The morning call., 1893-09-17
THE OWL AND THE TURTLE.
The Hungry Bird Made Big Mistake
i'm Being Too Pressing.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.

SL. LOUIS OlODe- DemOCTaL
A few days ago j. F. Pafford and a party
of friends went TO the Big Sandy, large.
sluggish stream in Benton County, Tenn,
on a fishing excursion. They carried
wagon, tent and the usual camp equipage.
The river is full of logs and brush, and
cannot be seined readily. and it abounds In
very fine fish of every variety found in that
section. and especially in the Tennessee,
of which it is tributary.
Friday night Pafford wa. sitting sleepily
on the bank, about 100 yards below the
campfire, watching his lines. The moon
cast silver light on the placid stream,
made brighter by the heavy foliage on
either bank. Opposite to where he lay,
about fifty yards distant. large tree had
fallen into the water On the body of this
the turtles would Iazily watch the maneu-
vers of the fishermen when not otherwise
engaged in stealing their bait An old
fellow, probably foot in diameter, had
crawled up on the log, prepared 10 spend
the night. when suddenly large owl lit
on a limb that projected from the trunk
Just above the turtle. The latter slipped
noiselessy into The water. His owlship
merely turned his head, keeping his posi-
ton.
After a few moments the turtle re.
turned. The owl watched him fully five
minutes and then commenced edging his
way down the limb. The movement could
not be detected except by locating the posi-
ton with some fixed object beyond. Pres
emily it came TO the body of the tree and
then commenced moving sideways by the
same slow motion toward the turtle, whose
side 1t soon reached. The turtle drew out
its long neck to the uttermost, took lcok
at its owlshlp and resumed its previous
position of rest. The owl cooked his head
toward the turtle, as much as to sar, How
are you. old frend?" Then the owl re-
sumed his side movement. forcing the tur-
tie slowly ND the log. The turtle would
move two OF three inches at time and set
tie down. The owl approached slowly,
until its body came in contact with that of
the turtle. when the latter would move
again.
This was continued until the owl had
| pushed the turtle about four feet and to
the end of the log, which was above the
water about four feet. The object of the
drop to the water and as it descended to
grab and carry him off as he is wont to do
| with chicken on the rOOst.
| At the end of the log the turtle mani
| Tested q disposition to remain where it
was and turned itself around, with its
wings just little and left them down sud-
denly, but the turtle didn't frighten worth
a cent Presently the owl outs tretcned its
monstrous wings over the turtle. In a
| second there was q scream of pain from
the owl. The bird arose from the log to
the height of thirty feet. then darted
across the stream with the turtle, striking
tho ground with thud that was heard
| fifty yards above. Pafford rushed to the
| spot and caught them. The turtle had
seized him by the wings close to the body
and held on with tenacity worthy of a
bulldog. The futile measured eleven inch
es across the back ana the owl three fee.
from tip TO tip. The latter was OF the
horned variety.