The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-08-12
A FOX UP A TREE.



rAs Lofty Positlo. Of lie Favorite sleep
-, Ing Piece ~
within the limits Of the city of New
York In great swamp dense and
treacherons the year round. 1t lies in Q
tract ofscountry' lately set aside BY the
city and called Van Cortlandt Park.
One afternoon in the early spring OF
1887, writes contributor, was poking
about among the trees and bushes on
the outskirts of this swamp watching
wary hawk and some restless noisy
crows that were perhaps beginning to
build their nests in the tops OF the
swamp oaks.
Several old crows were found; also
one composed Of large sticks high
among the limbs of n swamp oak.
carefully scrutinized the latter through
my field glass, and l saw that it was
not new one. yet it was occupied, and
the occupants feathers or fur seemed
to wave in the light breeze. l threw
sticks at it, hut could see no signs OF
life. A bird would surely have left
Then l pounded the trunk of the tree,
thrashed about the tops Of saplings and
beat the bushes, but still there was no
movement. Then cut stout stick, a
yard long, and determined to climb the
tree and find out it's tenant
The tree was one of bunch of four
or five that spung from a common base,
and the group was surrounded by wa
ter. Small limbs had grown pretty
thickly from butt to top, so that climb
ing could not be difficult. ascended
the tree nearest to the one with the un.
known creature in it; but as went up
l could see not sign of life till got
on line with the nest. Then when
about six feet away saw in the very
middle Of bed bunch Of long auburn
hair waving softly.
The platform Of sticks, evidently q
deserted crows nest, was supported
close to the main stem by several Limbs
and many others grew above and
around it. My first impulse was te
strike the bunch Of red fur with my
stick, but the limbs prevented that
All the while it had not stirred.
If could only make it move, perhaps
could deal an effective blow at it. So
reaching out at arms length, gave ,
strong poke into the mass Of fur. L
. instantly arose upon its forelegs, stared
a moment in bcwilderment and sur
prise, and the very next instant, will
wild leap, went tumbling over thu
: side of the nest into a pool Of waite
fully forty feet below. Then, slowl!
dragging its tail, it crawled away. we
and forlorn, into dense growth o
brambles out OF sight The mysteriou
$ creature was a red fox.
. Not forty yards from this very ire
! was railroad track upon which man.
q trains day had been passing. TIL
4 home had not been hard for him t
q reach on account of the numerouslimb
? which served as rounds to his ladder
Here he had, doubtless, slept day afte
day in the very midst of civilization
y with feeling of such security tha
he would not deign to move until
q stick was thrust rudely against h
!. ribs
1t is commonly believed that foxt
resort only to burrows in the ground {
!. holes among rocks. But this individual
with danger upon SO many sides, wa
- no doubt. driven by some great ncce
a sity to attempt the almost incredibly
feat Of sleeping in tree-top.-lnd
n pendent
"a | Uylu T.noJo (Go\ Ponort.
h makes the novel sugg estion that "whe
g Jail is assailed by mob intent upe
it the life Of an inmate, and when it
d apparent that the mob will reach i
r. victim, the culprit be armed for sci
le defense. Give him Winchester. reat
is for action, and brace of good 81
e, shooters like the boys outside have, AZ
e, though they are ten to one against hi
n It will in measure give him chanc
30 II is easy enough for men to be bra
j. when they are hundred armed al
a free to one empty handed and confine
le Let il be known that the man inside
Is ready to meet them on even one chan
is to a hundred, and the bravery Of u
n. midnight law breaker will soon CO
y off"
= The Mean Thing. -Ethel-I've be-
y engaged six times and now I'm goil
" to marry Charlie Simpson. How maj
= times have you been engaged? Mau
~ (demurely)-Only twice-to Char
=. Simpson. Epoch.
"A milkman's bills should be ma
ont ON quart-o size, c-eam-laid papt
not blue-tinted OF water-iuackcd. 10
" ell Courier.
IS A rLY-trsp-the dog-cart.-Puck
&c TAXES all the degrees-the temperature
10 Nor periodical the powder magazine
hy ----s-
IS JUST rolls over the grass-the Law
mower.
es OK the stage but no actors-omnib
do drivers Mail and Express.
s
n AMATTER Of ''no'' consequence-refu
&c Of an offer Of marriage.
A wELLrRoUNDED sentence-round ruge
or rocks ragged rascals ran riotously.- NJ