New-York tribune., 1891-12-25
ACAT WHICH STALKED GROUSE

ACAT WHICH STALKED GROUSE.
DAN AND THE WAY IN WHICH HE BECAME
HUNTER
A number of hunters who recently returned from
The Adirondack and Maine woods were relating thcir
experiences the other evening In their club. when one
of them said: "You have all heard OF hunting eie-
phauts hunting Ieopards and hunting dogs. but III
wager any amount that none OF you ever heaN oi
hunting cat" The remark was greeted with cries Oh
"fakeo "fary story" leaflets for the young etc.
"You fellows may laugh as much as you hKe' out
I was referring to actual experience SAID the
speaker who is something Of enthusiast on the sub
iect of birds and animals. "T1e animal In question:
continued the sportsman, is huge maltese cat weigh
ing ahou thirty pounds. His name Is Dan Ills cogho-
men was given TO him by his master, young pro
fessiona friend of mine, and Is the same as that Vi
the hero Of a somewhat antiquated ballad Dan un-
like that worthy person, did not go down INTO 'hc
water lie was rescued by my friend Tom from
coffee sack containing several powders, which was
about to be thrown into Lake Champain last june
Tom promised the boy who owned the cat tna' he
should never trouble him again, and took MIN 10 MS
old homestead in the Tlconderoga Mountains thinking
that change of air might do the animal good aiier
his recent mental strain.
"Dan made the long journey to the FARM seated on
the drivers seat of Toms trap Upon Ills ARRIVAL
there he started up the trunk OF venerable Lombafdy
noplar in full cry after a gray squirrel which was
bnsIly engaged In testing the quality OF Inst years
buternut seated the broad stone doorstep placed IN
position in 1919. Dams first chase proved unavains
the squirrel having jumped into an apple-tree ana
made the best OF bis way into hollow in Its aged
iruEk The feline hunter then trotted around behind
the log house and surprised to see modest WOOD
chuck run out through the back door which swung by
one leather hinge. Dan then went up toward spring
at the base OF Buck Mountain and frightened covey
Of Young partrdges Into fits, who with their attentive
mother were trying the raspberies on tumbledown
stone wall Under the combined influence OF good
food and Adirondack Mountain air Dan waxed fat and
sportivc. Ills master had a sure-footed little mare
cul.ed Lady Webster which he rode his numerous
journeys up the mountain to his favorte trout streams
and bass ponds. Lady Webster had received Dams
attentions with evident pleasure. and he would often
cross the road TO the old log barn to visit her. when
he would climb up into her and lie in corner
watching mouse-hole. thereby combining pleasure
with business Squirrels abundant In the old
butornut trees along the base OF the mountain, ahd
Dan soon began 10 watch them attentivey Us they
chased each other up and down the gray tree trunks or
leaped leafy bough to another One dav he was
much Interested in the efforts Of gray 10 escape
from a red who would fairly make his big cousin
sail from tree to another, when the smaller one
would run down TO the ground. go to the tree where
the fugitive was and drive him into another. Dan
kept his eye the nober game, despislng the
pignaeous redSkn' like q true sportsman. DO you
want the gray" Magnify p inquired his master, who
had Just come down the mountain from hunting ex-
cursion. Dan winked one eye, walked up and rubbed
his 1.-the body afcctlonatey against his masters Knee,
but kept his eye steadily on the big squirrel The
cat was nearly frightened out Of Of his nine lives
q moment later by tremendous explosion which sud
denly enveloped his protector in smoke. His first
thought to fly, but huge gray object which sprang
from the and fell at his feet gave his httenship
plenty Of work for several minutes. Dan then car
red his game home and showed to an admrng lot OF
young people In Tie great Kitchen of the old house.
"FroIn that day he was hunter and the knothole
In Lady Webster's manger was entirely beneath his
distinguished notice lie now spent all his leisure
time asleep on q rug behind the back door where the
gun was kept. If any male member Of the party
halted in that ncighborhood Dan would come out,
stretch himself and look first at the hunter and then at
the piece, il to say: Let's go hunting lie would
regularly accompany the women when they visited
farmhouses in the neighborhood and occasionally
used to pick up chipmuhk Oh tie way, merely to
keep his hand in. If his master had managed to steal
away to the mountain unobserved Dan would anAiousy
await his return on the trail by the ravine through
which Burgoyne is said to have dragged his cannon
when he made the dctour TO occupy MI Defiance
.f Tom returned with an empty game-bag his
furry friend would purr in cheerful manner and
show his sympathy by rubbing himself against his leg
gings IT, however, brown feathers or gray tails
throw himself directly in front Of his master and roll
from side TO si1e after which remarkable conduct he
would sLip up o tree trunk sharpen his claws In
its truhk and give other evident demonstrations OF
joy one still shining morning early in September
peculiar lute ike note came from the depths OF the
old orchard north of the house, note 50
mellow that ii might In ancient times have
been said 10 announce the coming Of golden
Ceres The call was repeated in another key, with some
pleasing variations which caused Dams master 10 start
up his reading seize his doubebarrelled gun and
hasten toward the orchard, accompanied by the hunting
cat. which followed hin like "a shadow. Dan so0n
began to work cautiously forward until he arrived AZ
huge rock called the Pinnacle where he stood looking
up into the branches and ashing his tail mpatently
beautiful plumage OF black, white and light blue pro-
claimed them 10 be Jays, those saucy scouts In the
Of o O5Sr tSs At en the Ss s Of s
clrcled about in snch peculiar manner us TO tempt
the gunner 20 a successful snap shot and the bird
mission carried his game straight 10 the house, where
the wings cut OF and now adorn the hat Of
a prominent Chestnut-st belle.
That afternoon Dan was sent to beat mp thicket
eIr partase. f Afer Some little time terrible oatery.
from the bushes whence Dan shortly ai,er emerged
at full speed. his hair standing on end and his tail
three times is usual nu,a5sd sns lie made S straight
partridge on the wing. who was promptly shot. That
davis sport made lasting impression on Dams mind.
suasIon or threats, 10 hunt birds Of any kind lie
drew The line at wings. Whether the flesh Of the
Which be hSS I'd Sse1 SsS him n Or
10 this determination. could never be learned. Ger
iirey devoted G to the pursuit Of mice moles, chip
munks, squirrels and such game. Dan is the only
be % q m f rs od n SS.r THIS soe IN
out through hole cut IN one Of the window shutters