The Monroe journal., 1919-10-24

.
sum hunt and cot several OF the boys
enlisted for the chase Gabe by pre-
arrangement lad turned the Possum
loose at an agreed on spot before We
4 set out. Tie others in the party were
not aware OF this little bit OF by play
and. doubtless. they wondered a
Cabe's optimism and confidence in the
ability OF his dog to strike trail that
night. We wandered around IN the
vicinity of where our late prisoner
had been liberated and there. sure
enough, the dog picked trail and sci
OF pell NELL in pursuit. with all OF Us
right behind for the actions of The dog
led TO the belief that II would be
short chase. The course led through
some very thick woods that dotted a
tremendously steep hill on the Civ
ins place. Gabe had the lantern ana
BY virtue of knowing in advance what
was going TO happen | had contriyed
10 be right next TO him az the start
and | set gu. to maintain that ac-
vantage at all hazards. Half way
down the hill was three stand barb
wire fence. Gabe's lantern revealed
Il TO him and he went over with neat
ness and dispatch. | was next in or
, der and il was over the top for me
! also. The next and the next got
! through without any serious mishaps
and then came Archie Niven. charg-
ing along in deadly fear that that
J lantern would pass clean out of the
, range of his vision. He never saw
J the fence in his headlong speed down
the hill and the upper wires caught
, him midship. He catapulted over
: il and found his clothes fast in the
, clutches of aboutsa dozen barbs on
the wires. He made the welkin ring
t with his yells for help and some OF
/ the more fortunate boys turned back
e and helped him get out. We founa
that the possum had taken refuge in
! big pile of rocks and after pricing,
2 clawing and straining at them Tor
r two or three hours We dug down to
r him and recaptured him. After that
l we raked around for hours without
S the dog finding any fresh scents, ana
r finally Gabe had an idea that we have
: some sport by turning the possum
a loose and putting the dog on his tran
/ (the other boys did not know he had
( already been turned loose one time
. that night. The rest agreed and we
had another lively chase that ended
with the 'possum up tree. we
I chopped il down without finding him
and deciding, maybe. he was in the
next nearest tree we cut that down
and the next and the next until we
had enough trees felled TO start q saw
lnill with. aud the 'possum-well. we
Ineyer saw him again. He. doubtiess-
Nv went home TO his wife and as they
say in the story books. they lived
happy ever after.
| ON damp night Gust like tonight
isl there was something poweriulll!
| fetching IN the hanging around IN !
| dense tract OF timber waiting tor th'
1ops 10 strike scent The huntih'
| was always at its best at about lhl'
| time of year and on night when eN'
erything was good and damp. IN
'possuln leaving his warm bed AM
setting out on his nocturnal CUES
for food would leave a warm clingih'
trail that a dog could pick up AM
easily follow. There was nothln
like hanging around in the WOOD
waiting for such a scent TO be stfucI
aud in specializing on what success
would attend the hunt. | rememoe
one night when Latham and Jon
| richardson. myself and some othe
fellows were thus waiting lor sohlt
| thing TO start. We had ALREADY eauS"
ore of the ring tailed brothers an
| the dog was ranging in quest oil
new trail. All of us set down on
falleu and rotten oak log and wei
resting and recounting tales. lhei
Tas plenty of space on the log whei
was and being rather tlteu
stretched out on my back and went
slt,p. or rather TO doing From
yer. peaceful reverie that was u
I..>, thing TO being sound asleep
o. ~ NJ off of that log with He
mar caused one of the boys 10 s"''
low H.. chew OF tobacco IN she'
might. Before my feet had z
heck on the ground my coat was {
ana my shirt ana other garments We
fnliowing me coat and all the I'm
some hing horrible was chasing us
all up and Gown ny spine. W rem
nd If las. Invested myself oil /
shirt and undershirt the cause OF
my trouble was revealed in the pre-
ence OF a good sized lizard that III
somehow gained egfess to my WEI
\ ing apparel while | dozed. doi
remember what the weapon was IN
I used right then, but set upon III
lizard and aayed the life out OF III
Every time see one OF them now
rember that 'possum hunt ana IL
not altogether pleasant TO recall
Some people do not hold the MA
in any particular repugnance. |
\ member how Bum Mullis at hei
! both would some times try and ut
\ rifv any girls that happened 10
around him by turning lizard loo
inside of his shirt.
started to write something aoC
i newspapers at the beginning OF 9
: article. but somehow got switched
onto 'possums and lizards. supp,
I had better go back to near the
ginning and try and finish wha'
started out to write about tneh'
had intended following up the
marks on reading matter with sol
thing OF the same sort with resp
IN the advertisements that help
,ol,a n weekly paper q good