The Bessemer indicator., 1893-06-10
TAMfNe DOWN A FOX.
A PennsyivanIa Woman suesssss In tn
Trick.

PennAylvanlA Woman Suceee0e In the
Trick.
Ono morning last winter Mrs.
Byron J. Mapes, Of Ash Hill, Lacka-
wanna county, PennsylvSnfs, spied a
fox creeping stealthily through tho
snow short distance back OF her
hen house. She was popping through
Il crack. and the fox looked SO lank
and hungry that she felt sorry for 1t.
She didn't want to scare it away. so
she puckered UP her lips and
squeaked through tlc crack at 1t as
TO dog. The fox instantly picked
stared at the crack. Mrs. Mapes
made the noise With her lips again.
and the inquisitive fox gave slight
whine and crept nearer to the hen
house. She continued to squeak
through tho crack, md tho fox sat
up and worked it's lips and nostrils
as II it had scented something good
to eat.
Tho animal looked so thin and
took possession Of the kind-hearted
woman. She had some scraps of
meat on plate that shs had brought
out for the hers, and, while the fox
was watching the crack, Mrs. Mapes
tlptoed to the hen yard and tossed
the meat over the pickets. The fox
gave a start when the meat fell on
the snow, but its hunger quickly
overcame its fear, and 1t turned
about and began to devour the meat
like a hungry dog. Mrs Mapes ran
back to the crack and chirped at the
fox. and the fox wagged Its tail and
glanced that way several times.
There was enough meat for good
meal. and the fox scampered off as
soon rs IL had gobbled 1t down.
Mrs. Mapes was pleased to think
she had succeeded in inducing tho
fox not to make raid on her poultry.
md the way the poor fellow ate did
her good. She didn't think she would
ever see hor wild friend again, but
when she entered the hen house the
next morning she saw the fox gazing
at the crack as before. 1t was sitting
on it's launches in the snow, and when
Mrs. Mapes made the noise with her
lips it cooked its head, shook its tail
and looked wistful. Mrs. Mapes
threw some meat over the pickets and
the fox pitched into it MS though 1t
had come long way and was in a
hurry. While it was feeding. she
said: "Here. foxey! Here, foxey" to
it through the crack. and at the
sound OF hor voice it stopped its jaws
and listened. Mrs. Mapes continued
to call to it in low tonc. and she
made the fox listen SO long that it
took twice the time to cat that it did
the day before.
The fox was on hand behind tho
hen house the next morning, and
Mrs. Mapes threw some raw fresh
beef over the fence to it, She called :
Here, foxey! Hero. foxey!" to it a
number OF times and the fox had got
so used to her voice by that time
that it didn't take any time to listen
and ran across the field tho moment
it had finished eating. Within q
week the fox became SO tame and
confiding that it took meat from Mrs.
Mapes' hand between the picxets,
coming toward her when she sang
out: Here, foxey! Here, foxey"
Mrs. Mapes' wild pct has got fat. but
it still comes around every morning
to be fed, and the kind-hearted
woman won't allow anyone to
harm it.
One morning Mrs. Mapes wasn't
feeling very we'll, so Mr.. Mapes went
out to feed the fox. 1t took to its
legs when he threw the meat over
the fence and it didn't return until
the following morning, when Mrs.
Mapes talked to it few minutes and
got it to lick her hand. Then she
fed it, and since that timo she hash t
permitted any of tho family to GO
near it.
.Jinrilisi,as In Africa.