Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-09-02
GIVE II TO MOLE
Little Animal Hereby Qualities as
a Samson.
Venerable Fisherman Tells Story That
Should Remove All Doubt Con.
corning the Strength Of the
Small Earth Disturber.

do you want to know the most
powerful animal for its size in the
world:"
The question was asked just after
a venerable fisherman had landed a
fine eastern brooS trout. says Howard
NJ. Wright in the Portland Orego-
man. We We're standing en the shore
of one of the lakes we'll lack in the
Cascades.
had only few moments before
unslung my pack 1T his cabin, and,
taking trail that led to tie lake, had
found him right in his glory. l, of
course was interested in getting all
the data the old fellow had to offer
and we sat down on log and as he
produced Il Missouri meerschaum
handed out box of tobacco He pro-
ceeded to fill up with what he called
his favorite brand next to II. o.
That gave me clew and | knew
at once the ancient angler could tell
some big ones. He fired up deiber-
ately and crossed hts legs in a leis-
urelv maruer.
"Weli. sir" he started out, 81 reck-
on according TO what one of them
scientists told me that happened in
here a While back that the mole has
got EN- all stopped. had been tell
ing some stories about being towed
around in boat by big fish off'n
the Newfoundland banks and after
got through he waited q little while
and then said:
"'Well, captain, have never had a
lot of experience with big fish, but
certainly had my eyes opened one
day. had accidentally caught live
mole. and for no particular reason 1
brought it into the house and put it
on the floor. 1t began to wander
about the room and finally came up
against the leg of chair which had
pened to be up close to the wall. The
mole SInelled it over little, backed
up a little, shifted some and put his
nose in between that chair and the
wall and pushed her aside as if she
had been a puff ball.
i'ht WI fanny gu NY IulcitSl,
so ] said to myself. "Looka here,
Mr.. Mole, We'll try you out and see
what your limits are" hunted
around until found a Webster's die
tionary and big family Bible. 1
placed these on the chair and piled
other books on top of them until that
chair would hold no more and wait
ed for him to try it out.
"'Pretty soon he came, keeping
close to the wall. This time he never
stopped to sniff, but walked right
through.
"'That got me, but scratched my
head little and when saw Mr.. Mole
coming up for the third time l jumped
on top of the pile Of books. But
it was no use; he kept right on go
ing and slid the whole business of us
right to one side.
"Well, | was somewhat amazed, but
suddenly a thought came to me and I
went out and called in my neighbor,
a big, fat man, weighing few pounds
under 300. He straddled aboard.
Oil Edibe llt lllple, WIS Ulle MS
muscles fairly standing out to get into
the fray. But he was no foohardy
young mole. He took time to size
up the situation sorr of shrugged his
shoulders and acted az if he was spit
ting on his hands. Finally he poked
his nose in between the legs of that
chair and the wall and raised those
mighty shoulders. The chair creaked
little, moved slowly TO one side and
the mole pnssed-but the chair broke
and the fat man came down with
thud or the mole's back. And, do you
know, that mole hcstated only mo-
ment and then started for the corner
of the room, carrying the fat man on
his back"