The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1889-02-28

tormenting boy after she has
learned his weak and most sensitive
points.
We were forced to bear these
imputations on our skill without .
reply. To tell the truth, there vas
little to say. We knew that grand
father, when . boy had caught large
numbers Of mink. And when we
once ventured to suggest that mink
were more numerous and holder In
those early days than they are now
grandfather cried:
pooh, Why, saw one only the
other day right out here In the brook
by the barn, playing round there In
broad daylight"
And that was true. We knew
that mink very we'll. He had lived
there all summer. But neither we
nor any other living hunter could
have got the cautious little fellow
into trap.
When boy. grandfather had
caught minks ON the banks Of this
very brook In common box +rap-,
such ~ We used To set for striped
squirrels. His traps were nf hard
wood boards, three feet long 10y n
foot In height. aud were baitel with
trout. They had q spring button Ca
hold the drop" down when IL had
been sprung.
But nov we should n soon have
expected to get n mink into a parlor
stove n into q bOx-trap, They are
much too wary for any such clumsy
| device. This, however, L. \ trait Oi
| development that all old hunters are
very slow to believe.
No arguing, for example, could
have convinced grandfather that
minss could not Just a. readily he
caught In box-trapS nov a. they
could have been caught sixty years
sgO-if only the tIaps we're made
aud set with the skill aud cumming
that WAS used when lie caught them.
Tired ri length With our lack uf
success, he determined Ia make one
Of his good, old-fashiunetl traps, and
show Us our inefficienry by catching
the mink that frequented the brook
by the barn-the one We had de-
clared could not Ice caught ia ANY
kind Of trip.
He secretly made his trap at hours
when we were away from the house /;
but Nell told us what lie was doing,
and at course WE were some - HAT
disturbed. "lf he should happen {"
catch that mink" Add said To- me,
1--WE shall never hear the last of IL. So
II may be surmiss.d, therefore.
thai the old gentleman did not have.
our most ferVpnI wishes for the sue
cess Of his trapping. So much had
been said that we awaited the com
pletiOn Of his trap with some
anxiety aud watched the hank Of
the brook continually.
Al length one SATURDAY. afternoon
We discovered his trap. set tor the
mink. lie had shown skill la plac.
ing IL In a favorable position. There
was an old cOrn-mill-a small, rude
structure for neighbOrhOOd Use
situated on the brook, forty or
fifty rods from our house. This mill
-tOod directly over the brook, sud
beneath the sill Of the lower side,
there was an open space where one
could Look ia and see the water
wheel aud lower mill-grAr.
Grandfather had sci his huX-tTAp
under the mill, close to the. old
wheel, where the tiunIe gate shut oil
the water; Tor he shire gdly con
jeciured that the mink, la his trips
up and down the brook, would b,-
stopped AT this point, aud that lac.
| might, while playing about, enter
the trap. We examined the IIaI,
and noted liz position with uu
friendly eye; hut ! suI glad IT, say
were too honorable tU de- anything L.
prevent graudfatIrr'S -urcrs in his
attPmIu la -huR his own skill al
our expense.
The next day-Sunlay-a day
"hich hr was very strict 10 keeping
-acfru "htn Adu ana drove the
GOV l" pasture, before breakfast.
peep under ia" "l'l mill where the
Trap was.
sprung exclaimed Adj, 81
htst glance am surprised. ou
hoh shptH'-e h-- really got that
OH hiIhh' 40 you
We went To the trap snh -NaIninr'l
~ ahAl"hsli Then ! stirred Il a
Ii''i- and ih"h Ndh TOOK u up ahd
sh"oh u.
une-h irtI very heavy, SAID
Ne hht lliefS -Onlrthihg ~ II. |
eau near u scratch
ihrh We shooh tue Trap again, Ahd
placed " an Tie gr"uiid aud raised
tue hr"p- lu-l crack very
rhu''"n-i!. Instantly IiltIr hlHrk
nose was lhrusi OUT, and ""
heINou-'! Pusnrh hs'i "" dfOp.
VOW MINK nose Y peaked,
anu NJ hrsi glimpse g !H"ught the
'i.'r. ni, = - 'ha' "'
H., -. H., - t'r