The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-24
HE NEVER WANDERED
A Turtle That Has Lived In Same
Place for 55 Years.
First Found by Miss Peele Who Carved
Her Name on II in 1840.

HAoERsTowN, Ind.,, July 24.-iu 1910
Miss Davie Peele lived with her parents
in Paoli, Ind, the seat OF Orange county.
she was then ten years OF age. One day
during that year she, with some young
companions, went into the deep woods
about two miles from her fathers house
to pick black berries. After a while she
became tired and stopped TO rest on a
green and shady bank beside tiny pond.
She observed a small object moving in
the grass at her feet. Upon investigating
she discovered the.-object to be distant
relative of the great and ancient family OF
tortoise, or testudinata, known in the
vernacula as the "land terrapin."
This little creature has most interesting
and peculiar habits. 1t Is usually found
near ponds or in deep recesses OF woods
where jungles of foliage provide the
moisture and GOODNESS without which 1t
does not seem to be content.
II Is wary, cunning. inoffensive and re-
markatiy peautiful..It is armed cap-a-pie
with firm shell, in color scram bied
red of the prevalent Persian mode. 1t
exhibits the strongest attachment for the
place il has selected for q home, and IL
removed will return again and again,
even in spite Of great difficulty.
Miss Peele took the little creature into
laughed at it's ludicrous haste in enscons-
ing itself within its tough shell, slipped
ii INTO her pocket and took 1t home. She
placed Ii IN a box, but, as the little
prisoner refused food, she concluded to
release II. 1t was suggested that she
carve ber name on the little fellows
shell, and as this would cause the terra
pin no pain, she did 30, together with
the date.
The occurrence passed out of Miss
Peee's mind. and 10 years rolled by. In
1860 she married Mr.. While, who subse-
quentIy was clerk of Orange county sew
eral times. In the course OF the sum-
mer after her marriage she found herself
at exactly the same spot she had visited
10 years before. AS she stood musing
upon the occurrence or that day. her at
tention was attracted to a small moving
object In the grass. Her surprise and de-
light may be imagined when she found
the object was the terrepin she had
found there before. There was her name
in living letters upon the creatures
shield, and she thought no knight err
rant of old had ever more faithfully pro-
teeted his sweetheart's insignia than had
this armored knignt protected hers.
She took the terrapin home to show her
friends She lightly traced her new name
under her former one, also the date 1850,
and sent her knight forth upon his err
rantry. After many years Mrs. Wlble
became widow and removed to Hutch
inson, Kan, where she married a physic-
ian, DIR. Mckinney, and yet lives.
During the summer of 1872 she visited
her old home at Paoli. While she was
there her terrapin was found at the iden-
tical spot where it had twice before been
captured. Mrs. Mckinney cut her
changed name beneath Ter two former
ones, smiling as she did 80 at the knights
cons,ancy and the maids fickleness. She
returned to her Western home, and in
time cessed to think about her expert
ences with tho terrapin.
In the summer OF 1890 Mrs. Mckinney
received letter from q friend at Paoli,
together with copy of local papr
which contained statement OF the
aroce facfs, with the information that
the terrapin had lately been captured at
lis old home and brought into town,
after which the date was carved upon It's
she'll, and the creature released.
The terrapin was not perceptlbly larger
when last found than IL was % years be-
fore. Each time IL bad been released
near the center of the little town, and at
least two miles from its habitat.
Probably no more remarkable manifes-
tation of an animals attachment for its
home is known than this furnishes.