The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-01-23

cs4f tAttic lat ~ thHia iiiA'tsAAA aNNt7s eaANA
pIeasan. to take Druggists
Coon, Coon Logs and Their
Ways.
Among the animals which may be said
to have become extinct is thecoon dog OF
our fathers. He was Of no particulaE
strain Of blood, bat be united the keen
scent Of the deerhound with the intelli-
gence Of the shepherd dog. and the ten
acity Of the bull dog with the stealth Of
the panther. with less accomplishments
than these he M INT have been good on q
fox or deer trail the lowing herd would
have probably been safe in his keeping
he might have been able TO hold his own
in q fight, or have stood an excellent
chance Of succeeding as a sheep stealer
but he couldn't have been coon dog
For your coon is a tricky customer, and
crammed with patience. Moreover, he
leaves behind him the coldest, most
scentless trail of any animal that runs.
lie leads you through tangled swamps
and deep, stony hollows. lie crosses and
recrosses swift running streams He
frisks along the top Of rough stone walls
as silent and swift as a shadow He tops
within a dozen feet Of some convenient
wall, clears the intervening space at a
bound, strikes tree and glides up the
longest limb, runs to its extremity, and
leaps a dozen feet beyond it 70 the ground
again, breaking his trail abruptly on one
side and beginning it as coufnsedly on
the other. lie invents tactics for emer-
gencies, and brings to every considera-
tion Of his welfare and that Of his family
q large and level head. He plays his
cards well and the dog that would beat
him must needs hold both bowers and
ace, with strong cards to back them.
These the coon dogs Of our fathers always
had.
There were, twenty-five years ago, the
still hunting coon dog and the coon dog
who let you know at every step that he
was getting there There was mixed up
with the methods Of the still hunter an
element of greater certainty that you
would get your coon than there was with
the more mel0dlous system Of the dog
that mouihed his presence in the shadowy
chase but thestyle Of the latter put more
tingle into your blood and buo5ed YOU
Up with sweetsr expectancy. There was
something weird and uncanHy in all the
turnings and windines Of the former
through the gloomy woods at night. lie
crept among tangled woods and deep ra-
vines. climbed abrupt snolls and worked
his serpentine ways down into deep hol-
lows. turning, doubling. shifting. cross
ing and recrossing his track, like the
iabyrinthe crossing Of ships capriciOus
course, silent as the night around him,
stealthy a. the twilight shadow. His very
silence brought him % the prize As the
trail Of the unsuspecting coon became
warmer, the noiseless pursuer became
still more cautious until the game was in
sight then he rushed upon it ike an
avalanche, and the pent up music Of his
soul went forth in one fearful howl Of tri-
umph, and the surprised and frightened
coon knew that his nights were mum
bered.
Il was different with the dog that gave
tongue as he hunted He made music in
the night-not the silvery treble Of the
fox hound, floating down from the hills
on the frosty air, and drawn out in sweet
cadenza by every willing eeho, nor yet
the mellow bass Of the deerhound. swell
ing over the ridges. clear and fr-sound
ing as bIgle note. but pleasant, though
staecato song Of his own, half bark, half
bay. a cheerful ningling Of melody with
business. The baying coon dog always
had a better nose than his noiseless broth
er. and he needed to have Inc coon
never knew when the silent do was on
his track and Consequently dii n)t bring
to his protection the many wiles and
strAtagems that he at once res0rfed %
when the cry OF the other dog rang out
on the trail. It was then that he ms
nGlyred 10 throw false scents, and the
brook and bramble, the bill and the h0l-
low were al impressed in his service in
his race for life, and it was then that the
baying coon dog OF cur fIthers came out
strong. Step by step he Hnrayelel the
tangled and well hidden scent, constant
ly sounding bis wild challenge 10 the
coon to do his best, until the hunted an
imal's repertory OF wiles was exhausted
aad, accepting the inevitable. he climbed
a tree. When the dog found be had
brought the coon TO this, bis musical bay
-sangel 70 q loud quick bark the signal
10 the hunter following on behind that
the coon vas treed-
Once in the rare old days Of coon hunt
.ng q new preacher WAS settled in a back
woods district Of Pike county, Illinois
lie was not wise in the way Of the woods.
Early in his first autumn on bis charge
be began the usual protraeted meeting
season. BY and by be noticed that on
and starlight nights his con-
-regafion was made up Of women only.
Finally be asked the reason Of this A
sister arose and said
Its cause the coonin's bette'n lis in
he dark . the moon, Dominic. soon eE
he moon darks the men1l jine ye
Sure enough, when the -moou darkedr
he brethren were all in their places in
he meeting-house joining heartily in the
,sooeediDgs- The pastor demonstrated
with them publicly.
~whiie you have been idling afier
cons" said he, there may have been /