The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-04-24

A BATTLE WITH
PUMPKIN SEEDS"
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
BY PAUL Z. TRIEM.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Years ago, when Mr.. Purdy heard
hat the Crawfords, from his old
6ome in Maine, had become frontiers
men and had like himself settled in
10wa, he stuck notice on his cabin
door to the effect that he had gone
Visiting and would return within a
couple of months, and started on
horseback to welcome the newcomers.
He enjoyed his visit. but fould his
former neighbors not disposed to
lake seriously all his advice. When
he spoke of the ferocity of the wild
hogs that infested the country
*pumpkin-seeds" they were called.
because of their tawny color and
conical forms-all the Crawfords
laughed.
"Wolf, there, can take the biggest
fazorback that ever squealed, and
put him out of business in no time,"
Jim Crawford scoffed. Jim was
twenty years DID,"
Maybe so" mumbled the old man.
Then his eyes began to twinkle. and
he spoke again. along last fall"
be said. II heard racket out in the
rush behind my cabin. and l went
out to look round. On the other side
Of clearing where I'd had potatoes,
spotted big black bear, standing
over a pumpkin-seed that he'd just
Walloped the life out Of Next mo-
ment another pig showed up-big-
est one / ever saw, he was, and it
seemed to me his ears were set half
Way between his nose and the root
Of his tail. Before I'd stood there
two minutes. twenty or thirty more
pumpkin-seeds had sneaked into the
Nearing, and were looking kind of
youthful at Mr.. Bear"
And then Mr.. Bear got mad and
thrashed the whole outfit" laughed
Mrs. Crawford. Don't tell us that
2 bunch of scrawny pigs made bear
run, Elijah Purdy."
"They didn't make him run"
agreed the trapper. "They circled
round him, and then. all of a sud
zen, bear and pumpkin-seeds were
piled up ten deep. But it was all
over in few minutes; there wasn't
anything left of the bear but a few
pits of fur and his bones, and those
we're polished pretty clean"
This story reused in the settlers
zpirit of ridicule. They laughed at
Nj. Purdy's respect for wild hogs,
md Jim offered to go out with
club, accompanied by the great half
mastiff dog called Wolf" and ex-
terminate drove of the animals.
g A few days later Mr.. Purdy and
Jim started down the Maquoketa
River beyond what is now the town
Of Hopington. They were armed
with heavy, long-barreled shotguns,
that took eight drains of powder for
each barrel, and that were powerful
enough to kill fox or wild turkey
at shotgun range; also they were
by Wolf. Buddy, an
English bulldog who had been given
to the Crawfords by some east-bound
overs, was to be unclaimed as soon
s. Wolf was gone-for the bulldog
nd the half-mastiff were never al
owed to run at the same time. Thus
Irs. Crawford would have the COM
panionship and protection of Buddy
While the other dog was away.
Unfortunately for this plan, before
The hunters had tramped two miles
Jim discovered the white bulldog
skulking few rods behind.
"Confound the dogi" said Jim.
FEATHER won't be home till night and
mother will be nervous without
living thing for company. Well have
to lead Buddy to keep him and Wolf
from fighting, too"
The bulldog was secured by
strap Jim had worn about his waist.
and so leashed, trotted amiably at
his masters side. Occasionally he
wrinkled his nose at Wolf, but it was
easy to keep the enemies apart.
Game was scarce. Mr.. Purdy
dropped goose as it rose, Topping,
from side current in the river, and
Wolf killed woodchuck. Aside from
this, they had seen nothing when
they stopped to eat dinner near a
stream that emptied into the
Looks as If l wasn't going to get
anything" Jim grumbled. Il say,
Mr.. Purdy, what do you suppose
Wolf is after?"
The men turned and stared into
the brush-filled bed of the little
stream, which had been behind them
as they ate. Then, at sight of an
animal which broke from the cover of
the slough, Mr.. Purdy jumped to his
feet.
Call off that dog!" he cried
He's chasing young pumpkin-seed,
and there'll be a whole swarm after
MIN and us If he hurts the brute"
But even il Jim had wanted to
call his dog, he could not have done
SO. Wolf was hardly a rod behind
the pig when it ran from the brush.
and in dozen leaps he had over
taken and killed his victim.
That shows what a pumpkin-seed
amounts to with WOLF " Tn, bo,r..s