Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-06-26
"SCATv

"You remember that trip made out
through Michigan over q year ago, doubt
less," said jackson PeteFs ~ never told
you of the odd genius met at Pontiac whs
was going to do away with carpets on floors
by sticking little pieces Of carpeting on the
feet with mucilage."
Jones looked mt the younger man with 80
verify. jackson, I was Just on the point of
telling story about little idea of my own
when / lived in Iowa several years ago.
Enrich us with the tale of your bright
young friend some other time"
YES" returned Peters, "it does very well
for you to say that, but my story was going
to be true one."
"Young man." answered Jones, "you
seem to forget that l am your former
teacher. The memories of the district
school at Hemlock hollow appear to be de
serting you"
"Give US your story, Jones-give us your
story" said Smith encouragingly.
~ was going to-" replied Jones. 1T
was a number Of years ago. l was living
out in Iowa near Des Moines. My place
was on the Des Moines river bottom, and
the bluffs were literally alive with wild
cats The wildcats from all over the
country seemed to be in the neighborhood
that year holding a wildcat worlds fair
o fact, gentlemen. I had fancy stock
farm, and between the resident and the
visiting wildcats they played the very
deuce with my blooded chickens don't
need to tell you, gentlemen, that ! am
mortally afraid of a gun"
"Seems to me that's pretty serious ad-
mission for man who only last night was
telling how, down in Arkansas, he used to
spring up bears with q 4-inch hickory
plank and shoot them on the wing, like
clay pigeons" said jackson Peters.
"kn idle tale, Jackson, an idle tale. A
man must relax q little sometimes As
was"-
"But you offered to bet $50 that"-
81 couldn't shoot those wildcats, You see,
% what could dor Night after night
they walked off with my choicest fowls.
One day a bright idea occurred to me. 1t
was nothing more nor less than every time
heard any disturbance among the chickens
to put my head out of the window and call
out 'Scatp In a loud voice"
The narrator paused and looked at Jack
son Peters deflantly. But Peters only blew
q cloud of smoke ceilingward and arched
his eyebrows slightly. n
"That was q clever notion" observed
Robinson-''very clever notion. Worthy
TO rank with your plan for extracting the
latent energy from tramps"
"No, Robinson, no." answered Jones,
smiling. and evidently much gratified.
mo, you are too kind. My tramp idea
showed genius; such things Come to man
but once In his lifetime This was simply
an indication of special talent for dealing
with wildcats. Still, II you would believe
It, my plan proved utterly valueless AZ far
as frightening the cats away was con-
cerned. seated myself hoarse every
night for week; still those wildcats went
right on carrying away my poultry. But
felt that the principle was . sound one, and
looked about for the weak point In the
application Of IL. soon found It.
II was employing the same volume Of
scat for wildcats which n used In the case
Of tame cats, and wildcats are three times
bigger than tame cata MY first thought
was Of q speaking trumpet, but I soon do
cided against IL. I determined to make a
clean sweep Of the whole matter. sent 70
Chicago and got an improved Edison pho
nogrsph with intensifying attachments.
Get the intensifer at the>ratio Of three 10
one. I then shouted q battery Of seats into
tine receiver In my natural tame cat driving
voice. wound up the clockwork and set
the phonogrsph near my henbouse. A
small wire connected the clockwork with
the benbouse, 10 that cat on entering the
door would set the phonograph Of. causins