Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-11

Slcu ClOS6 together W Keep VOL III, 1ol
their mother always went out in the
evening to hunt food, and sometimes
did not return until the door of the den
begin to grow light. One morning she
did not come back at all. They waited
:. long time, and grew very, very hun
cry. At last there came loud noises
and some men with spades began to
dig off the top of their home. Soon
there was no roof at all, and man
threw a coat over the shivering little
bunch Of coyotes and gathered them
all up and carried them long ways
to place where there was large,
yellow house and many barns. Here
they were put into big basket and
given plenty to eat. The food was not
rabbit, nor field mice, nor prairie
chicken, to which they were accustom-
ed 1t was altogether new, such as
Goldie and the cat now had every day;
but the little coyotes were very hungry
and ate all that was given them, for
their mother had often told them to
always eat all they could get, as one
never knew when the hunting might
be poor.
Goldie did not stay long with his
brothers, for in few days he was
placed in box by himself, and
brought long way in wagon, until
he reached the place where he now
lived He had often been hungry in
the old days, for his mother did not
always bring home food; but now the
little boy and girl gave him plenty to
eat, so that his yellow-gray coat was
| thick and sleek with good living. Yet
he was very unhappy; and just now
there was special reason for being
more dissatisfied than ever. The day
before. when the children had taken
off his chain, and they were having
great frolic chasing each other, Goldie
had suddenly darted through the gate
and run into a large cottonwood grove.
Though the children followed him, he,
with all the cunning of his race, kept
and hillocks until, discouraged and sad.
his little owners were compelled to re-
turn home without him.
That night he had glorious time.
He caught his first rabbit, and hunted
joyously till morning. When the sun
rose he crawled in between two fallen
tree trunks and went to sleep. Very
early in the morning his anxious and
almost despairing young owners re-
newed their search, and at last by
merest chance found him, his sleek
coat disheveled and his fine, bushy tail
matted with burrs
1t was all very we'll to have the little
boy and girl scream with joy to see
him again, but they at once put on his
chain, and said they would never take
it off any more. lest he run away again.
All this, Goldie told the old cat, who
heartily sympathized, saying that he
himself would never be able to sit so
quietly in the sun all day, were it not
for the long prowls he had at night
clear to the other end of the town.
But the cat could give him no help,
and Goldie could only lie in the sun
and try to recall that old free life that
seemed lowering just on the brink Of
his memory.
He was almost asleep when up the
street and streaming into the yard
came crowd of young men clad in
clothes Goldie thought exceeding
strange. They were members of the
football team Of the university, whose
on the edge of the little western town
They called themselves the Coyotes
and were on their way to the photo
graphers to have their annual picture
taken. A brilliant thought had struck
one of their number. A live coyote
would give just the finishing touch tc
the picture of the invincible Coyote
football eleven. One of the boys was
sent to persuade Goldie's mistress tc
lend her pet, and in few minutes the
boys were again moving down the
street with Goldie in front, jumping
and tugging at his chain. 1t took some
time to pose the eleven young giants
and especially to compose Goldie in his
horrible position in front Of the team;
!, but at last all was successfully conclud
ed, and the team, assisted by numerous
interested students, started to escort
, Goldie home.
, Lets go around by the way of the
, campus" said one. Some Of these
Eastern p-ofs never saw coyote, ant
they are always anxious for what the.
!, call local color you know.
, So among TIE buildings Of the uni
versity strodo the dsrlings of the ath
i letic field; only row three or four boy
marched in close rank ahead of Goldi'
! SO tat he could not be Sc m. The las
/ classes of +ne day had just been dis
) missed, and a g-oup Of four professor
stood on the edgc OF tao athletic fell
> Watching some students trsining TO
r the sprine track meet. With indul
} gent smiles they turned to greet tn
t stalwort Co-ote football team. who tn
: autumn before Lad -Son tie state cham
/ pionship and much resultant glory 70
| their Alma Mater.
t Quickly one Of the boys stopped
+ tipped off Gold:e's collar. the var
Q guard separated. and he rushed fol
Y ward in wild dash for freedom
b straifht towards the amazed profes
: sors. With most undignifed hast
!, they gave the fleeing coyote the RICH
t Of way as he shot on to ito race tract
passing in flash the star Splinter. an
scattering panic among groups of stl
4 dents on the opposite side of the fielt
h G,ldie only had to run few mile
r before coming to tho rough, rollin
S land Of q great cattle ranch tina
stretched along the Missouri River. o