The Florence tribune., 1901-03-02
A WISE COON THIS.
Deceived Two Dogs by Jumping Un- der a Fence a Coon and Com-
 ing Out 6 Rabkit.

For many years Manuel Martin has been champion coon hunter of the Pee Dee country. Scores of willy ringtails have fallen victim to his cunning. and stories of his exploits have been spread far and wide by sportsmen who accom- panied him on his hunts. Duckers from the north and west regard coon hunt with Martin as one of the features of their outing. He guarded corn patches and hen roosts against midnight depre- dations. and farmers are distressed now that he has forsworn coon hunting. A few nights ago he took several deep pulls at dispensary bottle and strad- dled sack of coffee in Ben Edges grocery to give his reasons for swear ing of, as something due the commun. ity.
 Tt happened this way" he began. "The fellows as 1 took hunting told coon stories in newspapers and sent me the papers all ink marked. came ai- most to believe their yarns and thought l was smarter than any coon that ever shucked an ear of corn. To ketch coons you got to remember they are wise and you are fool; else you can't start low down to get around their trickz. Freeing, shaking down and fight will do for she coons. He coons is different. Besides their strength and endurance, every one has his own way to dodge dogs.
 Mot long ago Jim Dickson sent me word that he coon was eating all his corn down in bottom next the swamp. He knew it was he coon cause he couldn't ketch him. took General Lee and Stonewall Jackson over to help Jim out. General Lee is a cur with little hound and little p'inter in him. and Stonewall Jackson is half hound and half bull. They've got sharp noses, pluck, endurance, strength and character enough not to run rabbits, foxes or possums under no carcum- stances. Best of all, they don't get jealous like real officers in the milin- tary.
 Me and the dogs ran that coon through water, bogs, rattan, grape vines, brambles, canebrakes and cypress knees, and would we run him through the Atlantic ocean if it had beenin the swamp instead of somewhere else. Every time General Lee and Stonewall Jackson trailed out to high land and lost the scent at rail fence. tried all manner of circling and hold ing General Lees nose along the top rail, but had to give it up for bad job. One night made a nigger stand at the fence to see what the econ did with himself. Sambo, that's his name. swore to gracious that coon went under the fence, turned around and came out a rabbit. All the niggers got scared. They took it into their heads was chasing my grandfather's ghost. The thing did look kinder curious, but made up my mind to ketch him any how, though Jim's corn was safe in the crib and mine wasn't.
 T wore out both dogs, and had to fall back on CUTS. Curlike, when the coon went under the fence and the rabbit came out, they lit of after him, yelping like they were trailing a box car full of coons. went home powerful mad al cur dogs. Next night went again with CUTS, cause was bound to keep things lively. It took holt of me to ketch that coon like leech takes holt of a rot ten log. And we caught him. That is the CUTS got in a fight with him under the fence, and I busted his brains out with a club before he had time to licl them and get away.
 "The thing seemed simple enough after l found out, but it showed how much sense he coon can have. A rab bit had his bed under the fence, into which the coon run when he got tireC poking fun at me and my dogs. Nat urally, the rabbit got out, and in doine so brushed his sides against the moutl of the bed. Rabbit scent among will animals is like goat scent among tam ones. It's rank. At the first sniff botl dogs were completely fooled. Afte the CUTS made a moonlight meal on tn rabbit trailing was easy. What l wan to know is how in thunder Mr. Cool found out he was safe in a rabbit be, and that General Lee and Stonewal Jackson wouldn't cross rabbit trail.
 q took the coon home and let Genera Lee and Stonewall Jackson smell him They stuck their tails between thei legs and sneaked off with their bellie close to the ground. Both are ashame to look anybody in the face. While was hunting all night and sleeping d day November rains gave my corn tn sprouts. One look at the meal made m wife so mad that had to swear off coo hunting to pacify her. ."-N. Y. Sun.