Iron County register., 1882-09-28

ooSCEAOI d1OAk AL XuClluOu COlIl0OIp
arched at the top and extending down.
forty-ive degrees. They then came to
a hall that was perfectly level and about
five feet long, then up another incline
OF about two feet. sThis," said the
Governor, lis in order that the water
may not penetrate into our sleeping
apartment. At the end of this corri-
dor was 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 complimented her on the
beauty of her family, the Governor led
the way back into the open air. He
motioned Mr.. Thompson to seat be-
Thompson spoke:
II would like to ask You about the
owls. Is it really happy family, as
upon your yoqng?'
"We are about as happy as most fam
lilies composed of persons of different
tastes and pursuits answered the Gov
ernor. s.The owls live upon grasshop-
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 find
it very convenient to have the young
sters tucked in among the soft downy
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 well as 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
riously.
.'Well, about the rattlesnakes; are
you also at peace with them?" inquired
Mr.. Thompson.
The brow OF the Governor darkened.
YES" he answered, 1.-THE peace of
the weaker and the stronger; such a
peace as exists between the unprotected
traveller land the armed highwayman.
They enter our homes, devour our
young, and if we attempt to resist they
strike us with their murderous fangs.
Oh that every one of them might be ex-
terminatedr' Just then 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 somer-
sault. and disappear in their burrows.
Mr.. Thompson grasped his cane, and
with a few well-directed blows killed the
rattle-snake. 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 inquiringly.
Didn't you fall asleep and dream
it?' ventured to suggest.
"Uream it! Oh yes. I suppose
dreamed it; and l dreamed that 1 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
and shook them vigorously. Il sup
pose that dreamed it all; but if did
there is more truth in it than in half the
stories about animals, and Pm going to
be 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-
scription 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 you?-Alan Fornaas,
IN Christian Union.