The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-19


alone IN his house o. the river bank All
went we'll until last fals, when his house
burned down one night.
Most OF hiS valuable collection OF relics
his guns, traps. aud other property were
DESTROYED, and ''Old Dan" was forced 90
burrow in "sugout on the river bank
for the winter.
All that was saved from the Gre Was
the two-headed calf, the scrpents head,
and the peIrined apple. OF course, the
apple tree and Adam and Eve were not
even scorched. 20. the garden romaincd
| much as II had boon before the Ore
RED FLAG IN EDEN.
Tuesday next the Garden OF Eden will
bo sold, ana Old Dan" VIII be dispos-
sessed OF the sacred soil which he has
owned and cherished for 80 years. Even
tho buirow In the river bank will be mis-
no longer. aud those who have known the
old fellow during the years since his
great discovery fear for the effect the
disp0ssession Will have on him.
There VIII certainuly be All affecting
scene, II not dangerous outbreak when
the new owner comes 20 claim his pur-
chase and TO dispossess the ruler of the
Garden of Eden. There is no need for
"Old Dan" 10 suffer, however. Hts four
sons have comfortable homes and they
are well known in what used To be ''the
marshes"
Three OF them live within a few miles
OF the Garden of Eden, and besides farm
Ing during the summer they are noted
guides for Chicago hunters. who come
for the duck shooting In the spring and
fall.
Lemuel the eldest OF "Old Dams sons,
is the travelling representative OF an ele-
vator company but Paris. jim and 1rv-
Ing still stick 90 their native swamy They
know every nook OF the swamp. every
sinuosity of the river, and every wooded
fsstness of The river bottoms.
Above oil they know the habits Of the
ducks, where they feed. where they hy.
and where they roast. Lucky IL the city
hunter, who gets one of tho Parmalee
boys 10 put him through the swamp or
river bottoms. for he will get ducks.
Paris Parmalee's place IN especially
noted among, hunters. His house is built
on a knoll "A few rods from the river and
directly In the fly way of the ducks from
the river to the great swamps 10 the east.
lie and his brother Irving. who lives Il
mile away, have introduced novelty In
shooting which greatly improves the
sport. t''tt
II is the use of live ducks, hatched from
the eggs OF wild mallards. as decoys.
These Judases OF the duck family. or.
more appropriate. sirens for there is not
drake among them, are trained 20 eau
To their sisters az they fly over the tree
tops and lure them down to death before
the guns OF toe hunters
The first OF these decoys was hatched
from eggs taken from the nest of a mall
lard in Northern Michigan and shipped
10 Irving Parmslee by friend. They
were Matched out under tame duck. and
a pair OF handsome mailards survived
the season and became the pride Of the
bsrnyard.
They were used as decoys that fan. and
f..ll ii
TO breed. Thirteen young ducks were
hatched out and thrivcd apace until an
incident happened which nearly wiped
out the whole flock. On the farm was a
hog of the variety known as chicken
hog
This hog has a mania for eating chick
ems. but ducks would do also on pinch.
aud the hog started IN to feed on mallard
duck Before he was discovered ne had
killed and devoured both OF the old ducks
and all but three of the young ones.
To add To the disaster he had eaten ev-
cry drake I'm the flock. The three remain-
ing ducks, however. We're successfully
reared, and are now enjoying their spin
sterhood Turing many "a wild drake TO
an untimely end.
when these ducks are put out as decoys
"a string is tied around one leg and
weighted ut The other end with "A piece OF
lead Thus anchored they swim around
and enticng them within gunshot,
The sirens swim about contesitedly, |
pruning themselves and occasionally Civ |
ing "a happy duack with echoes through |
the river bottoms. until flock or a |
pair of wild mallards are attracted. Then |
the sirens rise up on the water, flap their |
wings. and call their hoarse greetings TO |
the oncoming ducks.
The treachery is a complete success; |
the ducks come I'm with but few of the |
preliminary circles which caution usually (
dictates Before they dream of danger |
they are in reach of the deadly guns. and !
often their bleeding bodies fall within a |
few feet OF the beautiful deceivers.
During a single day Of shooting this |
scene is repeated many times with varia- !
tions, which show that duck nature is |
not much different from human nature /
after all. A pair OF mallards will come
sailing over the tree tops. The drake will /
hear the voices of the sirens and dart
down toward the itreacherous pool where
they are seronely resting.
His jealous mate darts after him and |
both rush tn almost certain death. Again /
an old drake who for years has led sue
cessive fiocks from South 10 North and
from North TO South. avoiding all dan
gers hears the seductive calls OF the ST.
rens and directs the course of the entire
flock I'm that direction.
His large body and brilliant plumage
make him conspicuous mark. and he is
the first TO fall in the fusillade of shots
which follows.