The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-13
LITTLE "DARKEY' NATURALIsTs
Though Ragged and Dirty, They
Know the Secrets of Field and FOr-
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.


est.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Everybody knows that the little darby,
as he roams about the populous planta-
lions Of the south. is ragged and dirty
and neglected iRahiihd; body and estate,
but what everybody doesn't know is that
he is a born naturalist, and gets as much
fun and genuine, absorbing interest out of
the woods and fields about him as the
cty-bred boy derives from a dollar-and-
a-half show. A stretch of sandy road is
a stretch Of sandy road to the average per-
son; not so to the small hunter, who,
while on an errand to mill or store,
traverses its rutty length.
Fox been prowlin' yere! Dat fox
foot" says one, looking critically at the
imprint in the sand.
Dat amt no foxI tbs a mink affirms
another; and then all set to work to find
a palmer track, that will confirm or con-
tradict their suppostions.
That are a fox, an he went in Miss
GiegePs yard after her young ducks
Here's where he push in under de fence"
insists the discoVerer.
"Taint so; 'tain't so, tall" rebels his
companions; that track amt nuthin but
Mince Fields yaller dog, what come long
yere this morning. and so the argument
goes, every foot of the road suggesting
whole combination of possibilities to
active imaginationS.
Whenever ditch, fringed heavily with
broom sedge, stretches across the field, a
childish figure or two turks near, listening
eagerly for the welcome sound that shall
tell them a trap has fallen. Partridges
nest in the broom sedge, sparrows too
and doves, and all manner of winged wild
things. Traps made of carefully selected
sticks are laid in ambush, little meal
or ground peas Sprinkled within, and into
these snares unWary creatures are liable
to walk unsuspectingly. To contriVe an
original and certain "deadfall' is the
acme of these boys ambition. When the
persimmons drop plump and toothsOme
from the purpling boughs, and the thick
rinds that protect the walnut the hickory
nut, and the chinquapin gap wide at the
touch of the frost, these little huntsmen
make their plans.
Squirrels awful fat now; de pecan
tree jist a-sheddin'," a lanky youth re-
minds his fellows, and forthwith they set
about making squirrel traps; or, in de-
fault of that, attaching themselves in a
body to the lucky owner of a gun to ex~
plore the Businesses of forest and field
at his beck, content at the prospect of
being present when the all-important mo-
ment shall arrive to take aim and fire
The sweet, precise whistle of the part
ridge is well known to town and country
people alike, but TO these small game
lovers the peculiar infection and number
of notes in the whistle is significant of
rooster partridge can't find he mate" it
will be observed as the insistent call
sounds across the field. when partridge
is cen trouble he whistle dat fashion: all
the other times he call different. 1t de
same way wild de whip-poor-will and all
dem whistlin birds"
Listen to dat chile hawk" on says;
"che's got young ones near about some
where's" and in some inscrutable man.
ner they manage to keep their eyes on the
hawk and track her to the particular
tree where her nest is-the nest that she
thinks so safe from detection.