Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-06-09

ALL" ssrob-trap," s.black devil' among
others-and they hate him as sailors do
the shayk, though his glossy dark-brown
pelt is valuable.
At this time the habitat OF the VOL
VERNE is mostly confined to northern
ATTITUDES; but fifty years ago, when
first made his acquaintance, he was oc-
casionally found in the province Of Up
per Canada (now Ontario) and in those
states of the union bordering upon the
great lakes
When I was boy Of fifteen years In
the county of Peel, Canada, was an
amateur trapper, and depended for
pocket money on the sale Of such otter,
mink, fox, fisher. raccoon. skunk and
muskrat skins as managed to secure
One morning, early In November, I
went out to visit my eight traps, set In
as many different places in the woods
and along the bank of the creek. To
my surprise found six of them sprung
and the bats gone. But all of the six
were not entirely empty. In one was
an otter's foot and In three others rem
nants of mink's legs. Two traps, set
few inches bslow the surface of the
water, for muskrats, had not been dis
turbed at all.
In the backwoods' code of morals, rob
bling hunters traps was then looked
upon as more despicable crime than
stealing from his pockets. Hence I
could think of no one in the neighbor-
hood likely to have despoiled mine, nor
why the thief should have sprung the
empty ones and removed their bats.
There had been a slight frost over
night, rendering the ground hard, and
1 could see no tracks OF human beings
or dogs anywhere. By and by, how
ever, while STOPPING down to reset one
of the mink traps near the soft edge Of
| the creek, 1 noticed, in bed of dry,
| unfrozen sand, several strange looking
footprints-but by what creature made
I could not guess. Clearly they were
not those of a coon, nor yet of a young
bear, though somewhat resemb bling
both. thought l knew the track of
every animal, from an elk to chip
munl1, to be found in the country. but
| this one had certainly never before
| seen.
| Besides those left in the traps, the
| only traces / could find of my lost game
were a few drops of blood and some
tufts of fur scattered along an old trail
which led toward the base of a great
| pile of nearly inaccessible rocks on a
distant hill. Greatly puzzled over the
| whole matter, ran off home and told
my father of the strange occurrence.
| After breakfast he went with me
down to the creek; and, instantly, on
seeing the tracks, said: These are
made by wolverine! I had no idea
| there was one left in this part of the
country"
Then he told me all he knew of the
animal: and part of that information,
along with some I afterward gathered
for myself, have embodied the fore
going lines. My father concluded by
| saying: you'll have no more luck
| trapping until this brute and his mate,
if he has one, are destroyed; but that's
something easier to talk about than do. ~
So, indeed, I found it. Day after day
and night after night for two whole
weeks 1 devoted myself solely to the
task of trying to circumvent the cum
| ming thief-without once catching sight
of him. Some nights 1 concealed my
self, gun in hand, near one or the other
of my traps; again l would lie in wait
until daybreak at the foot of the rocks,
hoping to get shot as he went out or
came in. 1t was all lost labor. When
l watched the traps, the beast never
came near them. When I stayed all
night at the hill, he upset and robbed
them at his leisure; but hair of him.
self he never showed.
I owned in those days a hound
afraid of nothing, and famous over the
whole country side for his tracking
powers and his success in killing game
Although kindly cautioned against such
a proceeding by my father, I one day
took this dog to the rocky mound, de
termined, if possible, to find and I'M
earth the disturber of my peace.
Carlo did find the noxious brute
rather too readily. After I had gone
with him on the trail as far as coult
climb, he dashed away to a lot of rugged
powders, and a few seconds afterwart
heard the savage yelp by which he al
ways presaged an attack. There were
sounds of a tussle-sharp, snarling yelps
of a kind strange to me, rolling peb-
! bles and scufhing movements; but tn ey
lasted barely q half-minute.
Then Carlo uttered dismayed howl
and rushed back with ears and fac,
torn, and his whole body reeking will
that fetid fluid the wolverine emlts q
a means of defense, and compared t.
which the slxunk's odor is the altar o
roses The brave old hound did no
seem to care much for his wounds; blu
that fearful stencil no self-respectin,
dog could endure. So discreetly avoid
: ing me, he sped off to the creek, and j
} was not until he had rolled about in tn
: water for long time that he woul
: come near me-
This occurred on the fourteenth do,
, of my futile hunt. That night, though
, nearly worn out for want of sleep, la.
awake for hours revolving plans to ge
even with my hateful foe. At last I hi
) upon q scheme which thought nigh
: possibly succeed-provided the follow
l ing night should prove a windy one
; Going out late next morning foun
, my traps robbed. as usual. but was ne
ioiced to see signs Of an approaching
l storm. 1t came on. an hour afterward
; and before SHUTDOWN a full gale wa
blowing in the right direction to sui
my purpose.
Out near the edge of the forest Their
/ was then lying the hollow trunk of a
, immense elm tree-the leading facto
IN my calculations. During the after
: noon had taken into my confidence
: neighbours boy of my own size. Him
dressed up in my everyday hat an
u y. - a., e..