The sea coast echo., 1903-01-10

and passed the possum with b'a aOroau
In the air and without speaking ",s ,
latter called to him and said. '"0
Look here, now, you needns ,,,,
your nose so very high. You are o"" ~
to be sure. but I'm not SO very far IN :"
hind you. In tact. In some things ~,
way ahead"
ia ike to hear of them" replIoa
the coon with q flirt Of his tail
"Oh, you would? Well. listen 70 ,,,-
You've only got forty-two teeth whu. '
I've got fifty-six. Some Of your tao,s
are larger than mine, to be sure h~,
can crush any bone that you can p,s
also got five toes, and one of them i
as handy as q boys thumb. can nIcL
up stick in my paw, while you mus,
carry 1t In your mouth"
I've heard brag before todayp
And SO have |. but I'm talk,ns
straight. admire your long tail with
black rings around 1t, but 1t Is Of M
real use to you and is often full of dr.,
and burrs. On the other hand, can
hang to q limb by my tail for hourv
at a time. In fact, often 10 to sleon
that way and I've never had fall vet
But Took at the difference in our
food" said the coon.
"Yes, there is some difference" ro.
piled the possum, "but not much
like fowls, mice, grasshoppers, bugs
birds eggs. garter snakes, frogs and
crabs, and often find something in tho
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 IL overtaken by
dog or falling into the hands Of a man
l play dead. A dog may throw me
around for an hour, or man may hit
me dozen whacks with a 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 anoth.
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 II
there are any fat pullets around man.
age to get my share Of them. picked
up 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 do not run swiftly or travel long
distances / do not need eyes like yours
or the fox's. make up for 1t in hear.
ing, though. / can hear the bark of 0
dog or the shout of a man a good deal
further than you can. When you &c
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 OF
cling to my back. Did you ever hear
of anyone eating coon meat?
81 can't say that | have"
"And 1t is because 1t is so strong thai
only dog could eat It,"
II said l 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
a nest there. | found the nest In q
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 i beat those hawks of
and got down In safety; bit one oi
them so badly that he died within
week. Could you have done any better
tnan tnaI
81 heard the farmer say that had
done him great service, for the sur
viving hawk few away after her mate
died. Come. now. didn't do-well7"
But look at the difference In oui
fur" said the coon, as he began NOV
ing away.
yes, there is a difference. but dom
you be too stuck UP over that. Many
furrier has made rug or lap robe o.
possum skins and sold them for real
wolf and at big price, and when my
skin is made into belts, cardcases, poe
textbooks or Innings there Is no weaI
out to 1t. I'm not coon, and Ina moi
trying to pass for one. but you Just re-
member that no animal OF your breed
has any call 10 put on stylr ospl ~ ~
That's all. you can now run along q
s4i1 q il