Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-05-09
A Queer Trio.

Perhaps some OF the young readers OF
the Northern, who have never been on
our broad Western prairies, would like
to know something about the prairie
dogs and their friends.
The dogs are quite small, not larger
than half grown kitten, and in color q
light brown. They are quite sociable
with each other, but not very pleasant
pets, as they are not. very easily tanned
and do not fall very much in love with
their captors. They snap and snarl and
do not object to giving a little bite now
and then-to relieve their minds, pre-
sumo to say.
These little animals prefer city life, 50
they build, or rather dig, houses close
! together, throwing up little hillocks of
earth, on which they sit and enjoy the
prospect They are called "dog towns" D."
If in riding you should pass near one of
these towns, you would see their little
heads peeping out of their domiciles, or,
perhaps, sitting wholly in view, giving
vop due notice i', til IA 1;d+.- & ot oti'', ,it
of town." like the robin, emphasizing
every word with a jerk of their short
tails. Should you approach them, de-
string a nearer view, they instantly dart
down the inclined plane into their under
ground apartments, and you will see no
more of them from your present point of
| observation.
But the prairie dogs are not the only
inhabitants of these underground dwell
ings. Every door has its watchful SEN
tinel in the form of a solemn-eyed owl
0 do not know their scientific name. but
| they might be called the cuckoo owl, as
every pleasant evening they may be
heard calling and answering each other
with " cuckoo! cuckoon)
Some Of the performances OF these
little dogs and owls are quite amusing.
About sunset the owls begin to awake
from their dreamy musings, and fit
noiselessly about in search of their even
ing meal. They approach the dwelling
of man without fear, and stand on the
ground near the open door, or perch on
any convenient object.
Once, while sitting by the door in the
twilight, one of the birds came quite
close and stood gravely watching me
with his great full-moon eyes, and then
commenced series of most comica
courtesies, preparatory, | suppose, tc
flying away.
If cat or dog happens to be taking g
promenade around the yard, the owls
will hover Just above them and scream
defiance, as if they hated the sight O.
them.
Ny attention was called one day tC
the maneuvers of the dogs and owls, aS
they were assembled in convention but
q few rods from the house. The dogs
some dozen or more-were seated in {
semi-circle facing one, a portly indlvld
ual, sitting erect on his launches, who
seemed to be president of the meeting
One of those in the crowd would ad
vance with number of profound bows
make some remarks in a doggerel of his
own, to which the "chair" would re-
spond with loud yelp and bow, anC
the speaker then backed away as if from
the presence of royalty. Another woulC
then go through the same, until all haC
taken part, when they scampered ava.
to their several homes. Meantime til,
owls, too, were gathered in solemn con
clave, but being further off could not b.
observed so closely. Truly they hav,
the genuine spirit of the republic.
Another occupant OF these places il
the rattlesnake. A dog, an owl and {
snake-a queer trio, surely! Number
of people have fallen victims to hi
poisonous fangs. The little children, to-
young to understand the danger and keel
out of harms way, must be CAREFUL.
watched lest they feel the tooth of tn
venomous reptile.
BERTHE Fox, bright, handsome it'll
. fellow of nearly two years of age, wa
fatally bitten about three years ago. III
was the youngest child of Rey. j. w
, Fox, p. e., who occasionally send
Kansas notes to the Northern.
But the people have all turned st
Patricks, the reptiles are speedily disap
pearing, and we hope will soon b
"things of the past. ."-Northern Chris
tidn ADVOCATE.