in their arms. 11 'That's strange,' said her father once more. 1 John, take Polly home. I'm going to stay here, and see if 'I can't find out what this means. She never covered herself up in this way, I'm certain. Come back as quick as you pa f ri, and bring your rifle with you. Here, hand me mine before you go.'' 1 "So saying, he piled the leaves up neatly once more, putting a small log of wood into the place where the child had lain. He then crodched down behind a fallen tree near by to see what would happen. 11 He did not have loug to wait. John had scarcely <liad time to return, ' almost out of ■breath' with the haste he had made, when the soft patter of paws was heard on the dry 'leaves, 1 land they saw three grey wolves apiproadnngat'full trot, with another slightly in advance leading the way. r 1 ' •• The wolf in front led his comrades straight to'the r heap of leaves, and, scratching eagerly, ' qfui'clciy uncovered theiburied log. r His dismay ''was ''almost comical to behold. « He sniffed and sntelled and turned his head this way 1 and that'iri' utter bewilderment. How a dainty little girl, plump and soft, and just suited to A th6' taste of a wolf who enjoys a good dinner, could suddenly turn into a great uheat- ' 'ableP'log'of wood was too much 'for him to Wde^stend. < He finally gave the problem tip' in 'despair, and 1 turned- to his . companions cowering like a beaten hound. < )' ''- '^Ttiere were oome^sharp barks of disap- ! poiritm'ent. i followed' by snarls, as ■ the three •gtiests^who' 'had! evidently 1 been Ijidden4o a feast which was- not forthcoming; expressed their indignation at the supposed hoax. i > »• Th%' T bther wolf only whined dolefully, but irWain,' J fb)r the three fell upon Mmj' and in' less time than it takes to- telf of it, tore him to pieces, 'and 1 began to devour him, ! They did' not finish the meal.- hqWeVet; for' the two Rifles' behind the log cracked once and again, atfa'all three wolves lay dead beßide? theicomrMe'whbm'ihey'had punished so terribly^ ( { "I have every reason to believe' 1 this- story ( liiiefally !f true,'" 'continued' my father/; ii l and I told 'it to'Mt.^B. BlliB,uthe wSlH&idVrtr' writer of -atones of "Western ad- 1 *' "-Have, no doubt^t-happened? just aayou h&M-ik/' Ed 4»iar ! "<The>> incident- is Sun- < 'conimonVb^t^nottinkriowri in natural history, i

My grandfather<&new w^pjrent ho sleep in thetpodripHorthern KevjYorfy and was avrakeged by^pantber. covering him withjleates. He lay? still^till the amtttal-'got throsgb. "and went J6ff,'Awhe& n6 jammed up and left too. He didri'tjw^i&for.the panther to come jback.'" ' r '- • J£ t& Harger'i Young PeopU. J&L .'%&s - V 1 '"