Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-08-22
GROVER AND THE DOCTOR.

GROVER AND THE DOCTOR.
How They Pass the Time IN the
Ad1rondacks
Chicago Tribune.
"Doc," said the president, unbutton-
ing his vest and lighting his pipe, after
the two had finished supper and the
camp fire had been replenished, doc,
1 want to talk to you! You know I'm
not putting on any style up here in the
woods. All men are free and equal in
the A~dirondacks. But, Doc, I'd a little
rather you wouldn't address me as odd
man, You might drop into the habit
and inadvertently use the expression
after we get out Of here, and it wouldn't
do, you KNOW"
Gail right. I'll be more careful your
excellency," said the doctor.
"Now, that's just as bad. Why can't
you take a middle ground-use some
thing familiar but not disrespectful, you
know. It ought not to be difficult"
The doctor replied that he caught the
idea and would bear the thing in mind.
"There's no occasion to refer to the
subject again, them" said the president,
rs he pulled gently at his briarwood,
and then he added: '"I don't see how
l came to shoot at the birds nest in that
tree today, installing it for a squirrel.
l say, Doc, do you think it was a quail's
nest? 1t was about bigIenough for
one"
"I've always understood" was the
doctors reply, "that quai1s nest on the
ground"
III believe you are right. I forgot
that. And, speaking of quails." he
unused, "reminds me of an incident
which occurred when 1 was a boy and
lived on q farm. Do you know what a
figure four isl"
The doctor intimated q belief that he
was acquainted not only with the figure
"four' but with all the Arabic ume
ais.
30, that's not what I mean," said the
president. 81 refer to the name given
a trap used by boys in the country for
catching all kinds of small game. I'll
show you what it is" and, getting out
his pencil, the president made on the
back of an envelope a diagram of the
figure four bird trap. "This forms a
very simple and successful trap" he ex-
planned. "The notches in the three
sticks enable them to hold against each
other and support the box above, but
not SO firmly that it will not fall when
the bait attached to the other end of
the horizontal stick Is pulled. OF
course, whatever Is underneath the box
is then imprisoned"
The doctor said he thought it a very
ingenious device.
"Well," continued the distinguished
speaker, ~ was going to relate an adj
venture of my own with a figure FOUR
Quail, in winter, come around barns to
pick up food, and are trapped by the
boys. There we've a good many around
our barn II winter, and ! set q figure
four for them with a box four or five
feet square. l remember the time was
between Christmas and New Years, and
| expected we'd have quail pie for the
holiday. l hoped to catch at least a
dozen. But a more astonished boy
never existed than l was when 1 went
out to look at the trap the next day."
"What did you find?" inquired the
doctor.
s"There wasn't a quail in the box, but
there were nine of the biggest wood
chucks you eve saw
The doctor looked troubled. Finally
he ventured to remark: II thought the
woodchuck was a alternating animal,
and you say this was in midwinter."
A startled expression came upon the
presidents face, succeeded Immediately
by one of sternness. II thought" said
he severely, chat 1 was accompanied on
this expedition by a gentleman who
could appreciate the courtesy due from
one sportsman to another. Such hyper
critical illusions are not proper accom-.
paniment to tales of daring deeds ando of
the chase related by the forest fire. We
will converse no more tonight I trust,
sir, that in the morning you will exhibit
a mood less cynical and carping.
The pair drew their blankets about
them, and all was still in the neighbor-
hood of the camp save that the frogs
croaked hoarsely in the creek and the
owl responded gloomily to the whippoor-
will in the adjacent forest.
An Offensive Omceseeker.
A Bismarck telegram says: John Hal.
lemback, of the firm of Hallembach &
Wright, attorneys here, has been some
what ruffled in his temper ever since
MI. Garland was made United States
I1ckvS ~ c&%o,,o~ T1L- kl-,-lr IL