Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-07-20
RASTUS--THE STORY OF A PET RACOON WHICH
WAS HOUSED At DEVIL LAKE STATE PARK BY
SUPERINTENDENT ATWOOD SMITH--BY MISS CLAUDE

luCEG NdS dn Ny 4AA0c A<OuACS
Claude, entitled, 'sRastus- The Story
of a Pet Raccoon." The article runs
as follows:
Some time early in June, one of the
game-wardens brought a friend oil
ours a young raccoon. The little crea
ture had been found nearly starved
in the woods; probably his mother
had been killed and he was too young
to take care of himself.
I He very soon developed the most
intense affection for his owners and
if they were away for a few hours his
, JOY krSw Nc bounds when they re-
turned; he would rush across the
floor to meet Mr. S., make a running
jump and climb up him, clutching
him fast with his strong paws. He
liked to have them always in sight,
and if he was in one room and they in
another he kept up a continual coax
ing. singing sound, and tried in every
way to open the door. One day when
| went to see them | found him fast
asleep on a chair close TO Mrs. s.;
sitting on his launches, his nose
tucked into his fat little stomach and
his forepaws over his eyes, purring in
q queer musical way that denoted the
most perfact content.
Another time, found him asleep
in the same position on top of the
kitchen range; there had been a fire
in il earlier in the day, and the range
was still slightly warm, so he tucked
, himself behind two flatirons and had
gone to sleep near his friend. When !
touched him re awoke and equity
licked my hand
If Mr.. S. lay down for nap on the
sofa, Rastus at once began TO exam
inc him carefully, feeling oil over him
and particularly investigating his
nose and ears, always with the most
serious and preoccupied expression.
Then he went through every pocket,
emptying them and gravely sampling
their contents. Pockets were always
his delight and If he found a coat or
sweater anywhere he at once began
to hunt for the pockets, and never
stopped until he had emptied them,
his face meantime expressing the Ii
veliest interest and curiosity
At first he did not grow very fast
but with care and plenty of good food
he began to grow fat, and his coat be-
came silky and bright. He lost his for
lorn air, and acquired an impish gay
ETY. when with those he loved. His &C.
tivity and curiosity were amazing
and sometimes he seemed quite wild
with play. One evening when in this
mood he climbed up me, snatched my
handkerchief out of my pocket, and
shook it excitedly Then he raced all
over the house, upsetting everything
he could reach. nipping our ankles
and generally disturbing the peace.
When he became absolutely unman
| ageabIe and threatened TO turn the
whole house upside down, Mr.. S
would start the victrola. At the first
note Rastus looked worried, then
with a deeply panied and absurdly pr
Gus expression he would sit on his
launches and clasp mis- paws on his
breast as though in prayer; then as
the Ito him) distressing sounds con
4inued he stole hurriedly away and
upstairs where he remained, quiet
and subdued until all was still again
when he would come cautiously down,
stopping from time to time to recon.
noitre. And this was found to be the
best way to discipline him, when he
became too wild for comfort /.
Like all of this race he made a
great variety of sounds, most of them
quite musical and all very expressive
, His coaxing note was most appealing
and the little song he sang when hap
Ply was as full of content and joy as
any bird song. When angry or troub-
, led there We're several other notes,
not unmusical, but most expressive Of
a warlike frame of mind, and it be.
hooved the person addressed TO keep
his distance
AS soon as he was big enough TO
climb on the shelf beneath large
mirror that hung in the living room,
he found endless amusement in look
ing at himself in the glass, and many
times during the day he would climb
on the shelf and standing on his hind
legs, peer at his image, patting, sniff
fling, and licking it. But getting no re-
Spouse, he always ended by carefully
examining the back of the glass.
About the middle of October his
friends were obliged to go away for
a time, and brought him to stay with
us. When he arrived at our house in
his masters arms late in the evening
he looked much worried and his heart
was heating violently; when we put
him down on the floor he at once
went upstairs, examining everything
on the way. After giving him a
chance to recover from the sudden
change in his surroundings ] went up
for him and he allowed me TO carry
him down; then he began the most