St. Landry democrat., 1882-09-30

cept in our short, sharp note of alarm,
which is somewhat like the yelp of q
spaniel.
Mr.. Thompson promised to re,
member, and the Governor continued
'.In order that you may pursue your in
vcstigation intelligently, | will first
show you through my manSion;' as he
said this he turned Il somersault and
dove head first into his burrow. Mr.
Thompson followed MS example. He
SAYS he does not remember whether he
was TRANSFORMED for the time, into a
prairie marmot, or whether he had
simply grown small enough to be en-
abIed to enter the burrow without diff
ticultv; at all events he followed the
Governor along an inclined corridor.
arched at the top and extending down
ward about four feet ut an angie of
| fOrty-five degrees. They then came to
a hall that was perfectly level and about
five feet long, then up another incline
of about two feet. "Ihis,' said the
Governor. lis in order that the water
may not penetrate into our sleeping
apartment At the end OF this corri-
| dor was Il large circular chamber. the
! floors and walls of which were covered
with dry grass. Here lay the mother
marmot and three Young ones. After
Mr.. THOMPSON had been introduced to
her. and had cOmplimentcd her on the
beauty of her family. the Governor led
the way back into the open air. He
seated himself on top OF the mound and
motioned Mr., / thompson to a seat be-
side him. After 4 short pause Mr.
/ Thompson spoke:
Il would like to ask YOU about the
owls. Is it really a happy family, Il,
upon your young?'
1--WE are about as happy as most fam
lilies composed OF persons of different
tastes and pursuits, > answered the Gov
ernOr. The owls live upon 4rasshop-
pers and bugs Of different kinds; they
rarely if ever eat our children. In re-
turn for the accommodation We give
them they guard the entrance to our
homes. and in the winter we often I nd
it very convenient to have the young
sters tucked i'll among the soft downv
feathers Of the owls. They have lived
with US for SO LONG time that they
have adopted many of our manners; for
example, their cry is not like that of
any other kind of owl. but more closely
resembles our shout of alarm; they also
fly in the day as we'll us at night,
though they cannot see so well in the
glare of midday as the gray Of morning
or evening"
While Mr.. Thompson and the Cover
nor were talking the surrounding
mounds had become covered with little
prairie dogs, ench one watching him Gu
riou>lv.
well, about the rattlesnakes: are
YOU also at peace with them9' inquired
Mr.. Thompson.
The brow of the Governor darkened.
Eyes, he answered, the peace of
the weaker and the stronger; such Il
traveller and the armed highwayman.
They enter our homes, deyour our
young, and if we attempt to resist they
strike us with their murderous fangS.
Oh that every one Of them might be eN-
terminated"' Just then a sharp rattle
sounded in the grass. Mr.. Thompson
jumped up in alarm His sudden move
ment threw CONSERVATION among the in
habitants of the village: warning yelp,
and fifty little brown forms were seen
to leave their mounds, throw a somer-
sault, and disappear in their burrows.
Mr.. Thompson graSped his cane, and
with a few well-directed blows lille the
rattle-snlke Cutting off the rattles he
turned again to his friend the Governor.
He was nowhere to be seen. He says,
however, that he thinks he saw him
give an approving nod from the mouth
of his burroW.
Mr. Thompson finished his story and
turned to me inqlliringly. .ae
didn't you tall asleep and dream
it:9'' | ventured to suggest.
"Dream it, Oh yes. [ suppose |
dreamed it; and dreamed that killed
the snake, and dreamed that | cut off
its rattles, and you dream that you see
them now," he almost shouted as he
drew the rattles from his vest pocket
pose that dreamed it all; but if | did
there is more truth in it than in half the
stories about animals. and I'm going to
be a naturalist.'' So saying he flung
out of the room in high dudgeon.
After he left looked into some very
learned books and found that his de-
scripton of the prairie dogs house was
correct; still, despite the accuracy of the
description and the snakes rattles
which he so triumpnantly displayed to
attest the truth of his story, think he
dreamed it; don't you9-Allan Forman,
IN Christian Union. .....