The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-20
a TALK ABOUT RATS.
a Vast Difference Between Jersey Rats
and the Rats of Old Steuben.


| a Vast Difference Between Jersey Rats
and the Rats of Old Steuben.
From the Neto York Sun.
HAMMoNDsPoRT, May Ct was reading
10 paper the other day" said Frank Girls
void, the Lake Keuka naturalist, about a
man who put a couple of dozen CLAIMS in his
cellar, and when he went to get them for
use he found big rat held fast by the nose
by each clam, and every rat was dead The
natural inference was that the clans had
opened their shells to take a look around
and seek what kind Of luck they had struck
and had been bounced upon by rats, which
dote on CLAIMS. The CLAIMS had instantly
shut down hard on the rats, shut OFF their
wind, and smothered them to death. The
| paper also said that the man had used CLANS
for rat traps ever since with unvarying sue
cess. There isn't a particle Of doubt in
| my mind about the truth of the first
part of that story-not a particle. But
hate TO believe the latter part Of It, because
If do it will badly shake my confidence in
the smartness of the rat. All of the rats
| ever came into personal contact with pos
sessed high degree of talent, in fact, mani
Tested something that Rugged genius pretty
| close. But the rats l read about live some
| where In New Jersey. The ones have per-
sonal knowledge Of belong in old Steuben.
That may account for the difference. l am
| III
| come out day after day and let the clans
catch them, just as their comrades were
taken in, for the rats Of old Steuben wouldn't
| think of such a thing.
| II heard once that CLAIMS were the best
kind Of bait for catfish and cells, and
thought would try them. got peck or
so Of great big fellows and put them in a
nice cool place at the back OF the house, as
intended to use them that night. There
were many rats about the place, l sat on
| the back stoop fixing up some fishing tackle,
and, looking out at the CLAIMS on the grass,
| l saw several Of them with their shells open
half an inch or so and the CLAIMS peering
cautiously out. At the same time / saw a
big rat sneaking from the corn crib toward
the CLANS. Ihad often heard that rats were
immensely fond of CLAIMS. and l knew that
| clans had a quick-tempered way OF shut
| ting their shells down on anything that OBJ
| truded between them, always much to the
discontinue OF the intruder. knew that
| the minute that he stuck his nose between
one or those clam shells the clam would
close on it, and anticipated much fun.
| THE rat stole gradually up to where the
CLANS lay. He smelt the tempting flavor of
their meat. He went within a few inches
of one of the open clans and stopped, as If
| in meditation.
"'You'll never get that clam without
poking your nose in after it., said to my.
self, and I'll bet the clam will have you be-
| fore you have it,
"But had yet to become acquainted
with Steuben county rats. This ere rat
wanted that clam, nothing could be palmer
than that, but he evidently saw that there
| was peril between him and getting it. He
stood there a good while, thinking the mat
ter over, and at last turned his back on the
| clam.
| "'Pshawp said. He's going away
without tackling itP aud l was disap-
pointed.
But found out that this rat wasn't
going away without that clam. He had
| figured out to dead certainty that IL he
| once stuck his nose between that CLAIMS
| jaws IL would be all day with him, SO he
turned and switched his tail between the
shells. Snap they came together aud
the rat couldn't hop giving a sharp squeal.
was not alone.
MAYBE that's smart move 1 said.
but the clam has got you just the same,
and what are you going to do about itP
81 soon saw. The rat started away, hero
ically dragging the clam with him. He
went off toward one side of the yard, which
was four feet higher than the road and sup
ported by stone wall along its edge. At
che foot OF this wall was q hagstone side
walk. The rat dragged the clam straight
to the top OF the wall and jumped of. l
stole up to the edge and peeped over. There
lay the clam shell, broken by its fall on the
tagging, aud the rat was RECALLING himself
on the clam at his leisure.
" returned to my seat ON the back porch
the most amazed and wondering man that
ever lived. That rat had reasoned the
whole plan OF his procedure, and knew he
had dead sure thing on that clam the in
slant it closed on his tail. By and by the
rat came climbing back up over the wall
and scurried away to his haunt. But be
| ha hank ha
had half a dozen other big rats with him.
" He's brought 'em in to share the picnic
with himp / said, and there could be no
doubt about il, for in less than ten seconds
seven clans had closed on seven rats tails,
there were seven squeaks OF pain, ard seven
rats went plunging over the stone wall, aud
seven CLAIMS were carried TO destruction
against the stone walk.
"'Well.' said l. If the tails of those rats
hold out / won't have any bait left for to-
night
81 concluded, though, to see them go
through the performance once more and
then end the show by putting the clans in
"a safe place. as was satisfied that the tai
ent Of the Steuben.rat was indisputable.
Presently the rats came scampering back
over the wall. They came back to where
the clans lay, but instead Of offering their
tails again, huddled together as If holding
a conference on the subject. The result OF
it was that they all scurried away toward
the corn crib.
"'They think more of their tails than
they do Of clans. l guess said l. The
clams1l be safe enough now where they
are. l reckon, until want to use Them
ut was lucky thing for me that
didn't go away and leave them there, under
that impression. for in less than two min
utes back the rats came running. Each rat
had something in his mouth, and as they
got nearer l saw it was a piece OF corn cob
an inch or so in length. Before had time
TO think what in the world these rats were
up to this time l saw what it was. Each rat
went up to an open clam, set the piece of
corncob upright in the opening, and there
the shells were prOpped open the neatest
kind, and the poor CLAIMS we're at the mercy
] OF their cunning foes. Each rat dragged