Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-08-25
lancaster fmteIIiqerlrer.
WEDNESDAY EvEN1Na,AUa. IS, 1890.
A Very Grateful Mink.


Avery Grateful Mink.
Tho Rest F,a!ine story PIKE coaniy Has
Furnished Tor Many . Day.
Ex-Police Justice John Scott spends a
few days every summer with his friend
Ferdinand LeClerc, in Milford, Pike coun-
ty, Pa. He returned to New York a few
days ago from his this seasons visit. He
always has some remarkable experience to
relate after he comes home.
81 don't think can ever look at mink
muff again without shedding tears" says
the judge. "a party of us was camped
twenty miles from Milford, in the Will
dcrness. Our tent was pitced near q trout
stream. We went for trout and woodcock.
We'd had terrible bad luck, although some
of the fellows with me were about the
best sporting ducks in the country. One
day l stayed in camp whilo the others
went fishing and hunting. was stretched
out 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 tllcu crawlcd up the bank. 1t was a
mink and a steel trap was fast to ono of
its fore legs. raised up, and the mink
dragged itsclfright towards me. It stopped
every few seconds, laid its head fiat on the
ground, and looked ut me with the most
pitiful look 1 ever saw. first thought I'd
shoot the animal, but changed my mind,
as l wanted to sec what it strangcs actions
meant. The mink crcpt up to within two
feet Of INC, and turning over on its back
held up the paw that had the trap on it.
There was no need of its saying word if
it could, for the action said as plain as
words, L Please, now, take this trap of,
won't you?' You can bet that in less time
than it takes to tell it, had that mink
free from its cruel incumbrancc. Its eye
spoke volumes Of thanks, and it limped
back to the creek and disappeared.
"Thc incident slipped my mind in a
short time. The boys came in late in the
afternoon. They had about a dozen little
enough to make a smell in the frying pan.
We made up our minds that all the trout
we'd have for breakfast next morning
would be a hunk of salt pork. We turned
in that night all in low spirits determined
to go home the next day.
g got up carly in the morning to get .
piece of sunrise in tho mountains that I'd
read SO much about. There was big flat
rock Oh the outside of the tent, near the
entrance. When l stepped out and my
eyes fell Oh the rock was startled, and no
mistake. The fact Of the matter is, we
were all afraid of rattlcsnakes, and had
with us 4 festive demiiohn of Pike county
antidOte, which We had nov and then
tested, and when / saw on that rock rs
plain as day, pile of the biggest trout I
ever set my eyes Oh, thought may tie my
nerves were 4 little off. went back and
woke up Baltus Westbrook and asked him
to Come out and sec il there wasn't bear
track along the edge of the creek. Thinks
l, if Baltus don't see them trout, l strikes
in for Milford and 4 doctor. When Bal
tus stepped out of the tent the FIRST thing
he saw was the rock. lie jumped about
ten feet, and fairly yelled =
"Trout, by the living Jingo! Where
did You catch 'cm, judgc?"
81 was saved, but where the trout came
from was the mystery. l suggested Provi-
dcncc, but happened to remember the sec
tiOn Of country We were in. and knew that
couldn't bc. There wasn't one of the
trout that weighed less than pound. We
didn't let our spcculatiOns as TO the source
Of their supply interfere with our appe-
titcs, and there was no salt pork fried that
morning. The episode raised our spirits,
and VIC concluded to stay another day.
We had good luck cunning that day, and
when VIC found another pile of big trout
on the rock next morning VIC made up our
minds that some bark pcelers to whom We
had given supplies a day or two before
were rcpaying us with these delicious SUR
prises. But L made up my mind that
would find out for certain. So that night,
after the rest had gOnc to sleep, crawled
up to the door Of the hut and pcercd out.
1t was 4 bright moonlight night, and 1
could see almost rs we'll rs il it was day.
About midnight, saw something black
emerge from the creek. 1t tcamc stealthily
towards the tent. 1t was a small animal,
and us it came near the tent saw that it
was a mink, and that it limpcd. In its
mouth was q large trout, which it de-
posted on the rock and then limped back
to the creek. Everything was as plain as
double six to me now. The mink had
rescued from the trap was showing its
gratitude by catching the largest trout it
could find in the creek, and placing them
ut my disposal.
81 told the boys next morning. Baltus
Westbrook thought it was very kind Of
the mink. Sheriff Ridgway said that it
was no more than the mink ought to do,
and that if it had done anything less he
would have had very poor opinion OF it.
THAT day We concluded to break camp
and so home. One Of the party had taken
4 young dog out with him to give him some
training on woodcock. At the first fire of
gun the dog had made for another part of
the county, and We never saw or heard of
him again. When VIC packed up Our things,
VIC couldn't find the dogs chain and collar
it was fastened to, and we started without
it. was walking out OF the woods be-
hind the wagon. We hadn't got more
than 100 yards away from camp, when 1
heard noise behind me. looked back.
There was that mink, limping at my heels.
lie had the collar about bis neck, and
when turned around, hc raised up on his
hind feet and held the chain up to me with
his fore paws. That mink was so blame
grateful to me that he wanted me to take
him home with me. It touched me to
the heart. took him in, but poor fellow,
thc trap had injured him SO badly that he
died of lOck.jaw."