Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-25

| many. / never knew one to display 'isi-
| bly,. temper. or use Its teeth upon
keeper. although / have witnessed agaln
| and again the teasing spirit III V'si.ois
tho, seem so inseparabe from thoughtless
humanity when brought into touch win
captive brutes.
HIS INTELLIGENCE.
The intelligence OF the opossum seems
| to suggest TO IL the futilty OF resistance
| TO a man tyrant. and IL accepts pokes III
| the ribs, slaps. and other brutaIlties WIN
| stoicaI eauanimity. The pet above refer-
red 10 that remained longest in my pos
session was very fine young male
which I had captured. and TO which
gave the name OF Nero. Within week
released It from It's pen. giving IL 'he
liberty OF the land. and, Indeed, practi-
cally the privilege to roam where IL
pleased. Before the end OF the second
week Il. had found my chamber, ana
thenceforth occupied n small wood chest
near the fireplace hearth. Its presence
would have been entirely unobtectionabie
except for habit II acquired OF visiting
the bed during my sleep and projecting
It's cold, clammy snout into my yielding
neck. IL seemed to me that II really
sought to adjust itself TO my habits, Tor
In time IT learned to spend n greater part
OF the night In sleep. this being a COM
plete change. Of course, In Its own prac-
tice. and much OF the day was given to
following me about in my wanderings
and visitatlons. / did not scruple TO take
IT to the big wood with me. leaving II free
to climb trees and wander over the
ground at pleasure. Sometimes IT would
disappear for half hour or more. but
apparently kept me well In sight, because
when ! would begin to grow uneasy II
would put In an appearance, now running
ahead Of me as young dog in good hu.
NOR and returning for caress. or again
ambling along by my side, or falling a
few feet In the rear.
Very early in its captivity II made
friends with two large dogs OF my animal
aggregation and formed quite a fraternal
attachment for big Maltese cat.
romping with the latter. following IT upon
the housetop and i'm the trees and on the
fences, dividing meals with It, and sleep
ing decorously by it's side. There was
no difficulty in teaching II the sinfulness
Of stealing when II was observed, but out
Of ones sight II was one of the most in
corrigible pilferers on the face of the
earth. Pampered and fed as IL was, with
all the dainties conceivable. its penchant
for fowl never could be overcome and
to the very last II was an eyesore TO
my mother because of its frequent forays
played rare choice in the selection OF
the latest and plumpest pullets or the
best Of the growing spring chickens. Nero
was an apt pupil. acquiring two
score or more pronounced tricks in the
short period OF its captivity. the one
il enjoyed most being the running after
and fetching a rubber ball that was
thrown for it's amusement. II was taught
to turn a somerset walk some few PAGES
upon its hind legs. leap over bars. draw
a little wagon, respond TO demands 10
turn N bear to right or left. and many
other tricks that brought infinite delight
to neighboring children. SO intelligent
affectionate. and devoted was 1t. that l
was near to crying when. one morning 1t
was missed from its place. and ! was
compelled TO exercise a forbearance i'm
measurable when | discovered that my
old negro, upon whom / had showered
benefits was the thief who had torn him
from my home. Rejecting that the huge
lips of the Senegambian had been made
oily with the fat of my pet. ] do not
understand to this day how / refralned
from applying a horsewhip To the shout
ders Of the miserable, ungrateful wretch.
COOKING HIM.
a popularity of the opossum is that like
the alternating animals, II gathers a
great amount OF fairness towards the ap-
proach OF winter; but herein the similari-
ty ends. because 1t may be found any
night during the cold season gathering
the fruit Of the persimmon or wandering
In the woods in search Of nutrment Of
some kind. 1t is in these months only
that II is palateable, or that ii is hunted
With the approach of spring the fatty
deposit begins to disappear. and IL be-
comes lean and fabby at the mating pc
Rod The young are born in an immature
state, from thirteen to eighteen in num-
Der. and are Immediately transferred to
the pouch Of the mother where they re-
main about four weeks, when they make
short excursions into the outer world.
gradually extending them for about
week. and then desert the sheltering
pocket altogether. When they first take
Judgment they are scarcely an inch in
length, the tail included, but when they
emerge they are nearly as large as rats
Under favoring conditions they breed free
ly in captivity. a fine female I'm my pos
session once giving birth to as many as
eighteen, all of them healthy and vigo-
rous. / cannot speak so advsedy as to
the rearing OF the young for reasons
stated above, the unconscionable appetite
Of the negro for 'possum flesh proving a
barrier TO more extended knowledge The
well when born. are very active and
will move freely around upon the floor
II detached from the mother, and once
having a place in the pouch they grow
rapidly. This prOlificness Of the opossum
would seem n necessity from the merci-
less warfare that is made upon the ami
NAL by the hunters, who are urged to
activity by the memory OF pleas
ing appetite. A distinguished clergy
man is credited with having said;
Doubtless, God might have made more
delicious fruit than the strawberry. but,
doubtless. God never did" and the same
compliment may be paid to the flesh Of
the opossum Ii Will be understood that
there is cooking and cooking. There are
many cooks who would spoil any sort of
broth. and / have never found Yam
kee who had the least conception OF
how possum should be cooked. In the
first place. the sweet-potato IS a delec-
table accompaniment. the rich and
juicy flavor of the latter imparting itself
10 the gamy flesh which in turn com
municates of its infinite richness to the
yam. The 'possum must be baked TO a
turn, and frequently basted In the cook
ing; the yellow of the potato must deepen
and darken, and its outer surface become
crisp. There is fine art in the amount of
pepper and salt TO be used. In fact,
much depends upon the manner Of kill
ing and dressing, and the interval be-
tween the latter and the depositing Of the
carcass In the old Dutch oven. the mod
ern appliances for cooking being the
murder of the flavor. So, too, the art
of serving the dish plays a not unim-
portant part, memory suggesting just
now that I always found the dish most
grateful after protracted night hunt in
search OF the creatures for future feasts.