San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-01-26
The Coyote.
CFrom Texas siftings.l

From Texas sittingsl
In the unsettled interior of America,
on the great plains, is found the coyote.
The coyote is about two-thirds the size
of yellow dog, and looks like Sec
ond'hand wolf in Strengthened circum-
stances. He bears about the same re-
lation to the genuine wolf that the
buzzard does to the eagle, or that
chicken thief does to modern bank
cashier. He has perpetual air of
being ashamed of himself, or of some
thing he has done. As you catch q
glimpse of him, trotting away from one
mott of timber to another, looking back
over his ears, and with his tail furled
around his left leg, he looks as if he
was aware that the police had clue TO
his whereabouts and were working up
his case. No one ever saw a fat coyote.
You may catch a young one, civilize
him as much as you can, feed him on
canned gre ceries and put brass collar
on him, but his ribs will still be his
most prominent feature, and at the first
favorable opportunity he will voluntar.
lily and ungratefully leave your hospit-
able roof, and from choice become
rowing vagabond on the prairies, living
on carrion and sharing his meal with
the buzzard. These predatory shadows
are not at all dangerous. There is no
fight in them.
That q popular fallacy regarding the
ferocity of the coyote exists was illus
trated not long since in the remarks
made by Norwegian preacher in q
sermon he preached shortly after his
arrival in the Stste. He said: "Dear
friends, methinks l see two men walk
ing out on one of your beautiful prai-
ries. They enjoy the perfume of the
flowers, the songs of the innocent little
birds, and the calm, quiet beauty of
your glorious Indian summer evenings.
Communing together, they walk along
needless of danger; tn. sun sinks to
rest beyond the distant horizon; the
curtain of night gradually descends and
closes out the light of day; still the two
men walk leisurely along, feeling safe
and secure. But bark! What sound
is that in the distance? What blood
curdling howl makes them arrest their
steps? 1t is, dear friends-it is the cry
of the wolves on their track-the fierce
and bloodthirsty coyote in hot pursuit,
ali! And what, think you, do these
two unfortunate men do? One of
them, my beloved congregation, real
ICES his danger, and running to tree,
climbs up, by the aid of convenient
branch, out of the reach of the cruel
fangs of the relentless beasts of prey.
He called unto his companion and said
unto him: % my brother, reach out and
take hold of this branch, climb up here
beside me and be savedp But the
other said: NO; there is no danger;
the wolves are still long way off Il
have time enough Alas dear hearers,
while he was yet standing the dreadful
coyotes came upon him, and rending
him limb from limb, devonred him in
the twinkling of an eye. Thus it is, O
careless and needless sinners, that you
o.night stand" ETC., etc.
When the preacher concluded the
services and was leaving the church, he
was accosted by old man Parker, (who
has lived in Texas since 1860, who
said:
"Parson, the front end of your dis
course was grand and gloomy, and cal
culated to bluff the unconverted sinne..
You had full hand, and might have
raked in all the mourners in the pot
but, Lord bless your soul, you played a
nine-spot when you Clipped in with
| that coyote yarn"