Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-04-10

| come fast friends. Lets go down ON
the ground and talk It over"
I'm afraid my troubles would DO
at an end soon after reached the
ground" said the racoon. besides !
don't know that l have any serious
trouble to talk about. try to attend
to my own affairs and let the rest OF
the creatures In the world enjoy them.
selves. I've had q good supper and
when l get through playing ! will go
to my nice nest away up In big tree
and sleep in peace. or course ! have
some trouble keeping out Of the way
of the big, mean creatures who want
to eat me. but that don't bother me
much, because know their ways and
have q few little tricks Of my own I
can play on them when 1t becomes
necessary"
Surely you are not afraid OF me.
are your" said the panther. Especial
ly after I've told you ! won't hurt
you"
my folks may be a little peculiar"
answered the racoon, but we pay a
great deal more attention to the repu-
tation Of those we associate with than
we do to what they say. That's why
we live to such good old age and en-
Joy life Your talk sounds good. but
your reputation is bad.
But just to show you I'm good
little coon. I'll tell you where you can
get q fine supper, and perhaps after
you have eaten q hearty meal Ill sit
down and have q friendly chat with
you. How high can you jump" asked
the racoon.
ooh, / can leap pretty high in the
air IL there is anything worth jump
ing after" replied the panther. But
tell me where is this good supper you
talk about"
Now I want to assure you, Mr..
Panther, I'm not afraid Of you, but
you might make me nervous II you
got too close to me, so II you'll follow
at q safe distance I'll lead you to a
fine supper" And down the tree came
the little racooA, and moment later
the panther followed.
when you see me climb a tree"
said the racoon, you come under that
tree, and there hanging to limb you
will see a nice big chunk Of venison.
Just jump up and grab It, then sit
down and eat until your sides bulge
out You see / caper about in these
woods a great deal and know all that's
going on. / saw q hunter hang up
that piece of meat for safe keeping.
| don't care for deer meat myself, SO
you are welcome to 1t. Perhaps you'll
be my friend after this?"
Indeed l will, little coon. Its aw-
fully good Of you to help me get q
meal when I'm SO hungry"
And away they went through the
woods. the little coon looking over his
shoulders occasionally to see that the
panther kept at safe distances
Il know" he said to himself, how
he will appreciate what l am doing
for him."
And then he laughed at the thought
OF what he was really going to do to
that mean panther. I'm busy more
than half my time," he continued,
keeping out of that rascal's jaws. He
prowls around here every night, and
all the creatures in the woods are
afraid to enjoy themselves for fear
he will slip up and grab him."
Here's your supper, Mr. Panther"
said the little coon as he hurried up
the big tree.
Now the panther is pretty sly, sus-
picious sort of chap. and hungry as he
was, he did not make haste to jump
I'D and grab the meat He shifted the
ground all around the tree, and not
finding the cause for suspecting any
thing wrong he crouched low and leap
ed for the meat. AS he grabbed 1t
the string with which 1t was tied to
the limb broke and down he came
with a fine supper in his mouth, but
Just as his feet touched the ground,
click! went the big jaws Of a steel
trap!
The trap had been well covered with
leaves 80 that 1t was not visible, but
as soon as one of the panther's hind
feet had touched 1t the panther's leg
was caught in its terrible grip. The
panther set up such howl OF mingled
rage and pain that all the creatures In
the woods became alarmed and for a
time were terribly frightened. but
they soon realized that their old
enemy was in trouble and they came
out to learn how serious It was.
The turkeys few down from their
roosts in the big cypress trees and
cautiously drew near to the trapped
panther. The little rabbits scurried
out of their forms in the thick under.
brush and timidly approached their
terrible enemy. The deer stopped
feeding and came to within respectful
distance Of the bowling monster that
had made life miserable for them.
Even the smaller animals were awak-
ened and came out to see the savage
creature they dreaded 80, fast in
trap. The raving and jumping Of the
panther and the clanklng Of the trap
chains that was fastened to the tree,