The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1895-01-24
TERRIBLE TURTLE FIGHTERS.
These Hated Each other So Much
That IL Made the Deacon sad.

New York Sun: "In $780," said Dea-
con Seth Gregg. OF old Steuben, 81 was
crossing one OF my fathers fields on my
way to the Cohocton for days fishing
for there were trout in those days. Bill
Spicer was with me, and we came upon a
couple Of land turtles that were having
the ugliest kind OF a scrap. don't
know what started the fight between the
turtles, but from what l know it must
have been something serious. The tur-
ties bit and tumbled and clawed each
other for spell, and then Bill and sep
arated them and put them long distance
apart. They turned as soon as they were
down and came toward each other again
as fast As they could, which was at the
rate of about 4 mile an hour, but there
was fire in both their eyes. and when
they got together they pitched in as fierce
as ever. We hadn't time to stay there
and watch them. and so We went on and
left them fighting. When we came back
late In the afternoon there were those two
turtles fighting as ugly as ever, and
neither one OF them seemed to have the
best OF it. Then we broke up the fight.
took one Of the turtles home with me
and Bill took the other one home with
him. l cut my name on the bottom OF
my turtles shell, with the date, and Bill
cut his name and date the same way on
his turtle.
MY folks were getting ready about
then to move out to Illinois, and Bills
were going back somewhere in Massa.
chusetts, where they came from.
When We went away l took my tur-
tie with me, just for the fun of the
thing, and Bill took his along to
Massachusetts. We settled out in Sang
anon county, and Peter-that was my
turtles name-didn't seem to like it out
there. Anyway, he disappeared before
we had been there a week, and couldn't
find him, high or low. We lived in Him
OILS twenty years, and then, the old folks
having died, moved back to old Steu-
ben, bought the old farm we moved off Of
in 1910, and have lived there ever since.
OF course, forgot all about Peter, the
turtle, fifty years or more ago.
zone day last week was going over
my farm, and not more than three rods
from where Bill Spicer and l surprised
the turtles at their scrapping match fifty
four years ago last spring, came upon
two turtles having it out with one anoth-
er in exactly the same way. 1t brought
back the old days like fash, and / lay
down in the grass aud watched those tur-
ties fight for quarter OF an hour. Then
got up and took one OF them by the tail
and turned him over on his back. His
under shell Was cut and carved like q
beech tree in q country school house
yard. went to deciphering the carvings,
when the 6rst one looked at nearly
made me start in my tracks. And good
reason. There it was, plaiR as day :
Seth Gregg, 1S40l" The very turtle
had caught, more than half century
ago, and which had got away from me
three months later, way out in Illinois !!
"As soon as could get over my sur
prise and wonder began scanning the
other inscriptions on the turtle. They
dated all the way from 1s4s down to
1892; and the names of places carved now
and then showed in chronological order
that old Peter was steadily and unswerv-
ingly travelling east.
"All the time was examing Peter the
other turtle stood on guard, glazing at
Peter, and evidently impatient to resume
the fight. So put Peter down and pick
cd up the other one. l know you will
believe me when say that my first sight
at the under shell OF the turtle actually
sent me to grass. 1t had carvings, too,
and the very first one was w. Spicer,
$780, and there were carvings on Bills
turtle showing that he had been as I'M
swervingly headed west during the past
hfty-four years as my turtle had been
pointed east. Had these turtles been
governed by some mysterious instinct
that drew them back to the old home for
love OF it, or had they been nursing I'M
dying animosity toward each other for
half century and travelled back with the
hope OF wreaking vengeance each on his
foe? From the way they glared at each
other and waited for new chance to gel
even. made up my mind that the tur.
ties had journeyed all these years toward
the old home simply with the intention
OF having that fight out, and so got uE
and left them to themselves. Two day,
sfterward went that way again. TIL,
turtles lay in ditch. Peter had his jaws
fast ON Bills turtles throat and Bill
had Peter foul in the tender spot unde
the left shoulder. Both were dead.
buried them right where they lay, anc
it saddened me to know that any livinI
thing could carry hate so long and 81
far