Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-07-09
A PET ANT-EATER.


Awkward, Ugly, Uugatnsys put lrscs'
able and Interesting Creature.
Mr.. r. Trimen, In recent magazine
article, gives an interesting account OF
an odd pet Of his-an ant-eater, or
hardware, one of the queerest and least
beautiful of animals, but one when
proved to have some excellent qualifi-
cations as q domestic friend. Mr.. Tri-
men does not himself draw a hattering
portrait OF his favoritc's personal ap-
pearance, when released from his trav-
cling cage upon his arrival.
"As he tottered about in an aimless,
sidewise fashion, thought that had
never in nature beheld so grotesque
shape and gait. And then his face-his
almost indescribable face-where the
combined expressions of professional
gravity and toothless senility were IN
startling contrast with u small but
bright, Youthful and distinctly mirthful
eye. What an original and charming
incongrulty was there, and how 1t re-
minded one Of Pantaloon played by too
young an actor!" M
The new acquisition was dubbed
"Fusbos" on the spot, and was taken
to an adjacent field for little exercise
after his journey.
''Fusbos essayed divers ungainly am
bles, but was much hampered by his
stiffness, and so took to the congenial
exercise of burrowing. The soil was
soft after recent rains, and before you
could turn round he was half
buried. Nothing short Of the whole
strength of the company prevented the
total disappearance of our new treas
ure, and his possibly astounding the
dean and chapter of the adjacent cathe-
dral by coming up through the floor
And so we reluctantly decided that he
could not be left at liberty.
Great were his gruntings, kickings
and scatterings Of earth before he could
be safely bestowed in the fine large
cage provided for him; but once there,
he seemed to accept the situa ton, and
proceeded to potter all round 1t, grave
ly examining every part. In his new
quarters sundry eatables were offered
him, but after deliberate applications
cepted except some finely chopped raw
meat"
The white ants, which had been his
natural food when wild, were not OBJ
tainable, and other insects he scorned.
His regular food was chopped meat and
hard-boiled eggs mixed with milk. He
was fed by the cook, jolly and kind
hearted Irishwoman, whom he soon
learned to consider as his best friend,
stumbling awkwardly after her to the
kitchen for his breakfast as soon as she
opened his cage in the morning.
LAS their intimacy improved, Biddy
would often take up his dish and pre-
tend to make Off with it, whereupon
Fusbos would give chase with extraor.
binary rearings, gruntings and loud
clatter Of claws, Enthusiastically entering
into the spirit of the joke, prodding at
her with his snout, or trying to seize
her with his paws. On these occasions
he was irresistibly ludicrous, and more
like a jovial spectre than anything
earthly"
Fusbos was most amiable and So
cable beast, always displaying, when
introduced to other animals, "a whim-
Steal friendliness" which they usually
| failed entirely to reciprocate. The
house cat bristled at his approach and
bolted into hiding; dogs barked, growl.
| ed, or fed before him; the pet tortoise
drew into his shell. 1t was only the
human beings of the household, and a
saucy and daring little meerlat "a kind
Of mongoose,) who had the penetration
to appreciate his good qualities despite
his unbeautiful exterior.
Poor Fusbos did not long survive his
captivity. Lack Of his ma tural food and
exercise, and the chill of a long damp
season after the arid heat Of the Karroo
region, brought him TO an untimely end.
He passed into rapid decline, and was
one morning found lying dead in the
kitchen by his friend, Blddy.