Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-09-15
NOOOLESBY'S EXPERIENCE.

What are you going to do with those
steel traps, Pelag?" asked Mrs. Moo
dlesby.
"Set EN-"
"What for, dear"
"Skunks."
Mrs. Noodlcsbv abandoned further
efforts to penetrate further into her
husbands designs. His manner was
not one to invite confidence.
She contented herself standing by
and watching him carry forward his
operations.
Noodlesby at length broke the ST.
lence
Imagine was trapping polar
bears?" he gravely propounded.
No reply.
He brought the axe, drove slender
sharpened stake into the ground, took
up his spade, and launched second
inquiry.
"Think was setting traps for ALI
gators, Mrs. Noodlesby?"
Answer respectfully but firmly with
held.
He scooped out shallow depression
in the ground, set the larger Of the two
traps by means of a seantling, one end
of which he thrust under the edge of
the hen house to secure the necessary
leverage, laid the trap carefully in
place in the depression, and dropped
the ring at the end of the chain down
over the stake. He picked up the
second trap, much smaller one than
the first. al don't need any scant-
ling for this; l can set it with my
foot" he said.
Mrs. Noodlesby's anxiety lest by
Noodlesby's recklessness he should ex-
pose himself to danger, instantly rose
superior to her resolution to repress
herself.
"Is it safe to do it in that way?"
she ventuIed.
"Safe? Pooh" The idea pleased
Noodlesby immensely.
Noodlesby, now in a complacent,
self-satisfied frame of mind, placed
one foot upon the spring Of the trap,
and stopped down remarking, cts an
easy thing to do, Mrs. Noodlesby,
when you are onto the combination.
Just watch me, now. You simply
touch the button like this"
Noodlesby's foot slipped from the
spring, the steel jaws closed up with q
sinister zip! snap! and the mischief
was done.
Noodlesby Strengthened up like a
bent sapling.
couch" he yelped. "Phebe! Pm
caughtw
He extended both hands toward her,
his arms akimbo, the trap chain dang
ling, and began executing a weird,
fantastic jig upon the toes of his cow
hide boots.
Mrs. Noodlesby became at once con-
cerned. "Let me help yon," she vol
unteered.
"Help me, then; and not stand
there like dag-swizzled petrifaction |"
he bawled.
By some awkward vancouver Mood
lesby just at this juncture, allowed
his jig to carry him unwittingly into
the jaws of the other trap and
"Take it off! Take the dag-swiz-
zled thing off |"
He made rush to get away from a
place so infested with surprises, drew
the chain taut, and fell sprawling in
the dirt. The impetus of his down.
fall rolled him over upon his back,
and with the knee of his free leg pro-
jecting upward over his PROSTATE fig
ure he proceeded to howl ingloriously.
1t was too much for the sedate Mrs.
Noodlesby, and smile began playing
at hide-and-seek about the angles of
her mouth in spite OF herself.
Noodlesby, from the corner of one
eye, caught the expression in her face,
and it made him mad. The howl in
stantly ceased. He gave vigorous
kick with his encountered loot, and it
was free; jerked at the smaller trap,
and his hands were liberated; drew
himself together with a scowl, and
was upon his feet; ducked his head,
pulled at his shirt collar, picked the
straws out of his whiskers, and stood
for one instant savagely glazing at
Mrs. Noodlesby. "Now cacklep he
snarled, and stalked away to the house.