The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-11-07

ing; and as she headed them out, rid
ing her pony at full gallop, she saw
fine shorthorn suddenly pitch forward
with below and fall. She checked
her horse and waited for the animal
to rise again. But it could mott had
snapped fore ankle in freshly dug
badger hole.
The shorthorn was a favorite, and,
as befitted her good blood, carried
across her dewlap the string of silver
sleighbells 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 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 few weeks be
fore that the north end, perforated
every three or four feet, would be ut
terly useless, that year, at least, fos
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 concen.
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 thorough
drowning-out would rid the grainlan6
of the pest. Drowningouts were ex
gave the pack a fine tussle before they
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.
When the team had been brought to
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 barked itself hoarse
with anticipation
At last all was in readiness, and, at
word, the water was poured-bucket-
full after bucketful- down the tunnels.
! Then 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, eaping
excitedly, closed about the holes. The,
| little girl watched breathlessly and
chung fast to the seat
For moment there was no sign of
anything. Then suddenly from the
nearer hole bounded a 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 defed the pack. There
was a quick, fierce fight that was car
ried rod before it ended; then, amid
din of yelping, the badger met a
speedy death.
Mtracuyonx Ann,a rr;oy-