The Progress., 1894-10-06
DAVE ECKMAN'S COON.
nrEopE IT BECAME > PET 1T
WAS RAMPAGEOUS.

John Gilbert. the Travelling ''r"''''
,,o, Tells an Interesting story con-
corning Schuylkill County Hunter
and One OF His Friend.
.Dave Eckman OF Nchoy!Nh'
co,ntv has a pet coon that he thinks
tho world Off, said John "'lo'r''
the travelling groccryman. land yct
before that coon became " pet !,
tried its level best to kill Dave an"
between itself and tlght.h''lnS
hollow log the coon came tolefao'S
close to carrying its intention 10
successful eud. Dave Eckman. as
local fame has il, is a great hun.rr
in that part Of Pennsylvania nc
lives in Rush township, and his
neighbour, John llornborser keeps
good many chickens.
The opposition Of a fox to Horn
berrer's poultry raising contlnulng'
Hornberger consulted Dave Eckma".
.Iu go now said Dave, ana
YOU can 90 long and sec me 40 IL II
YOU want TO-
..Hornberger said he wanted TO.
and 30 Dave called his two dogs ana
thew started out to Stay the loS.
This was in March, and there we're
here and there patches OF snow on
tho ground. After the party mad
zone a couple of miles or so one OF
the dogs ana Hornberger got
separated from Dave and the other
doc. Neither Dave or HorDberger
can say just how this occurred but
| 1t occurred.
Then Dave and the dog Pete went
on. They went may be a mile. Then
the open end OF hollow log filled
the line of vision between Dave and
what was on the further side of the
log. This opening was no less than
two feet across, and the log was all
of twenty teet long. Tho dog Pete
went up to the openings shifted at
it, stuck up his bristles, growled'
and then disappeared within the
hollow log.
"'Can't be that the fox is TOOL
enough to crawl into that log, said
Dave. Wonder if he has?
"From out Of the hollow tree the
muffled sound of a dogs bark came
fftfully for minute or so, and tHel
the sounds that issued were those o
q dog in dire trouble and distress.
Thunder said Dave. Tina
careless dog has freed a wildcat il
a boiler log! Now I've got to go il
and save his bacon ard choke tina
wildcat dead.'
"Dave took off moss all his clothe
and crawled something like ten fee
into the log. There he came to
narrow place in the hollow on tn
y other side of which hts dog was i
combat with some active and deter
mined animal, and she combat wa
L, as terrific as the close quarter
|. would permit. DAVE squeezed ha
I way through the narrow space
From the way things sounded Dav
thought it would be only doing jus
e tice to his family if he wlthdre
i from the log then and there, and le
the dog have it out with the amin;
l. that he had, without provocatio1
II disturbed in his lair. But DaH
Is found that while he had, with con
If parative ease, squeezed forwal
3 through the narrow passage in I'll
II interior of the log, he couldn
E, squeeze backward through it wort
= cent When Davo appeared c
l the scene of battle his dog resignt
1T the combat in favor Of his maste
st and cuddled up in the hollow
r. await results. The animal that tt
n, doy had disturbed wasn't abashed
al all at the coming of Dave, but glare
over the PROSTATE form OK Pete al
g, challenged further fight
r. "Dave scrunched and scrimbl'
IN and twisted for an hour, but
j. couldn't worm himself out. L
dog Pete lay low, aud the animal
a the far end OF the hollow log glar
fe in fury. Dave had given up all no
~. of getting out Of the log alive, VIII
de he heard family some one calling
to ".Dave! You, Dave Eckman!'
Then Dave went to kicking a
re- sorambIing inside the log, and We
ing at the top OF his lungs. Sol
ad one stuck his head in at the openl
til of the log and said:
mt ".Be you in there, David"
bv ".In here!' yelled Dave. 1T
Il amt in here you can have my far
nv And I'm in here for keeps, l bet W
,or And so is Pete! And the wilde
nv too
am ut was John Hornberger who v
ina making inquiry about Dave. Sor
len how he had missed Dave and
yed dog Pete, and after circling rou
ich had got on their track and tract
ave them to the log. When he recel'
Ice. the intelligence from within t
aae Dave was holed up John took off
coat, crawled into the log, grab
Dave by the heels, and after
strong and hearty tugs, yanked h
-. thro,,,yh tho narrOy mass and dr.