Los Angeles daily herald., 1884-11-05
Two Rat stories.

"To be sure, rat-catching Is not as fash
ionable sport as trout fishing" said the
Jat-catcher, but Ii requires great deal oi
skill to catch a rat. Come with me- =
The reporter, the rat-catcher and his dog
climbed a hill and entered Il kitchen from
which all the furniture had been removed
bnt the stove. on the bare iioor In the mid
.lle of the room straw was laid an inch deep.
'fhe rat catcher united 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 his hand into another bag and drew out
Al ferret, which he placed upon the floor.
'fhe 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 an.
ther circuit around the room. but, finding
no way OF escape, in seeming desperation
e ran up the cane and seated himself on
The ferret meanwhile had followed the
1ran with the tenacity of bloodhound
When he arrived at the foot of the cane he
stopped. Ferrets can not climb He sat al
the foot OF the cane and waited. The rat be-
gradually rose from a whimper to a shriil
squeak. Then gliding bundle of fur.
cleaning teeth, and shining eyes came
do Sn the cane The sinister ferret was on
he darted like flash, and his needie-like
teeth were fastened in the rats neck. The
momentum of the rats body carried the two
animals alongthe floor for two feet There
was short struggle a dead rat and the fer
ret was restored to the bag.
Rats never bite In the dark. have been
bitten many times, but always after have
Drought the animal to the light" continued
the rst-catcher. "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 drove OF
rats He estimated there were 25Oin the drove
lie succeeded In killing some OF them. The
rest got In his barn and outbuildings. We
went over to the barn and hunted II over
carefully, but could not fnd sign of a rat
we were about leaving the place when
terrier 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
cold chisel cut brick ont of the wall
and running my hand In the hole, ielt a
> old body Of rats, piled one upon the other
ms far as could reach. covered my hands
with O. pair Of buckskin gloves and felt
tails. The farmer was holding the bag, but
when swung those six rats out OF the hole
he turned pale, dropped Inc b g and ran off
y TOOK l45 rats out ,f that wall. We took
them 70 the farmers kitchen aud liberated
them. When they found there was no escape
they ranged themselves on their hind quar-
tiers. like soldiers awaiting charge. and be-
gan making the peculiar noise which rats
always make when cornered. had been
holding the young dog, who was struggling
to get away. When / let him go he charged
the phalanx bravely. A moment later he
ran under the table carroing load of living
rats hanging from every part of his body
Then let the old dog go. After she had laid
them all out she went around among them,
and II there was one who showed any signs
81 life she gave him an extra nip."-[New
York Sun