River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-04-22
COON AND COMMODORE.
Surprising Adventure Of a New York
Gentleman.
New York sun

New York sun
Commodore 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 button
ed down at the scuppers. A sand.ny
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 anchored
near the light, he awoke and was sur
prised to see coon sitting astraddle
the center.b board and regarding him
with steadfast eyes. The coon had a
nose like a snipe, and luminous eyes
set close together. He had been fish
ing at night. Being surprised by dogs,
he had taken to the water and boarded
the Commodore's craft for protection.
Edwin Snow, the Commodore's pilot,
caught the animal by the scruff of the
neck and threw him overheard The
dogs lined the shore awaiting his arrly-
al. The coon took in the situation at 81
glance, swan to the side of the yacht,
and silently appealed to the Commo-
dore for succor. Moved by his plying
glances, 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.
Bluefish and other delcacies 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 climbed the winding
stairs of the lighthouse and gszed over
the stretch of country bordering the
Everglades. Hearing q great racket
below, he glanced at his yacht and saw
q singular sight. One of the dogs had
leaped on the Louise and was smelling
at the holes in the barrel. The coon
resented the intrusion. 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 HIM
self on the wharf, missed his footing,
and barrel and coon and dog went over
board. The coon released his hold, and
the dog swan ashore. His indignant
antagonist remained in the barrel and
fioated toward the inlet. The commo.
dore ran down from the lighthouse and
rescued him in q small boat. He
brought the coon to the beach in bar
rel, 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
pack stood up like the quilts of a por-
cupine, 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 pro
| lection. The Commodore, however,
misunderstood his intentions, The lit
tie 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 fol-
lowed suit, and the five dogs essayed to
| follow the coon. Terror-stricken, the
| Commodore ran around the centre
board half dozen times, with the coon
and dogs at his heels. Finally ne
jumped overheard, scattering an i'm
mense school of mullet that were COM
ing in with the tide. The coon and the
dogs plunged after him. The Commo-
dore reached the shore utterly exhaust
ed. The coon, apparently disguised at
| the mans heartlessness, struck out for
himself, and sought shelter in cluster
of mangroves hundred yards south of
the light. The dogs followed the Com
modore, and shook their wet hides in
his face.
The Commodore put on dry clothes,
and anathematized the coon in the
strongest terms. While he was venting
his rage the coon came out of the cover
of the mangroves, sat down on the
sand, and began to make faces at him.
Seek him." shouted the Commo-
dore, and the dogs went for him like
volunteers on a bayonet charge. The
quadruped stood his ground like an
Irish soldier. The leading dog threw
him six feet in the air, and while the
others were looking for him he fell on
their backs and took them in the flank
H d, made some ugly wounds, but the
pack closed in on him and he was fin
ally killed. "Talk about Davy Crockett
at the Alamo" said the Commodore,
while standing over the mangled body;
"he wasn't marker to this coon. He
ought to have monument"