The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-11-27

DAD1SINo AMI 11OlE.
ing; and as she headed them out, rid
ing her pony at full gallop, she saw
fine shorthorn suddenly pitch forward
with a below and fall. She checked
her horse and waited for the animal
to rise again. But it could MOTT had
snapped fore ankle in a freshly dug
badger hole.
The shorthorn was a favorite, and,
as befitted her good blood, carried
across her dewlap the string of silver
slelghbells that in winter time tinkled
before the pung. So the news of her
injury was received with sorrow at the
farmhouse, and when, later in the even
ing, the little girls big brothers went
down to the field to put the heifer out
of her misery, they vowed that the last
feeble jingle of her bells should be
the deathknell of the badgers.
They found that the burrowing host,
driven out of their former homes either
by an unlooked-for seepage or the adj
vent of a stronger animal, had been at
tracted to the field because the harrow
had so recently broken and softened
the fallow, and they had dug so rapidly
since the planting of a few weeks be-
fore that the north end, perforated
every three or four feet, would be ut
terly useless, that year, at least, for
either the harvester or the pillow. Each
family had dug two tunnels that slant
ed toward each other and met at the
nest; and since the tunnels of one fam
lily often crossed those of another, the
ground was treacherously unstable.
The outlying, unplowed land also bore,
mile upon mile, marks of the ravages
of an army of badgers; but the north
end of the wheat field was the concern
tration camp.
The badgers had thrived in their new
home, for on one side was grassy rise
where the eggs and young of the plover
and prairie chicken could be found, and
on the other a gully led down to the
sloughs, that yielded succulent roots
and crawling things. The little girls
big brothers saw that the animals were
so abundant that shot, traps or poi
son would not avail; only a thorough
drowning-out would rid the grainland
of the pest. Drowning-outs were ex-
citing affairs, for the badgers always
gave the pack fine tussle before thew
were dispatched; and she was allowed
to attend them if she would promise
to remain on the high seat of the
wagon, out of harms way.
4, I.
standstill on the cowpath, she
watched the preparations for the
drowning from her perch. Two holes
were found that slanted toward each
other. One big brother stationed him
self at the hole nearer the wagon.
armed with two or three buckets of
water; and another guarded the
farther hole, similarly armed. The
pack divided itself, half remaining at
each outlet, and parked itself hoarse
with anticipation.
At last all was in readiness, and, at
word, the water was poured-bucket-
full after buckesful-down the tunnels.
Then a big brother sprang to the
horses heads to prevent their running
when the fight began. another jumped
into the wagon to refill the pals and
hand them down, and the dogs. leaping
excitedly, closed about the holes. The
little girl watched breathlessly and
chung fast to the seat.
For a moment there was no sign of
anything. Then suddenly from the
nearer hole bounded female, the ref
use of her nest clinging to her drip
ping hair. Whirling and biting furi-
ously on all sides, she growled in fear
and rage as she defied the pack There
was a quick, fierce fight that was car
ried rod before it ended; then, amid
a din of yelping, the badger met a
speedy death.