Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-01-24

Nothing was killed, however; not
even the story. For weeks that mys.
terious animal was forced to appear
at all sorts of inconvenient places,
not infrequently at the call of intelli-
gent citizens, whose sincerity was not
to be doubted. Many child went to
and from school, an active sufferer
from the stories it had heard, while
not a few mothers saw their children
start out from their homes with
pangs of uncertainty not unlike those
experienced in pioneer days.
The animal was never found; the
story never killed. 1t finally lasted
longer and travelled further than is
usual, and grew little with each
mile of travel
Not always is the error found on
this side of the ledger. Some years
ago a party of young men brought a
coon they had been following to bay
somewhere within the ample shades
of big poplar out in the open field.
Knowing that the owner of the tree
would not permit them to cut it,
they sat down under it and patiently
waited until morning, when they
could see to shoot. Great was their
surprise when the break of day re-
vealed to them the fact that they
had over their heads not coon, but
wildcat of undobuted genuineness
and generous proportions. The owner
of the tree afterward assured them
that he would gladly have permitted
them to cut it for the sake of seeing
what would have happened when the
wildcat dropped among them.
Doubtless the residents Of GER
tain hamlet in northern Mercer
County, Pennsylvania, still remem-
ber the excitement produced by a
bear seen number of times in the
vicinity of notoriously timid man S
house. Usually the apparition came
to him at night, but the tracks never
failed to remain in the road where
1t had crossed, vivid daylight re-
minders. Once or twice, when un-
armed, he encountered and was
chased by the animal in the day time.
Only small part of the people who
heard the story knew at the time.
perhaps 1t may be news to some of
them even now. that the marauder
was a fake bear, arranged and ma
nipulated by young man and a few
confederates.
In the midst of a mild wild ami
NAL epidemic prosperous farmer
heard a noise at his barn one night,
and hurrying on his boots, went out
to investigate. Just outside the
door a gust of wind extinguished
his lantern, and setting it down, he
stepped inside and swung the door
shut after him, intending to feel
his way to the stables, which would
be moderately well lighted by the
moon shining through the windows.
Almost the first step sent him head
long into the middle of the barn
floor; he had tripped over some ami
NAL crouching where no animal had
any right to be. There was rush
anu otully VI lSct, III Which tuS
farmer took a vigorous part, never
stopping until he tumbled out into
the open air and banged the door
after him. Then he shouted to his
family to bring light and a gun;
he wanted to save his stock from the
intruder.
The gun reached him first, and inn
patient lest the beast should escape
or do further damage before the light
arrived, he cautiously opened the
door and took careful aim midway
between the two eyes he could see
glaring at him in the half light across
the floor. Just as he was about to
pull the trigger the light Of lam
tern fell upon the crouching beast
and revealed-one of his own colts
that had slipped it's halter, and tired
of its Investigations. finally laid
down where its master soon after
ward stumbled upon it, Needless to
say, the colt was as badly frightened
as the farmer by the encounter, but
of course little knew the peril it was
in while the old man was planning
it's destruction. Forest and Stream