The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
TURTLES WENT ON STRIKE
THEY WE'RE PUSHED BEYOND THE
LIMIT By A MEAN MAN.

He Taught Them to Catch Ducks and Then
Made 1hem Work Overtime-Inoonsid-
crate Behavior That Destroyed Their Faith
in Human Nature-Their Final Revolt.
BLOOMING Grove Pa. Sept ao,-"Snapping
turtles was always q fad with 81 Evorshed." said
Deacon Ellis reminisoently. "'Train a turtle in
tho way no should go aud whom he Is old he will
not depart thorefrom,' 81 says to me the other
day. A man with brains and q couple Of snap
ping turtles supply the whole village with
ducks without doing but mighty little work.
Swapping turtles have their rights, as we'll
az other people. replies. And it's a shame
to DO working thom overtime, now that the nights
are getting cold But 81 Just laughed and said
he wasnt afraid Of his turtles going on strike
They did. though, and that's why 81 is mourn
ing tho loss Of q toe and four valued trained
turtles.
Ducks are plentiful In the lake and there is
big demand for Thorn. but owing to the amount
they have been shot at they havo got mighty
shy. This spring 81 was cunning for ducks
when he saw one light down and start feeding.
81 was wondering whether TO try a shot at him
when the duck began TO squawk and flop around
and act as II something was holding it down.
Damaged queer says 81; that duck acts as II
II was caught In trap.'
so 81 started over TO find out what was causing
tho duck such trouble Sure enough, II had
boon caught In q trap but not tho kind 81 thought
While Mr.. Duck had becn incoming around in
tho soft mud. looking for food he had stepped
on q swapping turtle. which was lying partly
under the mud. Swapping turtles arc not fond
Of being walked on, and this particular turtle
just shot out his long neck, got good grip on
the duck and hung on after the calm, impair
tial manner Of swapping turtles
Isl carried duck and swapping turtle back to his
house, and, as there wasn't any way Of making the
t,Rt h.,
fastened his grip on the unlucky duck Now ST
Ia the happies, contentedest man In the world
when ho cain get somewhat else TO do his work. and
he figured over tho duck-nndturtle problem for
| quite while
Ducks Is inquistivo by nature, he says to his
| wife. always wanting to find out Just what any
thing now Is Swapping turtles have no particu-
| lar feeling against ducks, but they might be
| taught to have Blamed II don't think Two
struck great combination
$50 81 goes over 70 tho creek and catches four
young swapping turtles Then he gcts q stuffed
duck and begins the work Of training He would
take tho duck and poke It right in the face Of a
| turtle Out would como the turtles head, and he
would make a snap at the duck Then 81 would
| pull tho duck back and with little stick he had
been holding back out Of sight OF tho turtle he
would give the turtle whack ON the back or hind
legs The turtles attention being concentrated
| on the duck. he wouldn't blame 81 for tho blow
with tho stick but would lay II all TO the innocent
stuffed duck. Swapping turtles amt any too
lovable by nature. and these young ones Of Sis
soon began to connect tho appearance Of q duck
with whaok OF a stick Ducks Just drew out all
the evil In those swapping turtles naturea The
sight Of duck had the Same effect on them that a
red rag does on o bull You could see their little
| eyes CLEAN. II made them so mad But snap
ping turtle knows that running amt its main hold
and Sis turtles would lust lay back with their
| heads under their Shells innocent-looliing as
could be. until stuffed duck near enough for
them to have chance to grab IT, Then they
| would shoot out their heads. and II they got
hold. heaven and earth wouldn't make them let go.
| They tore up considerable number OF ducks be-
| fore 81 got them trained, but 81 didn't care.
| Don't you worry he says 10 his wife. Tho
| swapping turtle Is an underestimate animal.
| They will furnish the swapping qualities and
| will supply the brain work. and the combination
will make Pike county ducks weary
| Isl always fed the turtles and gave them fresh
| water and soft mud to lie in. The result was
that while these misguided turtles hated ducks
| worse and each day, they thought tho
world Of ST. They would scramble out Of their
mud whenever 81 came into the pen he kept them
| In, and follow him about like lot of unusually
| clumsy puppies BY and by 81 thought he had
| his turtles trained all right he got ready to
put his duck catching plans into operation. First
he made four little floats, like little Rats Then
| he slipped a ring oyer hind leg OF every turtle
| and fastened turtle on each float. Then he
| put some mud on the floats and scattered corn
| over the mud. When night came he set the RATS
| floating out in the lake each being fastened TO
the shore by a long cord.
1.-THE nights being cold, said ST. those intelligent
turtles Of mine going 10 bury themselves in
the mud Ducks are curious and hungry at this
| time of year, and they will be 10 go nosing
about those innocent looking floats with the corn
| on them. But when any intruding duck in pick
| ing up corn treads on one Of these turtles some
thing entirely new to ducks is going 10 be sprung
on . him all Of sudden G,
hs gsP sn9Rsh each turtle s6u1s
was cutting the ducks loose, preparatory to wiring
Ing their necks, when along comes a game consta-
See here says the cons table. What do YOU
mean by catching ducks on, Of season.
81 amt catching them. growled 81. Anybody
but dang fool constable could see the turtles
a" You musn, let your turtles catch ducks
''' 81 Just is srinaed y AMI lawyer he says
sarcastic like blu, never heard Of anything in
The laws Of the State Of pennsylvania making 2
ping turtles Go explain The law 10 Them,
OF the law who amt 80 verJ far of at the present
minute, And he went on gathering in the cap
|
| THE constable WAS madden than hornet. but
not knowing Of any law applying 10 trained snap
ping turtles he went without saying a wor 81
took his ducks down 10 'he village, and. ducks
being scarce, got good price for them Then the
real nature Of the man showed up.
at these pet turtles Of mine can gather in ducks
at night, why cant they in The day? he says 10
his wife They've been taking things easy all
spring and summer Let them do some work now
10 pay for the care I've lsvishcd on them
$50 81 put the turtles out on the floats again
| that afternoon. He hid In the bus hes alongS side
Of the lake aud after four more misguided ducks
had got tangled up with the turtles 81 pulled in
the floats Instead OF giving the faithful turtles
little rest from their labOrs he showed tho floats
out again.
"'Those turtles doing the ir duty faithfully.
| said Ia him. Don't work them 10 death. Even
swapping turtle has its rights, which ought not
TO be uamplod on.
) But no, that didn't suit 81 He had good
thing and he was going TO work II 10 death All
that night and all the day 81 kept the patient
little animals al work gathering in ducks There
amt an animal in the world that will stick 10 q
job better Than swapping turtle. but when 81
finally gathered up his ducks and started for home.
IA nj lin op1Nn ,i,t