The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-13
FAMILY ATTACK UPOY 4 coon.
A Lively Time for Farmer Bidlake. Mrs.
Bidlake and { Dog.

Farmer Cornelius Bidlake, of Preston
township, Pa, felt thirsty just after Mrs.
Bidlake and the children had gone to bed
on a moonlight night recently so he
took the water pail and started for the
Well behind the house. lie heard some
cl3mSncllS rattle on the ground near the
path. and the next instant a coon ran
up the well sweep like a squirrel and
perched itself on the post He called the
dog and went 20 stOning the coon. He
didn't hit it, but he came so near that
the coon crept 70 the top end Of the
sweep and clung there, directly over the
well.
Mr.. Bidlake threw some more stones
at the elevated coon, but his aim wasn't
good. and the little animal didn't finch.
II hung 10 the sweep like a tick, but Mr.
Bidlake made M his mind not to stone
it any more. Then he started TO pun It
down by lowering the bucket into the
well. and the dog danced around and
yelped i'm his eagerness to get at the
game. When Mr.. Bidlake had pulled the
sweep down 10 steep angle the coon
lost its hold and tumbled into the well.
II struck the bucket on its way down,
but it failed 10 get a clawhod on It, and
Mr. Bidlake heard it splashing in the
water. He let the bucket down and the
coon caught hold OF It. Then he
pulled the bucket up, and the lively coon
leaped over the top Of the well curb.
The dog snapped at IL and got nothing
but a mouthful Of hair and while he
was getting the hair out OF his mouth,
and before Mr.. Bidiake had time 10 do
anything. the coon had climed up a cor
ner Of the house and sat on the peak.
Mr.. Bidlalle went TO stOning the coon
again. and IL ran back and forth along
the ridgboard so fast that he couldn't
hit II. Mrs. Bidlake heard the racket
and got up and dressed She took the
dog 10 the opposite side OF the house,
and Mr.. Bidiake got ladder and pole
and climbed up the caves 10 knock the
coon or the roof He struck at II with
the pole. and it hoped 10 the top Of an
unused chimney and went out OF sight.
Mr.. Bidlake pulled off his boots, walked
to the peak in his socks and jammed
the pole down the chimney, but failed
to reach the coon.
Then Mrs Bidlake ran In the house,
removed the board from the fireplace,
and looked up the chimney. She couldn't
get a glimpse Of the coon, and Mr.. Bid
lake yelled down the chimney and told
her TO put lot OF shavings In the fire
place saturate them with Kerosene oil,
and touch a match 10 them. Size ala so,
and the smoke was too much Tor the
coon. 1t POPPED put OF the TOP TOP OF 1.-THE the
began 10 pour out and Mr.. Bidlake sent II
sprawling to the ground with the pole.
The dog had been racing and yelping
around the house like wildhre while
Mrs. Bidlake was getting up Il smoke
into the cellar, where he yelped and
howlcd until Mr.. and Mrs. Bldlake went
down with a lamp. They found the coon
perched on the top OF milk rack, and
they closed the door and windows, Then
Mrs Bldlake held the lamp and her hus-
band poked the coon from It's perch.
The dog tackled IL, and in two minutes
the coon gave him such licking that
he skunk into the corner Of the cellar
and whined with pain. Then the coon
climbed upon the milk rack once more
and Mrs. Bidlake brought the evenings
ent 10 an end by clubbing the
oluclky little coon thief to death.