New-York tribune., 1903-06-21
FERRETS IN THE HOL SE.
R0ugh on Nerues but Rough on
Rats Also.

Did YOU ever suddenly come upon an amman
looking something like a wOolly snake mounted
on four very short legs, nosing about IN your
clothes cIoset?' asked a Manhattan girl VINO
had just returned from visiting friends IN tne
suburbs We'll, if you never did she addeu'
your nerves have yet to undergo one OF 'Ne
seyerest tests that mine ever experienced WAat
the uncanny thing was and now IL Came u Oe
there 1 will tell you:
.arhe house a large rambling wooden building,
was fairly overrun with rats and mice, which
broke our nights with their constant scratch
ing, gnawing and soft but distinct foolS'epS
in the walls. They also did not little Damage
in the store cupboard where quantities OF GER
tain kind of lam and several delicious hams
fell victims their aDDetites-
And on dreadful occasion 1 lay awake
the entire night with my gas burning. keeping
off a huge invader with various boottrees. shoes
and other available ammunition, regretting sad
ly that my golf bag, with its formidable con-
tents reposed downstairs in a cupboard.
ITO tell the truth, the animal showed little
propensity for an attack, but / had heard
stories of their acts of violence and dared not
close an eye. OF course, womanlike, l Ionged
to get up and scream for help, but my room was
some distance from the others and the door was
far away-unlike that of my own room II the
city-and 1 dared not cross the floor
so Mr.. Rat took I1e nOOr anu uoSeu NAi'N-
among my shoes and wastebasket and even got
into my bureau drawers, where he tossed Things
about and chewed up various bits OF lace In
the morning when he tactfuIly retired to MS
hole dressed and going down with pale, de-
termined face related my nights adventure 10
my hosts horror and nv hostess admiration
of my courage. However, 1 plainly lntIrnateo
that, my reputation was established AeoulN
not stand another night in that room uhui
trap caught or drove away my noisy lntruueR'
MY host said little, but on his return from
his office that evening to our delight he n
formed us that he had engaged a man Win
ferrets to visit the house that same night ana
see what they could do toward lessenIHs the eF''-
so about O'Clock a cart drove TO the door
and a young man got out In one hand ne
carried a vaIise in the other an ooIons OoA'
about fifteen inches long covered Win a news
paper Through a hole IN the paper Peepeu
in between two Stats and pair OF bright
eyes peering out in mingled curiosity and
hunger.
xThe .ratnan' as the children called him.
went up TO the attic with the master OF the
house TO view sundry holes and reconnolue'
while my hostess and sat in the hall at Sa'e
distance from the box. faint dlSagree;'oIe
odor came from il. and in few moments
strange moaning treTnolo, which was inexpreSS-
IDLY weird as IT sounded from the box m The
shadow OF the stairs
when the rat1nan returned We made him
show the ferrets which were two quaint
long, brown and white creatures with broad
heads coming suddenly sharp point. and
bright, beady eyes that gazed about bIindy. fer.
like the owl. they see best in the dark-snake-
like beings that crawled out and over the bcx