The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-05-27
A WILD HOG TRAP.
How Two Boys Mado Money to
SEQ the Centennial

Yesterday heard one farm boy say
70 another; Come and see nv two
ealvea I'm going 70 keep them TN
they're two-year-old stccrR, and thon
sell them and 60 TO the Columbian expo
sition on the money. They'll bring Atty
dollars BY that time. "
But I've got colt that'il bring sev-
enty-fve BY that time. Z rejoined his
companion, triumphantly.
Maybe replied the first lad. com.
posedly. ."But tell yon, Frank, there's
: good deal moro risk on colts than on
nteers.1
Thcircarnestness wildly recalled 10
mo time, fifteen years aro, when
wa boy q sixteen, and lived IN the
Arkansas "backwoods. ! was making
similar plans 70 visit the centennial Ok.
hibition Of 1870 at Philadelphia.
4 young neighbor, Benton Arbnckie
~ name. was equally desirous Of at
tending the exhibition; but, like nv
self, he was In painful doubt where the
dollars were 70 come from for railway
hrca, for o new suit OF clothes and Tor
other necessary matters.
Often wo raised little money bv
eathering pecan nuts in The woods and
selling them a tbs store two mr
4wayi ppt tho pecan crop y,as ~
that ycaA and our horea .x>nN 'En !,
blight With Il We lrBc,T ia sa..,'', - !
1c..lars Apiece was The ;iesss n aesJh,a
sum that would sufica s. transno ,r., .
70 PhiladelpIia and Seturn us 10 our
tIurrk ~ A. t..fa !
less. !
We studied hard to think u so,ne
other means Wild turlcys were oct
ting scarce IN tho woods. Formerlv (
good many had been shot ana market
edevery fall. Deer, too. wcrc fur from
plenty.
AftBf q careful canvass Of tho situa-
ton, Benton and / decided that our
only chance 70 raise money lay in the
Wild hog, which werc still to DO found
70 conaidernbie numbers III the river
hQttoma In our part Of the state.
These Wild hogs are descended from.
ordinary swine brought into the coun-
Try by the earlier settlers. In several
generations Of wildness they have de-
veloped the characteristics 81 the wild
hogs Of the old world. They run swift,
" through the brush upon tho alipht-
cot alarm. and are, always difficult TO
approach,
Shooting Is not tho best methotl/of
hunting wild hogs for unless Shot
through q vital part they squeal
frightfully. and often run LONG Az
tanee. The squcaling meE frightcnfhe
drove away, and GAUGE them totdesert
the locality for another tract Of forest
Ny companion and proposed to tran
eheuA and so far as possible tocqnduct
lstill hunt We Intended 60 make.
bacon. for which we were REASONABLY
sure Of obtaining eight ceuts d pound
We ntted up o disused loR-shanty AZ 4
smoke-honsc. and arranged to bring
home the carcasses on mules from orr
traps.
benton, who had more time than /.
spent several days IN looking about for
good place n which 10 set q tran, ana
chose one upon Sugar creek. AT 4
point where o high bank had beer
Weshed out we set stakes and buil. Z
strong corral eight feet high, In such a
way that tho bank formed ono side 81
The Enclosure. and the fence sl.irtinr
we margin Of the stream formed the
other sidea 'A
The yard thus formed included 4
spaee hfty or sixty feet across, which
on one Side was overhung BY bank
from twelve 70 fifteen feet III hei0ht
The earth Ind been cut away by fresh
cts 20 that the roots Of the brushwood
above hung down In q strarriing
tringA. : 's
AtEeP gate vas constructed 70 riss
aAs6 fall between posts on a--& -.
~ ePspinR nv 4 .,ao r. sue sns,S :"
..,e gate line was attached TO II, which
ran across TO our hiding place or the
other. side Of the stream.
We did the work very, quietly, for we
heard hoga moving abontin the swamp
Cprefnlly removing all the chips, we
masked. the corral and the gate with
hFnsh. causing It TO look like thielxet
For halt we had bought four bushels
QfSorn on the cob This We broke into
short pieces, which we strewed on trails
leadtng 70 the trap. We also gathered
several bushels Of acorns, and these
and tho corn trails were sow1 To
. distance Of half a mile IN three direo-