Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-04-10
1 Coon aud a Commodore.

"
TLEMAN.
New York Sun.
JUPITER INLET, FLA, March
2.-Commodore Thomas j. ffelson
Falls, of New York, ran up TO the
lighthouse here in his tiny yacht,
the Louise, a week ago, and an
chored. The Louise IS twenty-one
feet long and nine feet wide. AT
night the boom is hoisted and a
tent is thrown over it and button.
ed down at the scruppers. A sand
fly bar is dropped from the top Of
the tent, the Commodore tucks
the ends under his cork mat tress,
and seeks his rest. One morning,
whileanchored near the lighthouse,
he aWoke and was surprised to see
coon sitting astraddle the center
board and regarding b i'm with
steadfast eyes. The cooh had a
nose like snipe, and the Iumin-
Gus eyes set very close together.
He had been fishing at night. Be-
ing surprised at the dogs, he had
taken to the water and boarded
the Commodore's craft for protec-
ton. Edwin Snow, the Commo-
dore'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 ia the situation at "A
glance, swan to the side Of the
yacht, and silently appealed TO the
Commodore for succor. Moved by
his plying glances, Mr.. Falls put
out an oar. The coon seized it
and it was drawn on board. The
Commodore fed him, and the two
beings became friends.
A barrel was procured, small
square holes were made in its
sides, and it was set apart for the
use of the coon. Blue fish and 9TH
er 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 climbed
the winding stairs of the light
house and gazed over the stretch
of country bordering the Ever
giades. Hearing a great racket
below, he glanced at his yacht
and saw a 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 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 an
tagonist remained in the barrel
and flloated toward the inlet. The
Commodore down from the light
house and rescued him in small
boat. He brought the coon to the
beach in the barrel, and five dogs
attacked him. 1t was a hot fight.
The coon would not break cover,
and was whipping the dogs one af-
ter the other, when Mr.. Armour,
the keeper of the light, dumped
him out on the stand. The hair
on the coon's back stood up like
the quilts on a porcupine, and his
teeth showed like the guns of a
water battery.
Seeing the Commodore, on the
wharf, and apparently mindful Of
his former Kindness, he ran to-
ward him for protection. The
Commodore, however misunder-
stood his intentions. The little
yacht was swinging from the
wharf. He got on the bobstay
pirouetted along the bowsprit,
caught the jih halliards, and reach
ed the deck. The coon followed
suit, and the five dogs essayed to
follow the coon. Terror stricken,
the Commodore ran around the
center board half a dozen times,
with the coon and dogs at his heels,
Finally he jumped board
scattering an immense school
of mullet that were coming in with
the tide. The coon and dogs
plunged after him. The Commo-
dore reached the shore utterly ex-
hausted. The coon, apparently
disguised at the mans heartless-
ness, struck out for himself and
sought shelter in a cluster of man
groves hundred yards sonth OF
the light. The dogs followed the
Commodore, and shook their wet
hides in 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 the cover of the man.
groves, sat down on the sand and
began to make faces at him.
"Seek him." shodted the Com
modore, and the dogs went fol
him like volunteers on bayonet
charge. The quadruped stood hi.