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

sne uuS sway. 1ns lefret entered
the hole. The light of The lantern
was turned full upon the aperture.
The deg resumed its position. The
men waited. One minute went by
and the second hand Of the OPEN
faced watch held by the reporter was
fast consuming another minute when
faint squeal came from the wall.
aHe's coming" !" said Penny. "Gst
back. Kit; / want to catch HIM alive.
Kit retired reluctantly. Penney drew
on pair Of tuckskin gloves. The
suspense was trying. Overhead could
be heard the shuttle Of feet in the
restaurant Kit painted with sup
pssesed exeiteneat. saddsnly, rats
head appeared at the mouth Of the !
hole and was as quickly Withdrawn.
The fingers Of Psuney's right hand
eneircled the opening. Then another
faint squeal was heard. The rat
sprang outward and was csught by
by Penny. HE thumb and finger en-
circled its neck. and the other fingers
were wrapped gently around the rats
body. The ferret followed quickly
and was picked up by Iaacsen and
placed in the boz. The rat was in a
wise. 1t could not move. It palpi-
tated with fear and exposed its sharp
teeth in Intellectual remonstrance. It
was placed in stout canvass bag and |
the hunt was resumed.
Seventy traps, each about three
inches in diemeter, were set in the
cellar. To each of these small chain
about two feet long was attached. 1t
the end of the chain was small ring
which is dropped over a peg driven in
the ground when the trap is set out
out of doors or in barn. There
was also small iron peg attached to
the chain. which could be driven into
crack in the floor to hold the trap.
Penney set those traps almost as fine
as the hair trigger of dueliing pis.
tol. He placed the traps in the run.
Ways Of the rats-=along steam.pipss.
behind barrels, in inches in the ms.
sonry until seventy FIVE of them gap.
ed Tor unwary feet. BY 2 o'clock, 20
rats had been caught. The legs of
few of them were broken BY the jaws
Of the traps. All the rats were put
alive into the canvass bag.
At O'clock this morning the party
left the restaurant and went to
room only short distance from the
Brooklyn bridge. Tie room was
about twelve feet square. There was
no carpet on the floor. The only ar.
ticles of furniture were a stove and
two chairs. The chairs were placed
elsids the door.
The room was carefully examined
and all possible avenues Of escape
closed. The only light was furnished
by the bull's.eys lantern, which was
placed upon the mantel. Each man
tucked his trousers into his stockings.
The bag was kept in motion to pre-.
vent the rats from gnawing their way
through the canvass.
By this time Isaacsen had procured
a young fox terrier. He wanted to
try the mettle Of the animal. Pen.
ney opened the mouth of the canvass
bag. and putting his haSi into the
aperture he felt around among the
animals until he had caught one by
back of the neck. He said, as he
drew out the squealing animal:
"Rats won't bite in the dark"
The rat was a monster. The ex-
perts said it would weigh eighteen
ounces, which is at least four ounces
more than the weight of the ordinary
brown rat. It's feet were tied togeth-
or with bits Of string. Then the ami
NAL was put into Penney's coat pock.
ct. When everything was ready the
bag was laid upon the floor and the
rats ran out. Headed by big iel-
low they ran around the walls exam
lining the cracks for a possible exit.
They made the circuit of the room
twice. When they realized that there
was no escape they showed fight.
They made a noise resembling that
produced by filing a saw. Some of
them ran to the men standing in the
middle of the room and tried to climb
up their trousers legs.
The young dog was brought in.
When the rats saw the dog, which
was held in the arms of its owner,
struggling to get free, they ran to
one corner and ranged themselves in
two irregular rows disgonally across
the corner. They stood up and Mt
tered cries of fear and anger. The
dog sprang to the floor and rushed at
the rats. He caught one between his
La L.