St. Paul daily globe., 1895-09-22
GOOD STORIES PICKED cup IN
WANDERING AROUND THE
TOWN.
VALUE OF THE FERRET
HOW THEY SAVE DRY GOODS
ESTABLISHMENTS THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.
GREAT ENEMY OF THE RODENl
Graphic Description of How They
Do Their WOrk-Deaths
at Sen.


in fifty who knows the value of the
ferret to the mammoth dry goods
houses. The thin, long, wiry little
creature with the pink eyes, which
can almost pass through the eye OF
a needle, is as important to these
concerns as the head bookkeeper or
the financial man, and there isn't a
large dry goods house in existence
that doesn't employ half a dozen and
more of these peculiar creatures.
Why? Because the ferret is the NOR
tai enemy Of the rat, and the rodent
is death to the fine fabrics and laceS
which represent a great part of the
value of the stock. If it were not
for the ferret these concerns would
annually lose thousands of dollars.
In a hundred and one ways the rat
promotes disaster not alone in gnaw-
ing at the silks and notions, but
often in gnawing holes in the leaden
water pipes and flooding the entire
establishment. Every large concern
in this city employs the ferret, and
where stays the ferret not a rat is
TO be found. 1t is the only enemy
which the rat really fears, for once
ferret sights rat the latter has
no earthly chance for escape. There
is lightning-like spring, a whistle
like that of the wind as the ferret
sails through the air. An instant
more and two needle-hke teeth sink
into the throat or neck of the rat,
and it is all over. The ferret never
misses. His aim is deadly. The rat
is gone, and ten minutes later there
isn't an atom of blood left in his
body. The ferret sucks it all out,
then abandons the carcass to the
ravages Of time. Where there is
no blood there is no odor. So, be-
cause of the ferret and his way of
doing business, the house is free
from the destructive powers of the
rodent, and also the odor of his de-
caying body. There is never any
chance for fight between these
two. The ferret is far too swift for
his enemy, and countless evidences
OF the fact have been witnessed by
employees at Mannheimer Bros es-
adjustment where a captured rat
and a ferret have often been placed
on even terms, the meeting invaria-
bly, resulting in favor of the ferret
who, in every case, retired from
the field without a scratch.
Such a melting as this was brought
about the other day by John Sau-
ter, the man in charge of Mann
he1mer's ferret. Sauter had secured
somewhere a large and healthy
young rat, and in the afternoon mt
IL inside an immense dry goods box.
III give you a chance for YOUR
life" said he, "but it's dollars To
doughnuts you're a gone rat"
Lauter went after his favorite fer
ret, and in company with several of
the employees returned to the box
and quietly dropped the ferret in
side. All present peered eagerly over
the side. The instant he caught sight
OF his lifelong foe, the rat jumped
into corner of the box and stood on
MS hind feet in a defensive atti-
tude, from whence he glared, appre-
henslvely it seemed, at the 1.-the lit
tie animal with the pink eyes. The
ferret was not surprised, but Lau-
ter relates that the instant the mink
eyes rested on the rodent they lighted
up with eagerness, and the ferret
prepared for the attack He moved
slowly across to one side of the
box, keeping his eyes fastened on
the rat, which in turn closely OBJ
served every movement the ferret
made. The ferret crossed SLOWLY
pack to the other side, but 1t was
noticeable that he was a trifie nearer
the victim of his greed. The ferret
was adopting the tactics of a yacht
in a head wind, and was "tacking'
toward the object of his desires.
Again he crossed and drew a little
nearer, then back again, still draw
! ing closer to the rat, who moved
his body to accommodate his gaze,
| The watching crowd was intensely
interested, and their excited mum
bling had no effect on either animal
The rat was scared. There was nc
1
| question about that. He appeared
to be breathing hard and tried tc
squeeze closer into the corner. The
movements of the ferret became
slower. He was nearly ready for the
finale, so Lauter said, and Laute1
knew what he was talking about.
Suddenly the body of the ferret
shot through the air; there was a
squeal of dismay and agony, and an
instant later the ferret was seated
on the PROSTATE body of the rat
and was sucking the blood from the
back of his neck. Ten minutes after
wards the emaciated form of that
once healthy rodent lay motionless
on the floor of the box, while the fer
ret, without changing the express
sion Of his face, squeezed through a
knot-hole and went his way.