100 WOLF .DAYS IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



It was claimed to mean long life if one met a wolf in 

 the forenoon. Judge D. C. Henning, in his entranc- 

 ing "Tales of the Blue Mountains" (published at 

 Pottsville in 1899), quotes an old lady as follows: 

 "When I was a child there were still remaining in 

 these (the Blue) mountains a remnant of the large 

 droves of wolves that were wont to infest these for- 

 ests in earlier times. It was said that their numbers 

 were reduced far more greatly from disease contract- 

 ed from devouring the diseased carcasses of dead 

 horses returned from the wars of the Revolution and 

 1813 than from any other cause. However, as the 

 wolf family grew smaller he became more mystical 

 and had imparted to him attributes which he never 

 possessed in reality. Because of his marauding and 

 ruthless nature he was more to be feared than the cat- 

 amount or panther, as these had their regular haunts, 

 where their presence might be always known ; but the 

 wolf was a tramp, and might be ever present, especi- 

 ally in the night time. He was invested with wonder- 

 ful and mysterious powers. He could cause the cows 

 to refuse to milk. He could lead the swine astray, and 

 he seemed at all times to be in league with the evil one. 

 He was said to be presided over by an analagous 

 king, the great seven-horned beast, part wolf, part 

 bear, and part panther, but larger than any of these." 

 As to the wolves in the Blue Mountains, George Potts, 

 an old soldier residing near Bethel (Millersburg), in 

 Berks County, says that there were still a few wolves 

 in the Blue Mountains when he returned from the 



