The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-11-01
nBCuf THE WEASEL.

Little Creature. FULL OF Shyness.
shrewdness and Cruelty.
rbe weasel is one OF the prettiest
4 most graceful creatures that can
imagined. 1t lives in all cool
untries and makes its home in hol.
trees. in stone heaps, or in any
"yenicnt hole where it can find
=, !. no larger than a good-sizcd
: hut has longer legs. 1t has a
no 1.-THE slender body, long neck
u dainty little head, with small
sleek hair, Of brown color
IN, back and white below. l. has
ry vhisherS on its nose and a very
ort tail. Its weapons are It's strong
pw. and sharp teeth. which it
,ows how to use 50 we'll that many
,pcr animals live in constant ter.
4 Of it. The weasel itself has very
Il enemies Even the powerful
rd, Of prey. which are ever On the
pr, for rabbits and other small
Ime. rarely swoOp down on the
for although they can easily
try it away in their Strong talons
often proves very troublesome
bty. A hunter once noticed a
|yk. high in the air, which was
it, wings violently and ap.
in great trouble. Suddenly
and fell to the earth al
bst at the hunters feet, where it
! rasping and dying, while a tiny
|a,el sprang from the heap OF
and scamperel away to hide
.lf in the stone wall near by. On
kminins the bird the hunter found
ht is throat was torn to pieces by
/ weasel's sharp teeth. The little
although unable to escape
IN the powerful grip of the hawk,
b twisted itself until it could
bcl the hawks throat, when it
lily inflicted a deadly wound
Tie defenseless hares and rabbits
) bitterly prosecuted by the wea-
I which springs upon them, and
III wonde ful instinct, knows eX.
b. where to fasten its sharp teeth.
|e unfortunate hare may scamper
BY as fast as he can, but its enemy
bgs to its neck, and the Door little
)lnaI must soon fall, faint and dy-
from loss of blood.
Bats and mice, S .u%irrels, moles,
Is, and birds Of all kinds are
Tied 10y the weasel, and it may
en be seen twisting itself in and
CT stone heaps or walls in the
unity of barnyards, where it
tches for chickens, doves and other
bestlc fowls.
taken very young, weaSeiS may
tanled, and a whole army Of cats
not free a house so quickly OF
and mice Is will one little
81 lu:Sy must sit patiently by
rats hole and wait until the mis-
vOus beast ventures forth; but
Pre- ii rat can so, the weasel can
pw. WcasclS and ferrets are
n kept On board Of ships and are
fed by the sailors, for a ship with
BASEL as passenger is always free
rats.
here are many pretty stories told
inc wcasc 5 and of the affection
manifest toward those who care
them. "A lady who received q
ent of a very small and very
& weasel fed 1t with milk, which
ank from her hand. The little
lure became SO attached to its
fess that whenever she called it,
build instantly appear from what
corner in which it was curled
Ind would climb all over her like
hirrel. 1t never bit her, and
play with her cat and dog.
riding around on their backs,
t never injured them. Its Curl
afforded its mistress much
cement. II she opened a box or
X, Master Weasel would raise
eIf on his hind legs and make
effort to peep inside.
Us little creature is much hunt
man, and large numbers ale
ht in traps, it being a general
|fesslOn that they do more harm
aygOod; but although a weasel
NOW ana then carry Oft a chicken
the farmyard. it does much
good by freeing barns and corn
of mice and other small des'ruc.
Apinnl, Trov DcOSr