Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-03-06
"Chirps" ~
from the
Democrats Pen

DSk14OS4S @S ~ O~~
Well, Sir, some of these youngsters
and some oldsters too-think they
know a thing or two about coon hunt
ing. They keep a lot of coon dogs
about which they will talk to you Tor
hours, telling you just how that old
lop-eared son-of-a-gun could tie any
coon ever born into knots and then I'M
tangle him. They have a stock OF
flash lights; they provide themselves
with rubber boots and pants; they go
out on the dark Cor light, don't know
which, of the moon, wade around IN
marshes and boys up to their chins, at
the risk of their lives; they finally
catch a coon at the expense of dog
or two, and then come home telling
everybody about the glorious time
they had-coon hunting. Well, so far
as I'm concerned, they can have it.
But some of you folks don't know
thing about coon hunting until you
learn how from-well, don't know
whether thus mighty Nimrod wants
his name known. You know (if you'll
let me digress a little) newspaper
business is ticklish one. had
man to say to me this week that he
had done so-and-so, but warned me
not to make any mention of it in the
paper-told me, you see, about some
thing I may never have heard of, and
then told me not to publish it. Blest
if I know what to do-didnt know
whether he had this roundabout way
of limiting for some publicity or not.
Sorta put me in the position of being
damned if 1 did and damned if 1
didn't. I-nad young woman once
upon time to stop subscription be-
cause l failed to note that she spent
the weekend across the street with
her neighbor.
But to get back to coon hunting:
/ don't know much about the sport,
but this coon was not exactly in the
usual habitat of these plucky little
night providers. This one had stray
ed away from swamps, marshes, boys,
and fens, and had sought high grounds
in search of forage. He found it in
the back yard of one of our respect
able, Woodworking farmers, and was
one of the species of living moving,
and distinguishing animals known
as chickens.
Now most any coon loves a chicken,
but this one seems to have had an
inclination to trade the feathered beau
ties off for other commodities; so with
unusual intelligence, or else not be
transports his find to mercantile es-
tablishment to exchange for other de-
hcacies of the season or for hard cash
as the case may be.
And here's where the tragedy be-
gins. The chickens appeared to the
tradesman as being in bad hands. The
merchant sends at once for an exper-
fenced coon hunter-you know who he
is. This coon must have met this
hunter before and formed a most po-
tent dislike to him, because the trees
of the woods looked a whole heap
more inviting than the lamp posts of
Pocomoke. So he picked up his heels
IN his hands and hot-footed for the
woods.
But he had an experienced hand as
hunter after him. It was nip and
%,VoI u.
to woods not so far from the city,
and there the scent was lost for
awhile. But the coonhunter had good
ears as well as a good nose, and
pretty soon he heard familiar crack
ing in the branches of the trees. Gaz-
ing up, he saw the quarry in the
branches and he spoke such language
as could be understood, backed by a
Sawed-off shot gun. The chicken fan
cier climbed down and the capture
was made without the usual scuffle at
the bottom.
I'll venture to say, this was the
"Quairest" coonhunt our hero ever in
dulged in, and it was the biggest coon
he ever bagged. And I am sure that
history will not record many Attempts
like this to evade a hunter. And I'll
wager it was the quietest capture af-
ter most exciting hunt you yer saw.
And, finally, want to crown the cap
tor with wreath honoring him as the
best coon hunter ever.