Evening star., 1902-02-01
A PET BEAVER.
Was Caught when He Was Young and
Learned Some Great Tricks.


Joe Francis is one of the best known
guides. hunters and trappers I'm the state
of Maine. He lives on what is known as
the Debsconeag Deadwater, on the west
branch Of the Penobscot river, about twen-
ty-three miles from Norcross, Me. Like all
hunters and trappers, he lives I'm a cabin
OF his own on the rivers bank and makes
many trips in all directions in his canoe.
His home is the rendezvous for hunters and
guides. When they assemble In Francis
house at night time and, after they have
had their supper of fried bacon and bread,
and cigars have been lighted, the rich stories
that are told of hunting life are remem-
bered for years by those who listen TO
them. II is useless to say that all Of these
stories contain a basis of truth, but before
they are finished the imagination runs to a
point somewhat higher than the limit al
lowed in court room or other places.
One night when all of the guides had told
their stories of experiences, both quaint and
terrible, "Old joe himself Strengthened up
and said, Now, III give yer true story"
OF course, everybody at once prepared 10
listen.
1T was some years ago. went on Joe,
when / trapped an old mother beaver and
her three little ones ] secured the pelt Of
the mother beaver, which was a fine one.
and the three little ones took home with
me. i began to try to raise them on
little cruel l made up out of -four and
water. Well, they didn't thrive very much
on 1t; at least, two Of them didn't and they
naturally pined away and died. | had one
left and he was the brightest little Iellow
you ever saw. He sorter took naturally to
the cruel made for him and begun to
thrive all right / stopped feeding him with
a spoon after a while and made a bottle OF
the stuff each night. 1t was just worth
anybodys money to see that little beaver
take that bottle, squat on his hind legs and
he "a he
about five weeks old, would yer believe 1t
he begun to build dams? Up to that time
he had been sleeping in the same bed with
me at night and We would keep each other
warm. Early one morning before day had
begun to crack 1 saw him creep outer the
bed and begin to gather everything lying
around and pull them up to the cracks Of
the door. he even got my shirt and the
first thing i knew he had the slickest little
dam made that you ever saw. He kept do
ing that thing every morning until he had
used up all my clothes and / had to pull
them away from the door every mornia'
before / could dress myself. i got very
fond Of that little fellow and 1 thought he
was the slickest little thing that ever lived.
1 got out of flour one day and went up to
the nearest trading point to get st and some
other things, but forgot all about the -four
and, when / got back, my little pet was
very hungry, and / didn't know what to do,
but L remembered that ] had some self
rising flour in the house. / was kinder
doubtful about giving him that, but as the
little beaver was so hungry 1 saw that
just had to give him something So I mixed
up little of the flour and gave him IL
didn't seem to hurt him or do him any
harm, SO 1 made him up bottle Of IL.
Well, 1t wasn't many hours before that
beaver began to rise and swell and I
couldn't stop 1t. Before midnight that lit
tie beaver had swelled up until he was rs
big as his mother was and / had to kill
him to end his pains, but got pay for a
grown beavers pelt anyhow"
Everybody silently acknowledged that
that that was one OF the biggest lies told
that night.