New-York tribune., 1901-12-08
THE TWIN FOXES.
HOW THE PROFESSOR AND MISCHIEF
ADAPTED THEMSELVES TO
POLITE SOCIETY,"

The Professor and Mischief, two young twin
foxes. little thought they passed their first days
in their native hole the mountainside that some
time they would leave their snug quarters for
home in the village. But spring day. when they
were only few weeks old their mother failed to
return with their evening meal This usually con-
sisted Of rabbit, chicken or any small animal
that she might succeed in capturing
AS twilight began to fall the little foxes became
worried. and decided to If tner mother was any
where in sight. So they crept cautiously up along
| the passage of their underground home to where
they could see long distance down the woodpath
The home out of which they had como did not
belong to their family the result OF hard work
and care for the future but had been taken away
from a meek little rabbit family. who the previous
year had tuvnelled GU: d bLrrow.
No fox ever works for thing that can be had
without trouble the fox mother took the home
the rabbits, they, glad to escape with their
lives, dug out another hole miles The rabbit
home proved rather small quarters for fox family,
but they dug out the passages until they were
wider, and the twins considered 1t an ideal home
stead.
The little foxes were cunning looking fellows
they stood in the doorway of their home Their soft
fur coats of reddish brown shading to
yellow just the colors Of some autumn leaves and
their long tails thick and soft They had
pointed that stood straight up and under their
sharp little Of powerful teeth that
would work havoc in chicken coops some day. Their
paws prettily formed. and we'll adapted to let
them speed away with almost the swftness OF the
wind.
The twins were SO absorbed looking down the
path that they did notice hunter who sud
denly appeared from behind tree, and when
startled by the cracking OF tw!gs they turned to
run away. It too late. for the man quickly
dropped his hunting bag over the only opening to
their homo that the foxes knew about There were
other entrances. If they had only known Of them
but they felt helpless: they stood perfectly Still
and did not try to away. while the hunter tied
a piece CT rope collar around the neck OF each
When he brought out some birds from his pocket,
they concluded that things might not be so black
TO- them after all; and when they had finished
meal OF birds and bits of bread they began to feel
kindly toward the stranger.
They were perfectly reconciled to their fate when
he took one under each arm and carried them home
The evenings wero still cool. and bright fire was
burcng in the kitchen when the foxes were brought
IN They shifted around the room: then. going over
to the fireplace laid themselves down to enjoy the
heat. just as puppies might
They seemed feel perfectly at home from the
first and, although for a time they were in danger
OF being kIlle. by kindness they soon became ac-
c,,e.oned ~ the new life. Never having known
the wI6nass that a grown up fox enjoys. the
sour.g ready to be tame and compan-
:SraS.e. TIE Professor received his name because
rscrEet s3e the more serious OF the two, and
.Tisc,f earned his by always being the ringleader
e. t-o,.sle. Their tastes differed in many ways.