The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-11-30

what the Postum Said.
One night. when the coon was abroad
and passed the possum with his nose
in the air and without speaking, the
latter called to him and said:
Look here, now, you needn't hold
your nose so very high. You are coon
to be sure, but I'm not so very far be-
hind you. In fact, in some things I'm
way ahead"
I'D like to hear of them" replied
the coon with a fiirt of his tail.
oh, you would? Well, listen to this.
You've only got forty-two teeth, while
I've got fifty-six Some of your teeth
are larger than mine, to be sure, but
can crush any bone that you can I've
also got five toes, and one of them is
as handy as boys thumb. | can pick
up stick in my paw, while you must
carry it in your mouth
I've heard brag before today"
And so have l. but I'm talking
straight. l admire your long tail with
black rings around it, but it is of no
real use to you and is often full of dirt
and burrs. On the other hand, | can
hang to limb by my tail for hours
at time. In fact, often go to sleep
that way and I've never had a fall yet"
But look at the difference in our
food" said the coon.
Yes, there is some difference" re-
piled the possum, but not much.
like fowls, mice. grasshoppers, bugs,
birds eggs, garter snakes, frogs and
crabs, and often find something in the
farmers garden to my liking. I'm also
fond of persimmons and other wild
fruits, I'll admit that you can run fas-
ter than can, and you are also bet
ter fighter, but I'm not so slow after
ALL"
You couldn't fight puppy dog three
months old"
But what would be the use? My fur
and skin are extra thick-much thick
er than yours-and if overtaken by a
dog or falling into the hands of a man
| play dead. A dog may throw me
around for an hour, or a man may hit
me dozen whacks with club, and
I'm not hurt in the least. | Just play
dead until they have gone and then
sneak away. And let me tell you anotf-
or thing. The fox is very cunning as
he sneaks about the farmyard at night,
but IL you ask the farmer he'll tell you
that | get more of his fowls than the
fox. | haven't got as keen a nose as
Reynard, and so | fall into the traps
oftener, but don't you forget that il
there are any fat pullets around man
age to get my share of them. picked
up a goose the other night which made
me three good meals"
But you don't seem to have good
eyes" said the coon, who felt bound
to find fault
We'll my eyes might be better, and
that's fact" replied the possum, but
as l do not run swiftly or travel long
distances | do not need eyes like yours
or the fox's. | make up for it in hear
ing, though. can hear the bark of q
dog or the shout of man a good deal
further than you can. When you go
out you have to leave your young be-
hind you and the wild cat often finds
and destroys them. When | go out my
little ones go with me in my pouch or
cling to my back. Did you ever hear
of anyone eating coon meat?'
Il can't say that | have"
And it is because it is so strong that
only a dog could eat it"
81 said | was no fighter, but let me
tell You something. One day | climbed
to the top of big elm tree to inspect
hawks nest. | had seen the hawks
come and go, and knew that they had
nest there. | found the nest in a
crotch, and while | was eating the two
eggs both hawks came home and pitch
ed into me. The fight lasted half an
hour, and / was badly bitten and
scratched, but | beat those hawks off
and got down in safety; | bit one of
them so badly that he died within a
week Could you have done any better
than that?
81 heard the farmer say that | had
done him great service, for the sur
wing hawk flew away after her mate
died Come, now, didn't | do well?p
But look at the difference in our
fur said the coon, as he began NOV
ing away.
Eyes, there is a difference. but don't |
you be too stuck up over that Many a
furrier has made a rug or lap robe of |
possum skins and sold them for real |
wolf and at a big price, and when my |
skin is made into belts, cardcases, poe
textbooks or Innings there is no wear
out to it. I'm not a coon, and I'm not
trying to pass for one, but you just re-
member that 10 animal of your breed |
has any call to put on style over me-
That's all, you can now run along
San Francisco Chronicle.
Eleven experts have worked for FIVE