St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-06-15

FeRcUsON's ABLE COON.
Some Of the Conspicuous Qualities ~
Noted PlnntSRrade Animal.

FERGUSON'S ABLE COON.
eosDe Of the Conspic uOas Qualities ~ Z
Noted Plantigrade Animal.
"For self-reliance, for ingenuity. for
cheerfulness under adverse circum.
stances. for courage tempered with in
telligent prudence, for the close atten.
tion 10 detail that is a prerequisite il
not the sole requirement Of genius, and
for general go-aheadativeness, com
mend me to the American coon above
all other beasts"
The conversation had been about the
respective merits of the Wagnerian
opera and the charivari of Kerry Patch,
and the intense young man with spinal
curvature overcoat was somewhat in
censed at the Pnilistinc who said he
preferred melody to harmony, and be-
lieved everybody else did, If they
would only admit it. So the other
members Of the gathering were not
sorry when. the red-faccd man
from the bottoms chipped in with
his eulogy on an animal that is
too common to be really well known to
people who get their information about
wild animals from the printed page in
stead of the book of nature. 1.-THE
coOn," continued the sun-burned man.
oracularly. lis q plantigrade animal
with some traits of the monkey, some
Of the cat, some of the dog. some Of the
bear. and more that are peculiar to
himself alone"
Whats . plentygrade animal?" said
the Philistine.
"The American coon," replied the
sun-burned man with some brusquerie;
then as the Philistine looked panied he
added: but you needn't expect to find
out unless you come home with me and
learn something about the wonderful
creatures nature has stocked this coun-
try with. As ! was saying, the Ameri-
can coon is one of the most remarkable
animals that roams the woods. Old
man Ferguson's son Pete had one down
my way that had more sense than =
Christian. Pete caught him when he
was about half grown-younE enough
to be tameabie and old enough to know
how to make . living in the woods.
For about = year Pete kept him
chained. for fear he would run OIL, but
finally he got to reposing confidence
in the coon and gave him the run of the
yard in the daytime. only locking him
up at night. They called the coon
Zip for awhile, then Pete's BROTHER
in-law, who was believer in the
theory of psychological similarities in
men and the lower orders of animals,
christened him Londonderry Pete's
brother-in-law claimed that the ma
tives Of Londonderry were pretty
much all Scotch-Irish, shrewd, patient,
hard-headed, and desperate fighters in
an emergency. and that the American
coon had all these characteristics, and
that Pete's pet, being an educated
beast, in him they were intensified.
Well, anyhow, they named the coon
Londonderry, and he became . famous
character. lie made friends with Fer
guson's hounds, and they got right
chummy with him. but let strange
dog come on the place sand there was
trouble. Londonderry would size him
up. and if he was little fellow or \
city dog not up to the tricks of coon
fighting, there would be fight on
open ground. II, however, the visitor
appeared to be experienced, London
derry would make tracks for
the duck pond. The dog would
follow, and Londonderry would
entice him into the water, then
grab him by the neck with his front
paws. and rip his lights out with his
hind feet The dog would be too busy
trying to keep his head above water to
make any sort Of a fight. and it was
mighty seldom, tell you, that Lon
ever failed to drown his vic
tim.
"Pete, being = native Of the bottoms,
knew that wild coons arc great fisher
men. One of them will lie on leg
that juts into lake and pretend to be
asleep. with the tip of his tail just
the water. Long in May and
June, when bass are striking, . coon's
tail just touching the water is mighty
bait A bass sees it and
thinks it's . new kind of caterpillar
and makes = snap at it. As the fish
strikes the supposed caterpillar the
coon gives . nirt of his tail and throws
Mr.. Rass ont on the bank, and before
he can get back the coon has him.
Pete knew this, and his brother-in-law
had told him how the Chinese educate
storks to catch fish for them; 70 Pete
said Londonderry could give any
body's atork cards and spades
> slangy youngster is Pete-and
beat him catching fish. And he was
right. Londonderry caught on to what
Pete wanted after few trials. and he
became SO expert that the family had
fish every day Fishing and fighting
were not Londonderry's only accom-
plishments. however. He used to bring
the cows home At milking time"
"Come, now! Aint you drawing it .
little strorg?" said the Philistine.
Young man." said the denizcn Of
the bottom. sternly, you know very
little of the ecccntricities of cows, and
still less OF the intelligence of the
American coon. A cow hates . coon
worse than her brother hates = red
rag, and she will chase one of the ring
tailed rascals rs quick rs . grinnell
will strike at silk minnow. Pete
knew this, and SO did Londonderry;
50 when Pete wanted to get the cows
home without driving them he used to
lake Londonderry on his pony and ride
out in the pasture As soon as the
the coon they would start after |
him, and I'll Pete would have to do would |
be to Rnllop home, with the cows fol- |
lowing. After awhile Londonderry
got onto the scheme, and he used to SO |
after the cows by himself Sometimes,
though. they would get too much Of .
start, and he would have to climb .
rec; then melody would have TO 60 |
20 his rescue, for the cows wouldn't |
oudge rs long rs they thought they |
,ad chance of getting 1t him.