The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
MENAGERrE or THE wooDs.
CreRtures That Tenderfeet Hear About, hut
Naturalists DO Not See.

49," 'A'Ni puh nus
Naturalists DO Not See.
OLD Town. Me-. Dec. 30 The tenderfeet
who hire out in the lumber camps of Maine
hear many wonderful Gales of strange and
ferocious animals that howl and prowl
through the dark spruce forests from Decem.
Der until March and have never yet been seen
by natut alists. The kindest and least obnox-
ious OF the forest menaGerie which the in
genuity OF the old woodsmen has created IL
the little will-am-alone. a creature that bears
an outward resemblance to a red squirrel but
lives for no other purpose than to drop pills
OF bitter lichens into the ears and eyes Of
sleeping lu~mbermen, rendering them deaf and
blind and finally converting them into bowling
maniacs. Whenever a newcomer gets snow
blindness and is compelled to-sit In camp with
bandaged eyes, he Is told that william alone
has been In camp to punish him for oversleep-
ing. II his head aches and he hears sounds
Of ringing bells and buZzing saws. will-am-
alone has dropped a pill into his ear. These
stories are told so often and repeated with 80
much apparent candor that the sufferer is
often convinced and packs up his kit and quits
the woods.
In case the victim is plucky and insists on
staying. he is told how he may be cured. On
the sides Of a certain mountain near the camp
lives n shy and erv.fast-g gated rabbit called
the sidehill winder. u creature which no snare
or trap or dog can catch and no bullet can kill.
Owing to a popularity in the construction of
the sidehill winders. a few men have been able
to capture them and obtain some OF their
precious oil. which is a sure cure for every Ill
caused by the malice of will. am-alone. Ac-
cording TO woods tradition the sidehill winder
has dwelt on the steep slopes of mountains SO
long that the legs on one side OF It's body are
twice as long as those on the opposite side.
While this deformity would prove disastrous
to most rabbits. IL lie a blessing to the ,sidehill
winder. because the animal can keen ITS long
Lex, Legs on sta the d doyipht o s1d tbe OF s the meas sIope aP 81
course a rabbit built upon this plan can travel
In only one directi2n. and his long legs must
the left side he travels with the sun. or, the
way q man turns, an .auRer. II the right legs
versed. Hence this breed Of rabbits has been
divided into two sub;Spectes. called sidehill
Though a sidenill winder ,an run faster
than an express train. 1t may be caught and
It's ht'e weakness. To- capture as a sidshiii winder
two or three men and a smart dog are re-
aHired; When the dog has gotthe animal run:
This causes the sidehiIl winder to turn around.
and the poor creature founders about in the
snow in u helpless condition until the men
The kidney fat Of the sidehil winder is a
cure fer sore eyes. earache and all the Ills pro.
man in camp presumes to cook its flesh or eat
OF it he Is doomed to die from a blow upon
the, head administered by ding ball. a creature
which no man has ever met and lived to tell
Of meeting. Those who say they have seen
ding ball as it sneaked through, the woods
seeking its prey describe 1t a. being as big
as an indian devil or a Kood-sized tiger. In
build and general movements i is like a cat.
more. On the tip end OF its tail. which is very
long and drags upon the ground, is a round.
bony ball, as big and hard as "a croQuet ball.
meet. ding ball is said to be a famous singer.
When 1t is in the woods and feels the need Of
dinner it lures the innocent woodchoppers by
singing familiar love songs with now and then
Of It's hearers. While the lover Of good music
is listening and trying to discover the singer
ding ball steals up behind the victim, curls ito
tai overits back. turns suddenly and launches
ing, his skull at one blow, After this ding
ball completes its meal without interruption,
ana the little william alones pick the bones.
Another character that holds a high Ilace
and wonderfully constructed Indian, who
takes pleasure in roads and telling
trees Tor the operators who keep him SUI piled
with split whiskey. but shaves the head. crors
who refuse to pay him alcoholic tribute. lie
eats enough for ten men. but his food does
him no good; His. shinbones. have cut
the skin and developed n keen edge.
30 that when, he walks through the woods
swinging his legs. his shins cut down every
tree they. hit, Judged by Indian standard.
dtazor Sims is not Il very bad Indian. The
irst night a new man comes to camp he must
go out barefooted and deposit n quart Of Ban.
Ror ,whiskey on the righr-hand side of the
novel door. he does this promptly and will
ngly ana makes a similar peace Offering at
giving offence TO Razor Shins. but should he
neglect his duty lie will wake up some morn.
ng with a bald head.