Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-12-12

Aenc{ "Ao Fiuohe4 Tue fate IRON
the brute a. If he we're gathering
blackbsrriss. The rodents resumed
their position in the corner. The
young dog was put outside tbs door
and the experienced Kit was brought
in. She did not rush heedlessly al
the rats. ss the young dog had done,
but when she had got to within three
feet Of the rodents she stood still and
waited.
A big rat in the front row. who ey.
identity acted in the capacity Of cap
tain Of the company. accepted the
dogs implied challenge and sprang al
the terrier. Kit was prepared for
him. One s6ap Of her teeth and the
captain was dead.
In the meantime the other rats had
fastened their teeth in Kits sleek
hide. But ii was of no use. She
stood still and picked them from her
body one BY one. And when they
were all lying around her upon the
floor, whenever one showed signs OF
life BY the movement of leg or the
twitching Of q muscle Kit walked
around over the field of battle and
gave them an extra nip to quiet them.
The dead rata were gathered up and
put into the canvass bag. Then oc.
CURED scene of intense interest. It
was fight between a rat and fer.
ret,
While Kit was killing the rats, the
big fellow in Psnney's pocket had
chewed the string which tied its legs
together, crawled out and jumped to
the floor. Before Kit could catch it
she was told to lie down by Penney,
and then she was ordered to 90 out of
the room.
A piece Of coarse sacking was then
thrown down in the middle of the
room. The rat in the mean while was
making an examination Of the room
just as the others had done. After
smelling at almost every inch of the
base board. the rat gave up the search
and hid itself under the sacking. Its
movements could be traced by the
mound like mole's track in the sack.
ing. until it rested quietly in one cor.
uer of the bag.
The ferret was then lot loose and !.
took up the trail just where the rat
had alighted on the floor and followed
exactly in the fugitive's footsteps.
Wherever the rat had stopped to ex.
anime a crack the ferret stopped.
Every inch Of floor traversed by the
rat was gone over by the ferret until
it reached the bag. A shrill scream
Of terror and anger indicated that the
rat had been found.
The rat darted out of the bag and
began a wild flight around the room.
RsmorselesslY upon it's trail came the
ferret, never increasing its speed, but
with q slow movement of the head
from side to side which was fascina.
ting in its suggestions Of sublety and
deadly intent. The circuit of the
room must have been made twenty.
FIVE times before the ret showed any
signs of weakness. Then its pace be.
gan slowly to slacken.
The tragedy was nearing it's climax.
The rat began to chatter as if smitten
by an icy wind. It took refuge in
the corner where it's comrades had
fallen, with its back to the wall.
Standing upright, with dropping paws,
it uttered q cry go fraught with ter.
ror that it sounded almost human.
It was its death cry. The animal in.
stilctively knew that it's time had
come.
The ferret kept on the trail around
the room. The rat recovered from it's
terror and jumped up to the window
ledge and sat still. The ferret lost
the trail and went snuffing around
with its nose in the air. The rat had
another paroxysm. and limping from
the window ledge ran to the corner
and up stout. rough cane standing
there. Here the ferret found its prey,
and it stood on the floor looking up.
ward at the rat. The two animals
gazed at each other until the rat could
stsnd it no longer. Uttering another
scream, it sprang at the ferret. The
latter animal kept it's fore feet upon
the cane, turned its head aside 10
avoid the shock. and. as the rat shot
by. fastened its teeth 10 its victims
neck. The movement was almost as
rapid as light. The force of the rats
descent carried both animals six feet
over the floor. The ferret threw one
fore leg over the rats back. released
the hold frst secured and buried its
teeth in the centre of the rats neck,
crushing the backbone. and the hunt