Barbour County index., 1905-04-05
COYOTE AND BOARSARMY CHAPLA ,ss.s 4s.ys..
THEIR ANTICS WATCHED ny
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEs.
The Coyote Proves Himself Coward
When Cornered and Runs for
Protection from His HUI
man Friend.

Yesterday I walked through the
Blue Mountain forest with Romulus,
my prairie wolf He lives in the
great game preserve altogether now,
but ne comes to the Northwest Gate
every S,ght to be fed, and he is never
so far away but he will come quickly
at call, pleased as any dog to start
out with us for a tramp.
1t was about o'clock in the after
noon when l unlocked the forest gate,
and the wolf was nowhere in sight.
Making a speaking trumpet of my
hands, l called his name, drawing it
out as long as 1 could hold my breath
AS the echo died away among the
hills, l heard the coyotes answering
howl, and presently l saw him, a
speck of gray against the snow, COM
ing at a lope over the crest of some
rising ground. His loose hair moved
in the wind as he came and gave him
the appearance of something blown
along. When he came up he smelled,
shook his head knowingly and pranced
about, showing his pleasure in every
movement. Then he leaned upon me,
seizing my gloved hand in his teeth,
and as 1 moved along, he trotted be-
side me, holding on to loose strap of
one of my snow shoes, which strap he
quickly cut through with his teeth and
carried off to play with. |
Then Romulus and | went up the
hill to the east for half a mile, then
south to an open glade in the forest,
where l could watch the wild boar
when they came in for their evening
meal at the feeding ground. In work.
ing their way through the snow, they
had made deep and narrow trails to
and from the places they wished to
visit, and along these they were in the
habit Of passing, sometimes singly and
sometimes a dozen together in single
file.
1t was not long before heard in the
distance a grunting and squealing
which told me the wild pigs were COM
ing, and a moment later l could see
number walking along in Indian file
well to the east of me- l decided
to change my position, and quietly
worked my way over to another clump
of trees, crossing the bear trail be-
fore mentioned and getting to the
windward of it. The wolf saw the
pigs coming, and erecting the hair on
his back, he set out to meet them.
Long before he reached them they got
his scent, and "whoofng' disgustedly.
they ran back on their own trail They
did not go far, however, but. coming
to fork in the tracks, turned and
again headed for the feeding ground.
over the very route l had expected to
see them on in the first place. l felt
sure they would not pass the point at
which l had crossed this trail, but l
waited to see what they would do.
On came the boar, two little gray
pigs leading, followed by a large one,
almost black, possibly their mother.
and behind her there were half a dozen
more of different Sizes They soon
smelt the coyote, and saw him, too.
for that matter, but after halting for
about a minute they seemed to decide
that there was nothing very dangerous
about him, and proceeded on their
way.
Almost before he knew it the first
little pig ran into my trail, and he
stopped so quickly that he almost fell
backward over. With a wild "whoof''
of disgust and fear, he turned and
ran, the others following his example
on the instant. Then he seemed to
change his mind, and the whole party
stopped, while the first little pig ad-
vanced, as though to make sure there
was no mistake. AS he reached the
cross trail, he turned back as before,
but, again changing his mind. he
seemd to make desperate resolve
He decided - to take the risk, and.
gathering all his strength, he dashed
wildly over tue hated spot, and sped
away toward the feeding grounds as
madly as sped the pigs which ran
down steep place into the sea.
All this time the coyote had been
but an interesting spectator but now,
seeing the little pig isolated, as it were.
he jumped into the trail and started
after it at the top of his speed. For
moment both pig and wolf were lost
to sight, but then we heard rushing
sound, and along the trail came the
coyote. running for his life, with the
little gray boar right close behind him.
AS the wolf drew near me, he bolted
the track. and the pig kept straight on
the trail until he Joined his compan-
ions, when the whole herd turned and
dashed off, grunting and squealing,
into the forest
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
The Exception.
"Well,' said Mr.. Titewad, putting
down his paper, that woman who got
all that money from those bankers GER
tainly was shrewd. Seems like woman
can always get money from a man, no
matter how cautious he is"