The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-01
CATAMOUNTS IN MAINE.
They Run a Rural Town for Night OF
Two.


The town of jackson. in Waldo coun-
=. fifteen miles from Belfast. is now
ready to ill orders for catamounts-pro-
viding that they can be caught Last
Saturday evening Waverly t. Tasker
and his brother Bert two young men
who live outside the village in neigh
borhood where there are few inhabi-
tants, discovered near the edge of the
woods which encircles their home an
old catamount and two young ones.
| They disappeared. but We're seen again
Sunday night, and when they showed
up for third time Monday evening the
two 1askers and Fred Stevens started
out to enforce the three-mile limit Bert
Tasker and Fred Stevens had shotguns.
and the other Mr.. Tasker went out as
referee.
The varmints were found at distance
of only quarter of mile from the
house in sort of ravine The fellows
with the shotguns began to pepper the
old cat with shot and slugs. and the way
she jumped around was terrible sight
to see." She would leap ut the hunters
at every shot, going six or eight feet
high in the air, and then retreat again.
She clawed a hemlock stump all to
chips in her fury, dug holes six inches
deep in the ground, and rolled stones of
hundred weight down the hill. While
| this circus was going on the two young
cats amused themselves by chasing
the referee toward home, but they were
finally beaten off with club. After the
pursued had vainly endeavored to get
MIR. Damon and family to join in the
festivities, tney being too sleepy, he re-
turned TO the battle-ground to find that
after firing thirteen rounds at the old
cat the hunters and cat both had re-
tired He watched. however. sitting on
the doorstep. and at about o'clock in
the morning was startled at the sight of
two blazing eyes peering around the
house corner at him. He seized a pitch
fork and went for the beast, which first
trotted leisurely across the barn-yard.
and then turned and rose on its hind
feet. when Taskey drove the fork into
| its breast He tried TO throw the cat,
but found it impossible. and just then
the two hunters rushed out in their
stocking feet and shot the animal in the
side. The beast rolled over on its back
and howled in q peculiar grand-onera
strain that woke the whole country side
| The hunters had no more ammunition,
| and as the cat revived rapidly, they sud-
denly went into the house. Next day a
trail of blood forty rods long was found
| leading to the woods
On Tuesday the best hound in the
neighnorhood was procured. and. with
the dog in advance. seventeen brave
men started to wipe out the four cats
a new one, full-grown male, having
been discovered. The dog backed out
after n short run. however, and the hunt
was no hunt at all-.
These cats are strangers to jackson
town, being the first, Mr.. Tasker SAYS,
I anybody can remember seeing there
They are the same varmints. evidently,
that caused such a hubbub in Dixmont
| in the latter part of April They are of
a dirty gray color. with sharp claws.
pointed ears. and blazing eyes while
the tail is rather bushy- There are about
1900 acres of swanipy woods in the
part of jackson where the aboye-de-
scribed entertainment took place, and
this is strawberry patch for all Sorts
OF playful beasts They don't hurt the
woods bit. and their occasional sprees
serve to enliven country life The only
thing thus far brought against the old
cat is that sheep - missing. and that
she had in her possession the leg Of =
calf. which she could not satisfactorily
account for. = Bangor (Me.) Consnser-
cT0f