The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-07
,..ecyzs N early days III Michigan q

him In. Coon hunting being one Of
my fathers fayorite sports, which a
young man named Bacon shared en-
Enthusiastically with him. few evenings
later they started out to try the new
dog.
A full moon shed mild radiance
over the forest and enabled them to
note the actions Of the dog. and in a
very short time be had an animal OF
some kind up big tree which stood
A.one in an opening in the woods. and
as Bacon was a famous climber, up
the tree he went and soon made out
the dark figure among the limbs above
him, but as he approached the creature
1t climbed higher and higher until, at
the very top, 1t turned and greeted
its pursuer with deep warning growl.
Dan stopped climbing, and In a tone
OF voice which tremblel in spite OF
himself, ne called out 1T is a wildcat,
Mr.. Belknap."
"WelI. cut club and knock him OF, I"
replied my father.
Cutting aud trimming linz of the
tree to make a suitable weapon. Dan
slowly crawled up toward the brute,
which finally took refuge in the top
most iuft OF branches, and slowly and
carefully raising The club above the
limbs above his head. where lie could
have tuII sweep FOR the blow, he struck
with all h.; might, ind d-neyer touched
him.
Right out into the air the cat sprang
rs It saw the club coming. and so pow
erful was its Jump that the limbs of
ilie tree were cleared entirely. and
with resoundlng tnump 1t struck the
ground at q1lte distance from the
foot OF the tree, and 70 my fathers
alnazement sprang TO .tr feet and ran
like blue streak for another tree.
The cog happened 20 oe at the other
side OF the tree. and the cat was en-
ablei to get quite start Iii its new
race, but 50 swift was III. dogs pursuit
that the cat was oyertaken ere the tree
was reached. when, whirling suddenly.
the brute sat up and with open paws
Outstretched waited she onset Know
ing nothing OF the dog'J fghting quail
ties my father instantly concluded to
let him entirely alone and note the re-
suit. Coming with rush. and bark
ing furionsly, the dog dashed almost
into the cats face. but stopping just
short Of the cats grasp. as its paws
snapped together like the jaws OF
steel trap. backed away a few steys
and repeated the threatening maneu-
yer.
Again the cats paws snapped 20
rether .ust In front or the dogs nose.
Again and again Wa this repeated
until the cat appeared 10 think that
the dog was not really IN earnest and
omitted to slap its jaws together.
Again the dog backed away. and this |
time the jump was In earnest Once |
inside the guard the wildcat be seized |
II across the chest. and that cat was
dead N ten seconds. and that dog
could not then hare been borght for
money.
In long days ago. In Western Iowa,
my old friend Jim Files found stray /
dog at his door one morning. and as he
was what Jim called .sech an ornery
iookin' brute" Jim deiIberated quite
a while before finally accepting him.
1t was in the fall OF the year. and as
Jim went for his cows down in the bot
tom land below the house. the dog fol-
lowed at bis heels. and reaching the
edge OF what had been a shallow pond
in the spring a small rAttlesnake
coiled suddenly in front Of them, In d
dried up pit where COW had some
time stepped In the mud, leaving a de-
preston five or six inches deep. Its coil
was completely hidden. leaving the
head and few inches OF the neck
raised theateningly above the surface,
while 1t ratified warning defiance
against all comers.
The dog sprang forward to attack.
and though 1t was apparent that the
snake had every advantage. Jim stood
quietly watching, as lie afterwards
said Jest to see what the little cuss
would do
Approaching within a few feet the
log stopped. and cooking his small
head 10 one side for moment. studied
lhe problem. Walking slowly around
be now circled the snake, just beyond
bis reach, but SO close as 10 engage
III the reptiles attention and as Ii
'trove to be in continuous readiness for
he dogs attack. and as round and
'ound the dog continued to walk, In a
hort time the snake seemed to grow
IIzzy, and Its head began 10 wobble
rom side to side, when. quick as a :
lash. the dog jumped In and inserting
paw into the hole .uLg the rattle
make into the air, catching him in his
mouth as he came down. SHOOK him to
Ieath without receiving scratch.
At another time Jim was the owner
4 two dogs. One was OF medium size.
ctive and ferocious, and good hunt
n. and the other a great overgrown
Ioou natured brute. could hardly be
nadr to lay hold OF anything. When
yer he could be indured to seize hold I
( another animal be always shut bis V
Il