The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-17
Two Rat Stories.

ITO be sure, rat-catching is not a
fashionable sport as trout-fshing, ,
said the rat-catcher, "but it requires
great deal of skill to catch rat. Com,
with me"
The reporter, the rat-cateher, anC
his dog, climbed hill and entered :
kitchen from which all the furniture
had been removed but the stove. Or
the bare floor in the middle of tie
room straw was laid an inch deer
The rat-catcher united string from
the neck of a bag and out came large
rat who ran rapidly around the four
sides of the room, and. finding no out
let, sought refuge beneath the straw.
The rat-catcher then put his hand into
another bag and drew ont a ferret.
which he placed upon the floor The
ferret moved slowly around until he
struck the rats trail, which he follow
ed in all its winGings. When the fer
ret reached the straw the rat bounded
out and took another circuit around
the room, but, finding no way of es-
cape, in seeming desperation he ran up
the cane and seated himself on top.
The ferret meanwhile had followed
| the trail with the tenacity of q blood
hound, When he arrived at the foot
of the cane he stopped. Ferrets can
not climb. he sat at the foot of the
cane aid waited. The rat began to
chatter with rage and fear. His cry
gradually rose from q whimper to a
shrill squeak. Then n gliding bundle
of fur, cleaning teeth. ana shining
eyes came down the cane The sinis-
ter ferret was on the watch, and as the
rat reached the floor he darted like a
flash, and his needle-like teeth were
fastened in the rats neck. The mo-
mentum of the rats body carried the
two animals along the hoor for two
feet There was short struggle,
dead rat and the ferret was restored
to the bag.
s'Rats never bite in the dark. / have
been bitten many times, but always af-
ter have brought the animal to the
light, y continued the rat-catcher. s.You
can put your hand into bag full of
rats with impunity, but you must keep
the light away from them. A farmer
who lives near this place came here
early one morning He said that in
crossing one OF his fields he met q drove
of rats. he estimated there were $50
in the drove. He succeeded In killing
some Of them. The rest got in his barn
and outbuildings. We went over to the |
barn and hunted it over carefully, but +
we could not find sign Of rat. We |
were about leaving the place when /
noticed Sin here (patfing the hrigh Z
eyed terrier fondly upon tho head) W
Ing beside brick wall She refused
to leave when called her. The wall /
was double, with an open space eight
inches wide between. With 3 cold
ehisel cut 3 brick ont 81 the wall. and,
running my hand IL the hole felt
solid body 81 rats piled oa6 upon the
5ther. IS far as Z could reach. eor-
.red ny hands with = pair Of buck u
gloves aud felt aronnd among fAe rats
until I secured six tails Ihs farmer
vas holding tho bag. but when ! 81 ing
hose SIX fafs out q the hole he turnsa
pale. dropped tie bag. and ran
= took 10 rats out 81 that wall
IFe took them % The farmers kitchen
md liberated them. When they found
here WAS no escape they ranged them
Ielres il q corner 81 their hind quar-
ers. Ike soldiers awaitink charge.
md began making the peculiar noise
Fhi1h rats a y AVS make then corner.
81 Ind been holding tiIe young doc
rho vas stfus ling - 6el AixaF. When
lei him 50 Il 8 CHARGED the nhafanx
'raFely monont latsr Is faa dhE
|sr the table earring load az lfrfn2
SIS hanging from every part 81 lis
|ody Then let the Ola dog -. A..
e she hsa laid than 81 OH sic vent
round among them, and Z there uns
nt who SHOWED hi s.ons q iifa He ]
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