26 



RECREA TION. 



verted Cowboy; " it's all right; most beau- 

 tiful layout you ever saw; everything from 

 tin kettles of assorted sizes to cups that nest 

 into each other. After seeing the collec- 

 tion, in the store, for the first time, you 

 will lunch at Dennett's until you've saved 

 the $14.78 necessary to purchase one." 

 " And then? " queried the Novice eager- 



" Then you discover that a wood fire will 

 produce more or less soot, principally 

 more, and while it does not particularly 

 matter on the outside of the utensils, it 

 raises the deuce when inside. The nesting 

 process makes the transfer with accuracy 

 and precision." 



" Why not use an alcohol stove, instead 

 of wood? " persisted the Novice. " No 

 smoke from them." 



" That's the way I figured it out, some 

 years ago," said the Microbe, sadly, " and 

 I made a 10-days' cruise in company with 

 one. It cost me $5.63 for fuel, and the star- 

 board half of my mustache, so I quit. 

 Some people know when they are whipped, 

 and I'm one of that variety." 



Paresis hereupon discovering his 

 " Waterbury " had run down, came to the 

 logical conclusion that bedtime had arrived, 

 and said so; adding, as extenuation, that 

 he proposed to rise early. 



An audible smile circulated, at this an- 

 nouncement. Paresis' intention to rise be- 

 fore dawn was a time-worn institution of 



the encampment. Time-worn, however, is 

 scarcely a proper description, since it shone 

 every night with the undimmed brightness 

 of a lofty, if unconsummated, resolution. 

 In the morning, however, it was always 

 another story. 



It was not the rising orb of day, nor the 

 early songs of birds, that roused Paresis 

 next morning, but the Converted Cowboy's 

 announcement that the Hoodoo had ex- 

 pressed a desire to interview the flapjack 

 reserved for the late riser. 



" Where's Paresis? " inquired the Hoo- 

 doo, anxiously. Supper had disappeared 

 some time before; also Paresis. 



" Been in the cabin for the last halt 

 hour/' said Grouty, ridding himself of an 

 intrusive caterpillar, and sinking back on 

 his cushion of rock. 



" And the prescription department in 

 there, too," moaned the Microbe. " Oh, 

 Lord, just my luck, why didn't I take that 

 drink at dinner? " 



" What's that about a drink? " asked 

 Paresis, emerging from the shanty. The 

 Microbe started to answer, but the remark 

 was strangled at its birth, and he gazed with 

 a scared expression at the questioner. 



The Converted Cowboy's glance was 

 turned on Paresis, for an instant; then, 

 having satisfied himself that his holster was 

 hanging in the cabin, he subsided, in a heap. 



(To be continued.) 



THE WOLF QUESTION. 



ERNEST SETON THOMPSON. 



For the first time this serious question 

 has received, through Recreation, a thor- 

 ough and public ventilation. Hundreds of 

 reports have been sent in, only a few of 

 which could be printed;' and a summary of 

 conclusions is now offered. 



First, the whole of the region compris- 

 ing Western North Dakota, Western 

 South Dakota, Wyoming, Eastern Mon- 

 tana, parts of Colorado, Northern New 

 Mexico and Northwestern Texas is in- 

 fested with large wolves, which appear to 

 be steadily increasing in numbers. 



Second, each wolf does untold damage 

 to stock, each year. Most experts place 

 the amount at more than $100, and the con- 

 sensus of opinion is that the wolf damage 

 is the heaviest of all the losses the stock 

 owner has to bear. 



Third, all agree that wolves never attack 

 man. 



Fourth, coyotes are a nuisance; especial- 

 ly to sheep and other small stock. 



After considering the case in the light 

 of practical experience and reading the 

 various letters, I offer the following: 



(1.) The first step toward the extermina- 

 tion of wolves is an agreement of the states 

 interested for concerted, uniform, simul- 

 taneous action. Isolated action has been 

 tried too often already. It has invariably 

 given 2 unfortunate results — the state or 

 municipality in question was swamped with 

 scalps taken elsewhere, and the wolves left 

 the persecuting district to make things 

 worse for the neighbors; but were not, by 

 any means, extirpated. 



This is not, in any sense, a matter for the 

 Federal Government. To apply to Wash- 

 ington would be a waste of time. The 

 states concerned must fight their own 

 battle. 



(2.) There is only one way to extirpate 

 the wolves; that is, make wolfing a profit- 

 able business. Declare a good bounty and 

 pay it at once. No delays, or slow notes, 



