New-York tribune., 1890-01-26
BACKWOODS STORIES.
ABOUT oTTERs. BEARS AND PARTRIDGEs.

stoddardsviile. Penn, Jan. 25 (spcciaD.-Among the
hunters and woodsmen who came 70 this village with
furs and lumber on recent pleasant dag were several
who told good baCkwoOds stories. " WAIc was
trout fishing in the Lchieh last summer sald one
81 saw she otter and two little ones playing along
log that slanted down into the water from tie right
bank The mother busy with her little ones
that she didn't notice ne. and stood still and watched
them Tie wind made lots Il noise In the trees
and the old otter seemed 20 be teaching her young
ones how 70 side down the log. They led tagged
her back and forth hl dozen times and plunged INTO
The pool after her and 10 pretty sight 10 see
them play. l desired 10 capture one Of tie Little
ottcrs and fearing that they would all get scared
before long and clear ont. dropped my rod ait
made lanee at one Of them Just as they were
about 70 dive. had the good luck 10 grab the one
| aimed for and such a squcalDg as the mother set
UP when she swan o. the shore and missed one oi
her youngsters was pitlfIl. she didn't stay ana
aeht for 1t. but it topped and squrmcd aud bit for
IT. own freedom til I stuffed II n-o my trout basket
! didn't sec anything more Of the mother. I've got
the Young otter set. and les tame Kitten"
Talking about o.tc,s.7 said another woodsman,
makes me think of a Eight ! once saw between two
males Choke Greek. l was near nice pool ana
loY.ng through the bushes l saw a small otter on
the lower end Of loe. Higher up on the log vas
a larger otter. soon that tie small one wa,
a female and the other male slc shy Il The
getting nearer To her. she acted so cross that he
went back. lie got 80 near once that she cuGed
him and then pilus sed into the stream and swan
around for a while. Then Size returned 70 the log
and drove him back g. his own spot. II went On
IN tbs way pute while and then another mac otter
came pulling AL padding Up the creek I'll he struck
the pool ~relu- the female hc cnWlcd uPol the log
and carcs-.d her. -hc seemed 10 take kindly %
him. but the moment he spicd the other male there
was war in the camp one va, lu-t as ready Co Aght
q, tho other and vhlc they had 10 hot ard heavy or
the shore. the female diycd and swan up and down
and sQucaled II didn't take the newcomer long 10
lick the other male and the whipped one turned tail
and scampercd into the bushes Then the female Joined
the bos, and appeared - he proud u him. Instead
= trying 10 mcdfle with them, the desperate otto?
soon returned Owed into the craek. caught large
trout aad swain 10 the opposite bank The other two
then got glimpse q ms and made thcmsclye, scarce
in a hurry. didn't try 10 hurt them
have ncv1f--T1l ottcrs hcht.7 remarked another.
hu Lad some fu with ore that set trap for IN the
water ot the foot II Side. The tap We, placed
rcht where he otter voud lc apt q strike when Dr.
.ld down. and TIE chain va- Fastened to goot. Whe1
I won't there The next morning found a. otter tear.
INK around "a, though Dee had meyer been .n such lN
before. and cue,- be hadn't. lis tall had got
caught IN the jaws instead ~ hs fec or orc Of them.
and as be- had tAc o. both feet. and hls tan Wa,
pa.ung him a good bit. Dee suakcd that t-ap back ard
forth lu halfc.rcic so lively cd often taat you
coultur help laughing to -ee him. ! couldn't make
olt how hc sot DIS ta.i h,t. and soon ended D.,
misery ard iac-od hm home.r
urherrln 'nt t..-: w boz Jake 7; oaiY ,,I-
'oer year. Ola. Ig' ie h"d 70 i- she bear l-t SUM
meg over ou Laurel Eun. jake I'D started f,r home
with nice string % t.ou'. when Ae ra. a.o., pair
ol cab bears. J.ac t.ui- more ot a young cr. Tam
lc d.,- of a. t.- a.d nothing to o.. but he m1-t Ii.s
10 0ac 81 them ,l, aad try tp ger home vltt &c. Dee
l.l three miles O., ,orr Int he hadn't paced of moron
a quarter ~ Cd u.l' when Doe found that tie cubs
mother wa. aG.r Am. jake hung oA to the cuh
though and every I,flc ways hc pulled a trout of'n
the -sltcl and tossed t ~ tae loi"ru' od hcar d,
couldn't coax hcr g. stop her noise ard - of about
hcr bu.ac., .u uat way. for She heut tt.-..' Jake
r..lt rp ual irrNr She made lt sd hpt llr thc loy
t4t De- up. and -.Ap- beg square iu tine mouth with
A, whole st.l- f tiuut ard i.l., 'cm stay there.
Wal. the old bear size didn't tx Ia.e a'y more, and hc
.ot home tl. I-it VITA tAr cub. iuf uo iUtt. Jake
told M.u tlc L.r,i i.a4 A...f t.c bear. uld toward
night wc htDlcl ~ aud drove tp tAc spot There
Dos TIE old l.ll dead hammer. jake, atrLE
Of front hld got ,n--rd u Der throat and s.G1Dl A.r
t.ath. aL. you never seen t' neicr Boy tAu jake
Was.
while wc wcrr all 10 breakfast. IAe window mp.
ard the plrtrd-" nI. within five feet ot some Of ogr
folks size walked from ou" side of tac window to tle
other scyera. tuc-. and t't"r tlt -tr stopped tu"
.,Itrc 81 tac s ad looked 40 the tIA, quite a. he.
Then she picked beg feathers. NIt.rred beg --.
booked az tAc ipih, AGAIN. gave s. -qufwf and flew
away. never saw partridge act llhe tAdt before.