VIII. A WHITE WOLF IN SUGAR VALLEY. 



90QL'IRE GEORGE WAGNER, who died at his 

 1^ comfortable mountain-top home in Rosecrans, 

 Clinton County, a few years ago, in his 74th 

 year, used to relate an interesting story of a large 

 white wolf which plagued the early inhabitants of 

 Sugar Valley. This animal, because of its unusual 

 color, was shunned by the rest of the pack, being com- 

 pelled to lead a solitary existence. Its isolated life 

 made it misanthropic and added to its cruelty, for it 

 was the terror of the stockmen for several years. 

 Hunting parties were organized, traps and poisons of 

 all kinds were set out, but it escaped them, creating 

 havoc among sheep and calves. Of course the amount 

 of damage done by it was greatly exaggerated Ijy the 

 old-timers, but that is neither here nor there. One night 

 Philip Shreckengast, an old hunter living near Tylers- 

 ville, heard a commotion in- his barn, and hurrying out 

 reached the door just in time to meet the white wolf 

 emerging, his jaws covered with blood. The aged 

 Ximrod slammed the door on the brute, catching it by 

 the tail. He threw a plough-share against the door 

 and ran to the house for his rifle. By the time he got 

 back the wolf had gone, leaving his bushy tail wedged 

 in the door. Old Shreckengast used the tail for many 

 years as a plume on the cock-horse of his spike team. 

 During his career as a hunter in Sugar \'alley ^Ir. 

 Shreckengast killed ninety-three wolves. After all 

 methods, had failed to rid the valley of the white wolf, 

 Jacob Rishel, an old settler, suggested calling the aid 

 of George Wilson, a veteran of the War of 1812, who 

 lived across the Xittany Mountains at McElhattan. 



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