The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-01-08

| She will VIXEN she counts her ba.
bies," chuckled John Henry. Wen
tether this fellow with a trace-chain
under the old butternut tree back of
the barn and we shan't have to worry
about the chickens any more this year
for neither fox nor a hawk will come
near"
The baby fox, named by the boys
| Trapsy, soon became a neighborhood
attraction. and helped to keep things
lively. He set the example, keeping
continually busy and seeming hardly
| to realize that he was prisoner at
the end of long, lightweight chain.
With John Henry's fox TERROR pup
Ply Junket he would frolic for hours
until the puppy, growing the faster
and being the heavier, would tire his
playfellow out.
At such times Trapsy would retire
into the hole he had dug for himself
near the trunk of the big butternut
tree, but if John Henry strolled along
and whistled to Junket he would peer
out with a peculiar expression in his
Shrewd little eyes that the Cbservant
lad attributed to envy for the dog that
had his liberty.
'Trapsy must be pretty nearly full
grown now said John Henry one
day along toward autumn. "He knows
me just as well as Junket does. He
appreciates that l have brought him
up. He knows this is his home and
il let loose would stay about with the
dogs and kittens | have no doubt"
Stay around? Not much he would
Mt" said Uncle Zeke emphatically.
Should he slip that chain you'd find
he'd make pretty short business of
saying goodbye to civilization. A fox
amt a dog. No, not much he amt. If
he was free he would show you pretty
quick what a fox would do"
Hes showing us now, right along
what fox can do laughed Aunt
Sarah, Hiding everything he can get
hold of in that hole he has dug. We
shan't have butternut. He has car
though what he wants Of them l have
no idea. He is always doing some
thing, barking, running in a circle at
the end Of his chain until it fairly
makes me dizzy to watch him-and
until he has worn path in that thick
turf like circus ring. If he lies down
in the sun and pretends to go to SLEEP
he is listening with both cooked up
ears readyto spring upon any unsus.
pecting cat or fowl that comes near,
and he is doing his best to make us
believe that he is fond of us and that |
he would stay with us If he was free |
from that clinking chain. If ! believed |
that he would go away and stay away |
would give him his liberty for l am |
tired Of his noise. l would be glad to |
give myself rest and him run"
A few days later as the family were |
at dinner what was their astonish. |
ment to have Junket and Trapsy come |
trotting in to the room together |
through the open outside door.
Collars broke" said Uncle Zeke.
~ thought about putting on larger
and stronger one yesterday. Who
can catch him."
ANY OF us" replied John Henry. |
"Give him something that he likes to
eat and then grab him." but that was
a mistake. He didn't run away, but
he kept just out OF reach.
That night there were fowls miss
ing from the neighbors' roosts, as we'll
as from their own and every night for
some time the same thing happened.
Cunning as fox" was Trapsy, in
deed, and there seemed no end to his
pranks. Burrowing I'M
der the walls of the coops, opening
the chicken house doors, climbing over
frightening the pigs nearly
out of their few wits. What won't
he do next?" was the oft repeated
question.
The traps were set repeatedly, but
the active little creature was not to be
caught that way, nor was there any
artifice successful in beguiling him.
Day after day he came to the farm
yard for his frolic with Junket, and
having regained the use Of his legs
now, and being free, the dog could
not weary him out.
For hours the two would race about
the pasture side and orchard and al
though tempted to shoot Trapsy they
dared not for fear Of wounding Junket.
Every day he would seem to entice
Junket away to the woodland but
when they reached the point OF the
hill Trapsy would 60 and Junket came
trotting back home.
"Bite him Junket." John Henry
would shout. Hold HIM fast, Junk