Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-09-10

TOLD BY JUSTICE SCOTT WITH AN AIR OF
TRUruFULNEss THAT Is QUITE REAssURINd.

| TOLD BY JUSTICE SCOTT WITH AN AIR ot
TRUruFrLNEss THAT Is QUITE REAssuklNd.
from the New York SUM-
Ex-Police Justice John Scott of this
city spends few days every summer with
his friend, Ferdinand lie Clerc, III Mil
ford, Pike County, Pa. He returned to
New York few days ago from his this
seasons visit He always has some re-
markable experience to relate after he
comes home.
Il don't think | can ever look mt n
mink muff again without shedding tears,
saws the Judge. "A party of us was
camped twenty miles from Milford, III the
wilderness. Dor tent was pitched near
trout stream We went tifortroutandw wood
cock. We'd had terrible bad luck,
although some of the fellows with me
were about the best sporting ducks i'll the
country. One day | stayed in camp
while the others went fishing and hunt
ing. was streatched ont on the grass
in front of the tent, when saw an animal
stick its head up out of the creek. 1t
looked around cautiously, and then crawl
ed up the bank. 1t was mink, anu
steel trap was fast to one OF Its lore legs
| raised up, and the mink dragged itself
seconds, laid its head flat on the ground,
and looked at me with the most pitiiul
look | ever saw. | first thought I'd
shoot the animal, but l changed my
mind. as | wanted to see what its strange
actions meant. The mink crept up to
within two feet of me. aud turning over
on its back held up the paw that had the
trap on it. There was no need of its say
tlaa OH
as plain as words. Please, now, take
this trap off, won't you? You can bet
that in less time than it takes to tell 1t l
had that mink free from its cruel encum-
brance. Its eye spoke volumes of thanks,
and it limped back to the creek and dis
appeared:
short time. The boys came III late IN the
afternoon. They had about "A dozen lit
tie trout and three woodcock. There
wasn't enough to make smell i'll the fry
ingpan. We made up our minds that all
the trout we'd have for breakfast next
morning would be hunk of salt pork.
We turned in that night all in low spirits,
determined to go home the next day.
Il got up early in the morning to get
piece Of sunrise i'll the mountains that Id
read so much about. There was blg
flat rock on the outside of the tent, near
the entrance When | stepped ont and
NV eyes fell on the rock | was startled,
and no mistake The fact of the matter
is, We were all afraid of mathematics, and
had with us a festive demijohn of Pike
County antidotc, which We had now and
then tasted. and when saw on that rock.
as plain as day. Il pile Of the biggest trout
| ever set nv eyes on | thought may be
NV nerves were Il little off. | went back
and woke up B.lltus Westhrook and ask
ed him to come ont and see If there wasn't
n bear track along the edge Of the creek
Thinks |, if Baltus don't see them trout,
| strikes III for Milford and II doctor.
When Baltus steri,cd out OF the tent, the
iirsl ti.inr he SAW was the rock. He
Jumped about ten feet, and fairly yelled
".rroui. by the Living Jingo! Where
did yuu catch EN-, judSeg
Il WIS saved, but where the trout
cam. f,,,ia was the mystery. | suggest
ed Providence, but happened TO remem-
her the section Of country We were III,
and knew that couldn't be. There wasn't
one Of the trout that weighed less that a
pound We didn't let our speculation as
t. the source oi their supply interfere
with our uppetites, and there was no salt
pork fried that morning. The episode
raised our spirits, and we concluded to
stay another day. We had good luck
cunning that day, and when We found
another pile OF big trout on the rock next
morning We made up our minds that
.on.,. bark percr. Ia whom we had given
supplies a ia, or iw" before were repay
ing us with these delicious surprises.
But | made up my mind that ! would
find out for certain. SO that night, after
the rest had gene to sleep. crawled mp
to the door Of the hut and peercd out 1t
was bright moonlight night, and !
could see almost as we'll as ii 1t was day.
tbuui midnight saw something black
,r're, irW tin creek. l' --uv -traltI.i-
|, toward. tie. tent ~ u.- 10 -t.Hii Hr.-