Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1858-04-14
Written for the Weekly Novelette,
ENTOTrNTEp V'I,rIT WIN DIr Ag,'s,

written Tor the W cCkly novelette,.
ENCOUNTER WITH WILD BEASTS.
"Spcaiing of Woodchuck,' said Fred
Bunce, as with a succession of rapid pollcs
of the iore-fnger he settled the halfcon.
sumcd tobacco in the bowl OF his pipe.
Speaking of woodchucli, put, me in mind
of little scrape ! had one day last sum
mer-though it wasn't with a chuck eth,
er, but with another kind Of animal, and
that We all nose when it comes within halt
a mile of US.
You see, me and Cobe Freeman, and
another icllcr, took our shootin irons one
afternoon, and started out to see if we
couldn't scare up something. We hadn't
got more'n half mile from the village.
when, rs we were passing through little
piece of woods, up flew a partridge and
scootcd right away before us. | brought
old Killdivil to my shoulder, to let drive
at her: but Cobe was right square i'm my
range, so that couldn't fire without shoot
in him and as did't care to do that lust
then, ! waited, expectin' to see him pclt
away at her: but, for some reason he
didn't fire, and the bird got away. 1t
kind o run through my top piece that we
should find her again, over beyond a hill
to the right Of US but Cobe and 'tother
feller ran away with the notion that the
other side of the little piece OF woods was
the hlelest place to find her. didn't t
know but they might be right; SO they
started off through the piece Of woods,
while | travelled up over the hill. Get
ting TO the top, about the first thing that
my eve lighted on was something or other
rolling, kicking, and squirming behind a
clump of bushes. My first thought was,
of course, to set back both hammers OF
my gun, and then to take a good look at
the Crittor, whatever he might be. Having
squinted away till got a middling fair
sight, | was pretty well satisfied with
what it was though it was nigh
about hunded rods from me. Says to
myself says |, as let down both ham.
mers. That's nothing but just Cobo Free.
mans dog, rolling the fees out ofhis hide.
So travelled along, kind O easy, like
SOS not to frightcn anything, and peek.
ing round all the time in search of the
bird. Well, tramped back and forth q
bit. without seeing any thing, all the time
walking towards this clump Of bushes, til
I'd got within about a dozen or tiftccr
rods, when happening to lift my eyes,
saw this same thing rolling, kicking, anC
squirming, like as it was when ! first saw
it.
Well, there. says |, stark amazed, i
that's Cobe Freeman's dog, it's got
skunk's tail on it any how, for the tai
was about all could see for the bushes.
Cooking my gun again l waited jus
where | was, not caring 10 60 nearer, be
cause a skunk, you know, is just a littl
mite more powerful than a lion, and haC
my best clothes on. Taking a kind OF cir
cult for better view, | got fair sight O
the critter, and sure enough ! was righ:
Not only was there a skunk's tail, but
skunk's body at the upper end of it; an,
five or six pretty well grown pups wer
playing and capering all around it. Nov
f 'spose that you are aware that these crit
ters know their strength and won't ruI
from anybody. They saw me just abou
as quick as | saw them, and they square
, for me- With their heads and tails uI
, and their spotted black and white side