The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-05-02
Nose, Fighting Skunk
Courageous Animal That Aroused i,
4 Wisconsin, Pride.

AhE IL dlloSclheT, i tuluh tHc
most remarkable animal the
state of Wisconsin ever produced"
said the man from Appleton, ''was
Jim Patterson's pet skunk. Mos.
Jim and Nose lived in little shanty
on the outskirts of Appleton and al
though for long time the people
were content to have them live some
distance away from everyone else,
popular PRIDE in Moses achievements
became so strong that Nose and his
owner were always welcome guests
where men of sporting tastes gath
cred. Nose was more welcome than
his owner. Nose didn't drink rum
and always had excellent ideas as to
propriety. Jim did pretty well in
that line until his faith in Nose was
shattered and then he went to pieces
through grief and keen disappoint-
ment.
81 think / never saw so quick
and so complete breakdown as that
of Jim Patterson. His pride in Nose
had reached such enormous proper
tons that it swelled up and burst.
In the wreck Jim was carried down
and drink soon ended him. You see,
Nose had licked pretty nearly every
kind of domesticated animal to be
found and Jim and the rest of us
who had also begun to share in the
town pride over Nose were ready to
back him against pretty nearly any
kind of wild creature. We were al
the more ready to do this when we
heard that he had killed rattle
snake one morning with one shake
and had lugged it home in his mouth
for Jim to see. Jim just coddle6
that skunk like kitten and the res
ct US were almost ready to take hin
to our bosoms.
"Mose wasn't his name at first
Jim called him Corbett until afte1
that little affair in Carson City ant
then he became Fitz. In two year
1t became necessary to call him JET
and then Jim quit He said he woult
probably have to change the skunk
name in year or two again an,
from all he had heard of history h
guessed the name of Nose would d.
as well as any other. He was sur
that Moses had been dead Ion!
time and had done things such a
no one else had done, and hencefortl
~ had to be Nose with no chang
IN the name. 1t turned out to be
good name, too, for although Mos
was permitted to see the promise
land Of fame he never entered into il
Nose. sneaked into Jim's cabin on
mght when Nose was young an
STOLE a lot of meat He was caugh
IN Q trap and in the morning h
showed fight to such an extent tha
Jim took liking to him and KEEP
MN just to tease him. Gradual
tney came to know each other. Jir
negan to trust him and Nose neve
abused his confidence. He kne,
where he got his meals regularl,
he protected Jim's cabin to such a
extent that intruders gave it wild
oerth nm didn't mind that. Eli
record had been such that wheneve
there was robbery near town ther
was always suggestion that
would be a good idea to search il,
fatterson's cabin or yard for til
stolen goods. They tried that ono
a1ter Nose became thoroughly estal
hsned there and after that thel
never was another attempt.
Jim began to lead a more con
portable life at once and finally use
70 bring Nose with him when I
came to town. He made all sorts /,
wagers as to Moses fighting oua]
sles and won then right and lef
whenever any of us got word fro
sih that he would be at a certat
Saloon at certain hour with Mo.
ana ready to meet all corners the,
,n was always roundup of the sport
me saloon keeper made money, il
made money and got drunk: Mo-
always had fight, which he Low,
oearly, and in addition had son
cnolce bits of food, and the rest
us mad some fun. 1t was the mo
natural thing in the world that ,