Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-10-08
Give 1T 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
venerable fisherman had landed
fine eastern brook trout, says Howard
NJ. Wright in the Portland Orego-
Man. We We're standing on the shore
of one of the lakes well back in the
Cascades.
| had only a few moments before
unslung my pack at his cabin. and.
taking trail that led to the 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 a Missouri meerschaum !
handed out box of tobacco. He pro-
ceeded to fill up with what he called
his favorite brand next to H. O.
That gave me clew and I knew
at once the ancient angler could tel
some big ones. He fired up deliber-
ately and crossed his legs in a leis-
urely manner.
well, sir" he started out, 81 recli.
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 a boat by big fish off'n
the Newfoundland banks and after
81 /, i I.s1.
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
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 smelled 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.
"That certainly got my interest,
so l said to myself 'Looka here,
Mr.. Mole, Wen try you out and see
what your limits are" hunted
around until | found a Webster's die
tiOnary and a big family Bible. I
placed these on the chair and piled
other hooks 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 I scratched my
head a little and when I saw Mr.. Mole
coming up for the third time I jumped
on top of the pile Of books. But
it was no use; he kept right on 60
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,
big, fat man. weighing few pounds
under 800. He straddled aboard.
"'On came the mole, this time his
muscles fairly standing out to get into
the fray. But he was no foolhardy
young mole. He took time to size
up the situation. sort Of shrugged his
shoulders and acted as 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
a little moved slowly TO one side and
the mole passed-but the chair broke
and the fat man came down with a
thud On the mole's back. And do you
know, that mole hesitated only mo-
ment and then started for the corner
of the room, carrying the fat man on
his back"