Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-08
TWO RAT STORIES.
A Ferret's Method - also las Rats Pulled
Out of n Hole by Their Tails.
NAV York Suu1


Out of a Hole by Their Tails.
New York SUM-
'sTo be sure, rat catching is not as fash
ionable a sport as trout fishing," said the
rat catcher, "but it requires great deal
of skill to catch a rat. Come with me-"
The reporter the rat catcher, and his
dog climbed hill and entered kitchen
from which all the furniture had been re-
moved but the stove. On the floor in the
middle of the room straw was laid an Inch
deep. large walking cane stood in the
corner. The rat catcher united q string
from the neck of bag and out came
large rat, who ran rapidly around the four
sides of the room, and, finding no outlet,
sought refuge beneath the straw. The rat
catcher then put bis hand into another bag
and drew out ferret, which he placed
upon the floor. The ferret moved slowly
around until he struck the rats trail, which
he followed in all its windings- When the
ferret reached the straw the rat bounded
out and took another circuit around the
room, but, finding no way of escape, in
seeming desperation he ran up the cane
aud seated himself on the top.
The ferret meanwhile had followed the
trail with the tenacity of a bloodhound.
When he arrived at the foot of the cane he
stopped. Ferrets can not climb. He sat
at the foot of the cane and waited. The
rat began TO chatter with rage and fear
His cry gradually arose from whimper
TO a shrill squeak. Then 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 floor he darted like a flash, and his
needle-like teeth were fastened in the rats
neck. The momentum of the rats body
carried the two animals along the floor for
two feet. There was short struggle, a
dead rat, and the ferret was restored to
the bag.
"Rats never bite In the dark. have
been bitten many times, but always after
have brought the animal to the light"
continued the rat catcher. "You can put
your hand Into bag full of rats with inn
punity, 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 drove of rats. He estimates there
were 250 in the drove. He succeeded in
killing some OF them. The rest got into
his barn and outbuildings. We went over
60 the barn and hunted 10 over carefully,
bat We could not find a sign Of rat We
were about leaving the place when no.
ticed Gin here patting brighteyed ter
rier fondly upon the head1 lying beside
brick WALL she refused 60 leave when
called her. The wall was double. with an
open space eight inches wide between.
With = cold-chisel I cut brick out Of the
wall, and. running my hand into the hole,
felt a solii body of rats. piled one upon
the other. AZ far as could reach. cov-
sred my hands with pair OF buckskin
gloves and felt around among the rats an
tll bad secured Elk tails. The farmer
was holding the bag. but when swung
,hose six rats orst Of the hole he turned
pale. dropped The bag, and ran.
Il teok As rats cut Of that wall We
took thefn 60 ths farmers kitchen anil lib
sfated theu1 When they found there vas
~ sseape they rsawe-i themselves IN cor.
aef aa heir hlnd quarters. Ike soldiers
tseaitins e ebarzs. snd hegan making tbe
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