Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-12-19
sar sreEIEs.
New York SUM-


" To be sure, rat catching Il not as
fashionable sport as trout fishing"
said the rat catcher, but IL requires q
great deal Of skill to catch rat. Come
with me-"
The reporter, the rat catcher and his
dog climbed Q hill and entered . kitchen
from which all the furniture had been
removed bat the stove. On tho floor in
the middle of the room straw was laid
an inch deep. A large walking cane
stood Ia the corner. The rat catcher
united string from the neck OF q bag
and ont came large rat, who ran rap
idly around the four sides Of the room,
and. fndinG no outlet. sought refuge
beneath the straw. The rat catcher
them put his hand into another bag and
drew out ferret, which he placed apon
the floor. The ferret moved slowly
around until he struck the rats trail.
which be followed In all its windinRs.
When the ferret reached the straw the
rat bounded out and took another cir
cult around the room, bat, finding no
way Of escape, in seeming desperation
he ran mp the cane and seated himself
ON the top.
The ferret meanwhile had followed
the trail with she tenaeity of a blood
hound. when he arrived at the foot of
the cane he stopped. Fsrrets cannos
climb. He sat at the foot Ut the cane and
waited. The rat began to chatter with
rage and fear. His CRY gradually arose
from q whimper to shrill squeak.
Then q gliding bundle of fur, cleaning
teeth and shining eyes came down the
cane. The sinister ferret was on the
watch. and as the rat reached the hoer
he darted like fash. and his needle.
like teeth were fastened 10 the rats
neek. The momentum of the rats bod y
carried the two animals along the floor
for two feet. There was short strng-
gle. dead rat. and the ferret was 70
TO cd TO the bag.
Rats never bite in the dark. / have
been bitten many times. but always az
ter have brought the animal to the
| light continued the rat catcher. "You
can put your hand into bag full Of rats
With impunity, but you must keep the
light away from thsm: A farmer who
lives near this place came here early
one morning. He said that in crossing
one of his fields he met drove of rats.
he estimates there we're $50 ia the drove,
He succeeded IN killing some of them.
The rest got into his barn and outbuild.
ings. We went over to the barn and
hunted II over carefully, but We could
not find sign of q rat. We we're
about leaving the place when noticed
Gin here (patting q bright eyed ter
rier fondly upon the head lying beside
brick wall. She refused to leave when
called her. The wall was double,
with an open space eight inches wide
between. With o cold -chisel I cut a
brick out Of the vail, and running my
hand into the hole. felt solid body
Of rata, piled one upon the other, az far
ss could reach. ! covered my hands
with pair Of buokskin gloves and felt
around among the rats until had Sc
cured ak tails. The farmer was hold
ing the bag, bat when swung those six
rats out Of the hole be turned pale,
dropped the bag, and ran.
took las rats out Of that wall. We
took them 10 the farmers kitchen and
liberated them. When they found
there was no escape shsy ranged them
selves 10 q corner on their hind quar-
tsrs, like soldiers awaiting q charge,
and began making the peculiar noise
which rats always make when cornered.
had been holding the young dog. Who
was struggling 10 get away. When
let him 90 he charged the phaianx
bravely. A moment later he ran ucder
the table, carrying load Of living rats
hanging from every part Of his body.
Then I let the old dog 90. After she
had laid them all out she went around
among them. and IL there was one Who
showed signs Of life she gave him an
extra nip"