Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-04-10
ACnON AND A COMMODORE.
Surprising Adventure of n Well-knOwn
New York Gentlman.

Surprising Adventure of N Weil-known
New York Gentlman.
From the New York Sun.
JUPITOR INLET, Fla, March Com
mOdOre Thomas Jefferson Falls, of New
York, ran up to the lighthouse here in
his tiny yacht, the Louise, week ago,
and anchored. The Louise is twenty-One
feet long and nine feet wide. At night
the boom is hOisted and tent is thrown
over it and buttOned down at the scrup-
pers. A sand-fy bar is dropped from
the top of the tent, the Commodore tucks
the ends under his cork mattress, and
seeks his rest. One morning, while an
chOred near the light, he awOke, and was
surprised to see coon sitting aStraddle
the center board and regarding him with
steadfast eyes. The coon had a nose
like snipe, and luminous eyes set very
close together. He had been fishing at
night. Being surprised by the dogs, he
had taken to the water and boarded the
COmmOdOre's craft for protection. Ed
win, the COmmOdOre's pilot, caught the
animal by the scruff of the neck and
threw him overheard. The dogs lined the
shore awaiting his landing. The coon
took in the situation at glance, swan
to the side of the yacht and silently ap-
pealed to the Commodore for succOr.
Moved by his plying glance Mr.. Falls
put out an oar. The coon seized it and
was drawn on board. The Commodore
fed him, and the two beings became
quite friendly.
A barrel was procured, small square
holes were made in its side, and it was
set apart for the use of the coon. Blue
fish and other delicacies were set before
him, and he thankfully devOured them.
In the afternoon the little yacht was
drawn up to the wharf and tied. The
Commodore climed the winding stairs of
the lighthouse and gaZed over the stretch
of country bordering the Everglades.
Hearing a great racket below he glanced
at his yacht and saw singular sight.
One of the dogs had leaped on the Louise,
and was smelling at the holes in the
barrel. The coon resented the intru-
sion, and fastened his teeth in the dogs
nose. In an instant the barrel, coon,
and all were yanked on deck. The dog
tried to back himself ON the wharf,
missed his footing, and barrel, coon and
dog went overheard. The coon released
his hold and the dog swan ashore. His
indignant antagonist remained in the
barrel and flOated toward the inlet. The
Commodore ran down from the light
house and rescued him i'm a small boat.
He brought the coon to the beach in the
barrel, and FIVE dogs attacked him. 1t
was hot fight. The coon would not
break cover, and was whipping the dogs
one after the other, when Mr.. Armour,
the keeper of the light, dumped him out
on the sand. The hair on the cOOn's
back stood up like the quilts of pOrcu-
pine, and his teeth showed like the guns
of water battery.
Seeing the Commodore on the wharf.
and apparently mindful Of his former
kindness, he ran toward him for prOtec-
ton. The Commodore, however, miSun-
derstOod his intentions. The little yacht
was swinging from the wharf. He got
on the bObstay, pirOuetted along the
bOwsprit, caught the jib halliards and
reached the deck. The coon followed
suit, and the five dogs essayed to follow
the coon. Terror-stricken, the COmmO-
dOre ran around the center-bOard half a
dozen times with the coon and dogs at
his heels. Finally he jumped overheard,
scattering an immense school of mullet
that were coming in with the tide. The
coon and dogs plunged after him. The
Commodore reached the shore utterly
exhausted. The coon, apparent disgust
ed at the mans heartlessness, struck out
for himself, and sought shelter in a
cluster of mangrOves a hundred yards
south of the light. The dogs followed
the Commodore, and shook their wet
hides i'm his face.
The Commodore put on dry clothes,
and mathematical the coon in the
strongest terms. While he was venting
his rage the coon came out of thea cover
of the mangrOyes, sat down on the
sands, and began to make faces at him.
"Seek him." shouted the Commodore,
and the dogs went for him like volun-
teers on bayOnet charge. The quadru-
ped stood his ground like an Irish soldier.
The leading dog threw him six feet in
the air, and while the others were look
ing for him he fell on their backs and
took them i'm the flank. He made some
ugly wounds, but the pack closed in on
him, and he was finally killed.
talk about Dayy Crockett at the Al
amor said the Commodore, while stand
ing over the mangled body. He wasn't
marker to this coon. He ought to have
a monument"
What is the world to a man out of