Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-12
THE. "KI0TE"
"A, DespicabIe Animal Of the
FL" Western Plains.
A Character Sketch by One Who
Knows His Subject.
More Like the Jackal Than the Wolf
asa III and Always a Sneak. INV

Southwest call MN coyote, giving TO
the word a value of three syllables:
and upon their full-fieshed lips it has
a soft gentle, purring sound, which
kes you kindly predisposed in
favor of the. beast himself. You
Think of him as a roly-poly, furry.
puppy-dog sort of creature, inclined 10
be friendly with the world, and bear
ing its harsh rebuffs with the mute
pathos of Christian resignation All
this, mind. is before you've seen him;
YOU borrow those notions from the
mere sound of the name. But the
Spaniard is VIGOROUSLY slave to
politeness in all it's forms, even toward
the brute creation; and besides, he is
a man of infinite leisure; he doesn't
grudge an extra syllable, if it will make
the unhappy animal feel better. Not
so with the American. POliteness
with him is reserved for occasions, and
he has no time for needlessly elaborat-
ing his speech. on his tongue the name
becomes "l<iote,"-a brisk, crisp word,
sharp as the crack of a whip, and eX
pressive of contemptuous scorn. It is
a filter word than the other inasmuch
az it carries in its accents a just APP
pralsement of the nature and charac-
ter of the brute. He is nothing but
'kiote."
BY courtesy he is called a VOLTA
foolish thought. BY common consent,
wolf has come to mean something.
10 stand for certain hardy If not ex-
actly noble qualities of mind; for craft
and courage and a Willingness to take
long chances with fuck-an virtues
which dignity the possessor in the eyes
Of the sportsman. The West country
has a real wolf. a big gray fellow, neat
as soldier, ferociOus as an old time
pirate, who inhabits the timbered
regions, and to do battle with whom,
when hunger is on him, is no sinecure.
If one wants a stimulus for fat wits.
corrective for failing interest in life let
him go out alone amongst the deeply
Wooded foothills of the Rockies late on q
winters afternoon, hen the ground is
covered with six inches Of snow and
the cold is so intense that game has
grown scarce. He should time his
walk so as to be starting back for
camp in the thick dust Of evening. AS
he stumbles along over the hidden
Wreckage of the forest, growing unCer-
tain whether he is in the right path,
there will presently come to his ears
thin, wailinE whisper of sound, long
drawn ana eerie as the voice of the
winter wind in n empty chimney. He
stops to listen, wondering if it was an
illusion Of his high-strung nerves; but
from the other side of the compass
comes. an answering cry, twin brother
to the first and in a few moments
another. cutting his path to camp. If
he is at all yersed in outdoor craft. he
will understand. That is the hunting
cry of the timber wolves, and it means
that they are onto him. The notes
multiply and draw in, not much, but
just enough to be appreciably nearer.
and in little while they form a ragged
circle of sound about him. He will
most likely strike into a wretched.
hreathless trot, alternately shiverinS
with moist fear and;'4 congratulating
himself that the beasts seem to have
mistaken the trail, for their cries are
ever far away.
But soon his starting eyes will behold
lean gray shadow skulking swiftly
across an open space on the snow, only
2 hundred feet away. If he stops TO
look. he will see ether shadows like to
this one, a stealthy half-doZen or so.
slipping from bush to bush off to either
side Of his way, silent as ghosts. in
tangible as thought. persistent as re-
morse. If they would only say some
thing, But their silence, is perfect;
yhere is not the lightest sound of a
football as they slip along. on their
course. timing their movements u 10
those of the frightened man. What are
they, waiting for?" he wonders, trying
20 convince his heart that they are but
a cowardly pack, after all. lie KNOWS
better; for in the distance swells that
insstent baying, where eager wolves
are trumpetng the news abroad ano
recruiting the attack. while these near
er figures are keeping watch unit
their number is great enough to war
rant a demonstration. If they are
very hungry they will be gathering an
impudent courage soon. running IN y
close quarters. chattering their Ions
teeth together their deep thToatS
choked with suppressed snarls. 1t al
depends now upon how large force
can be summoned to help. The Wlses
course. providing the man has beer
restored to Il sane love of life, is TO take
to a tree To remain on foot and use th'
rife against tho band is exciting 70 IN
last degree. but not always sure; az
ill-timed miss will be likely to result II
speedy calamity. Yes, the best way i
to shin up a tree; there the adventure
can dispose his weary limbs amongs
the. branches and amuse himself D!
picking off the brutes at his leisure
until he has Killed enough to satlsl'
the hunger Of those that remain.
Wen. that's is the real WOLF. IN
"linte' is another and very differeh
proposition Hes only little. oui
colored. NANCY, beast with foxy man
ners end a coward heart; a craVei
freebooter, a thief of the conventional
sneak type, an outcast yellow Gu
sinking through the alley-ways OF IN
wilderness. He's the Bowery tough
Of the brute creation. the very Jachal
the American plains, proWlihs
friendless scavenger. If you can thnl
of anything else to say along ines
lines. say it freely. even to his lac
1t will not be amiss, nor will he shoN
. tho slightest resentment: instead, ne