The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-24


"As 1 was taking a stroll around to-
night 1 thought I'd drop in on you"
began the coon, as he found the dog
sitting at the door of his kennel. TT
won't do you any good to rush at me-
for 1 can outrun you; and as for a
fight, I'm not a bit afraid of you
We'll what have you got to say?"
replied the dog. after barking at a
tramp who was passing along the high
way.
What do you know about coons?"
mot much, except that they are
fond of new corn"
Then I'll tell you few things. The
coon is not as good climber as the
wildcat, but there. is no tree in the
forest he cannot ascend in pretty
quick time. About the only enemy
he has is man, and man seeks him
for his pelt. If the coon made his
home in a hollow log or a burrow it
would be easy for man to find him;
but he is too sharp for that. His
house is always in the hollow of a
tree, and sometimes fifty feet above
the ground"
But the hunter can catch him when
he comes down." said the dog.
IF he does he's got to be very
sharp" replied the coon. Il never
leave my home in the daytime, and
before l come down 1 look and listen
until / am sure no one is about. Then
l descend so softly that no one ten
feet away could hear me. I've got a
keen nose, and if man were about /
should get the scent at once. He some
times sets traps for me at the foot of
the tree, but l am too cute to blunder
into them. Sometimes 1 walk out on
limb and come down by another
tree"
And what do you eat?'
"A great many more things than you
do. About all you get is the bones
from the farmers table, while l have
fish, oysters, CLAIMS, crabs, fowl ber-
ries. barks and roots. l don't kill
chickens, but if l find a dead one |
eat him. l am no fisherman, but when
| find one on the shore he's my meat.
AS for oysters and CLAIMS, l get them
at the edge of the water and crack
their shells in my teeth, and the crab
L get hold of never gets away In the
woods l can find d dozen different
roots l like, and when berries are ripe
L eat my fill. In midwinter if the
snow is too deep for me to get about,
+,o7,,alr my NY nuliser win me Dark OF
youne 20 iou nave more lat on
'V .etIe. ioS - YOU we're coon.
I'D NV tbo Az apoue your eatihs corn ask,
fo,+ 'l i, uos' do he licked MS chops ana
ret hungry.
wei. well mere Is just one season when
- i' - coi H. 1t Is When the ears pegln
" 8 i"1e anu the heILels are 1ulI Oh
sweet juice. mat is also the season
wen wen .lle farmer roasts them. can
enen go OUT ana eat halt a dozen ears,
4 80 Will [1tner nave corn then
lnah oysters. mat is also The time
When the farmers boys hunt ME with
"o ~, a9 perhaps you know
ont' h'tte nuhtea coons'
Dut uoh pelleVe you ever caught
olie. ou are 700 Dig 10 run tast. me
CooIl neaIS the men ana dogs while
ny arc yet IoHS way OIL ana away
ne Soeo lol ms Tree. II tnefe is swift
uos among tneul ne may come up with
me, ana IN that case there is fight
'ui oH my pdch' ana as ne Jumps
IN use my teeth and claws in way
70 make MN Ill. In about two minutes
ne Is ready TO let go.
heh the men come up they set him
| 10y i.Oh' anu ne IolloWS me TO my
.iee' II IS always big tree, and il
they spend two or three hours cutting
IL down am ready for the fall. l wait
TILL the last minute and then jump for
announcer Tree but, even If l fall to the
srouno' nave good chance of fight
ing the dogs of and getting away"
ana how about your fur?" asked
the dog.
1t is not as valuable as that of the
1ox or mink, but it sells for a goo6
price nevertheless. 1t is made into
| gloves, and it is often dyed to other