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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (April 10, 1908)
THE TROLLEY RABEST t7 AN EPISODE IN WOODS AND WATER EXPLOITS By Ernest McGaffoy Author of Voamj of Can and "Rod, Etc. is (Uupyrlh'ht, by JuM'pli II. Howie ) There's more limn a dozen ways of shooting rabbits, but tlio boys gen orally wait until there's snow on tho ground. Of course a man rmiH annum rnbbltH whop he's quail shooting, hunt lug for ruffed grouso and prairie chickens, but the roal time to about them Is along about from November until Kay the middle or December. Then they aro foraging around among the corn shocks and fattening up on different stuff, and the fat Just layH in wailH all up and down their backs, and their kldneyH aro Hlmply snioth orod in tallow. Pact! You take a corn-fed rabbit In tho middle of No vember, and Iiu'k as fat at a seal, and tender as chicken. Out that Isn't what J Htartcd to tell about. Tho Nlmrod Gun and Hod club was composed of about iih crafty WHY DON'T a bunch of jokors as ever sat. up nights trying to "put it over" some unsuspecting devotee of the rod and gun. It was about au oven bet. that they would rathor fool some fellow into doing something ridiculous than to make the record "bag" for ducks along tho lakes. "Hlg Jack" Mullun phy was willing at any time to spend $50 for something that, could take In a veteran "sport." And every win ter, after the shooting had closed and tho boys had lots of idle time on their hnnda, "Hlg Jack" always wjih work ing on so mo racket that was calcu lated to cover somo hunter with con fusion and cause him to set up quan tities of cigars, or buy a supper for the mombers of the club. And so this particular winter "Jack" had fixed up tho slickest scheme you over hoard of. The club's headquar ters were at a farmhouse about a quartor of a mile from the lake, and we used to go out there as soon as thoro was a good snow on tho ground and tako somo bungles along and shako tho country up for rabbits. Hack of tho sitting-room ,of tho farmhouso was tho kitchen, and it was built high up from tho ground and boarded un derneath. Hack of tho kitchen was the orchard, and it waa on a side hill, with tho trees protty low to tho ground; an old orchard protty well gone to seed. "Hlg Jack," who was a clover me chanic, and an electrician besides, wont out thoro and built a Httlo trolley track In tho orchard that ran up and down hill and around among tho troos, and that worked as slick as ono of those Jlttlo tracks that thoy uso to send cash back and forth on in tho big stores. Well, sir, ho noxt shot a rabbit and got It mounted all stret.chod out, and then he fixes tho rabbit on tho track and gets the wires and pul arranged bo that lio gould keep the rabbit on a Klendy awing nround thin track, up and down, In and out, by iilttlng under the kitchen and work Ing the dingus from down there. Well, ay, now! Didn't that tame Homo or the real "wise" boya? I Kiii-fctt yea! K very Saturday night when we'd go out to tho lake we'd tako some hunter along, and nfior the boys would get to playing "cinch" In tho sitting-room, some fellow would como In sort, or excited and Hay: "Where'H my gnu?" and commonco to rumble around the gun rack. Tho follows who were In the deal would say: "What do you want with your gun?" Then the Nlmrod would nay: "There's a rabbit out In tho orchnrd." My a little Hinooth work we couhl generally get tho now arrival to dig out Into the night with the fell Intent of destroying the rabbit; and If ho was a real hunter, oven he would usu ally tako a couple of shots at tho trolley rabbit before lie would "catch on" to the Joke. Hut If ho was a green hand ho would stand there and bang away for a dozen shots. Tho boys always went along and fed shells to him and encouraged him to shoot, and after he had finally "tumbled" to tho hoax, it was worth a supper next week In town. "Hlg Jack" always .disappeared at the psychological moment, and manip ulated the pulleys, and when ho came back the boys would kindly tell him all about it and Imitate the actions of the shooter, and "Hlg Jack" would nearly perish with laughter. One time we got word from "Jack" that he had a fresh victim in tow who would bo on hand tho next Sat urday night at tho depot, and for us all to be suro to come down and meet Wilbur. This Wilbur was simply sag ging In his sldo-pockols with monoy, YOU FIRE? and it was figured that he would do tho handsome- thing by tho boys when wo gave him an interview with our rabbit. So a full attendance was there at. tho dopot, and wo had our four beagles along to give the meet the appearance of tho genuine thing. Wil bur was there all right, and he seemed to bo the most promising thing in the way or a "teuderroot" that had been sprung In a long time. Ho was just breaking into the shoot ing game, and "Hlg-Jack" was helping him out and leading him books and going out shooting clay pigeons with him, and had put up his name for membership, and wo all gave htm tho "glad hand" and prepared to hand It to him plenty when we got out to tho lake. All the way out wo sat In tho "smoker," and this Wilbur won about a dollar and SO cents playing "cinch" with three of us. He was green enough hunting, but. ho seemed to know how to play "cinch" all right. Wo talked a lot about the rabbit shoot ing around tho lako, but wo didn't tip off our gamo by any remarks about rabbits in tho orchard. Then "Hlg Jack says: "We'll make up a purse of five dollars for tho fellow that gets tho first rabbit," and everyone agreed to it and chipped In BO cents apleco. When we got to tho station Old Man Carmody met. us, and when wo asked him about rabbits tho old man says "Slathers of 'em. 1 see 'em playln' 'round the yard on moonlight nights, and thoy're gnawln' at the old cab bagos loft In the garden an' chasln each othor In tho orchard. You'll have line sport to-morrow; there hasn't boon a gun tired at 'em yet." Woll, of courso this wns a grand "steer" for Wilbur, and gavo him an Idea that thqrp were rabbits by tho million In tho country, and ho wanted to get his gun out of the ease and stick In a couple of shells In case wo saw any rabbits on tho way over. Hut Old Man Carmody put a stopper on that by declaring that tho team wouldn't stand for shooting from tho wagon, and so we coaxoil Wilbur to keep his artillery under cover until later. We arrived at the house and Wilbur was Introduced all around and we had an qlogant supper waiting for us. Wo showed our prospective member tho gun-rackH, tho mounted ducks, Jack snipe, woodcock, ruffed grouffo, pralrlo chickens and other specimens in tho front room, which was our "show room," and then wo got together in the sitting-room for another session of "cinch." Well, sir, this here Wilbur was a lucky devil at "cinch." Seems as If ho got the cards, and he know how to play 'em. He kept winning steady, and by and by after ho was about three dollars ahead "Hack" Swearlngen went out doors and nfter paddling around In the light snow that lay on the ground, ho conies in kind of sly and says: "Where'd I put my gun?" This Wilbur fellow he'd Just won a game, and "Hig Jack" was shutlllng the cards, and "Jack" speaks up and says: "What's up; Is that old owl out there, 'Hack?'" "No," says "Hack," "but 1 saw a rabbit running around In tho orchard, and I thought I'd run in and nail him. I win the flvi if I get him, don't I?" "Oh, no!" says "Hlg Jack;" "that's for a fair start In the morning, every fellow in tho timber and tho dogs loose. Go ahead and get him, though. Hold on, though," says "Jack," as a thought seemed to strike him, "what's the matter with our new member tak ing first crack at him?" "All right," says "Hack," "we'll both go." So "Huck" and this Wilbur boy they snakes their breech-loaders out of the cases and out they put for the rabbit. "Hig Jack" ducks out of the side door and In under" tho kitchen and away goes the rabbit. "There ho goes." whispers "Huck," as the rabbit sails away as slick as a cash basket, and goes down tho hill. "Give it to him, soak him." So this Wilbur fellow ups with his gun and alms for the rabbit, and then he drops his gun and takes a peek, and then he raises his gun, and still he don't shoot. "Shoot, Bhoot," says "Huck;" "he'll get clear away If you don't hurry. What yo waitln' for?" says "Huck." "P,m waitln' for somo ono to turn tho power off," says this here Wilbur fellow. "I ain't sbootln' any mechan ical rabbits unless 1 get a crack at 'em sett in'." And "Hig Jack" paid for that supper. What He Wanted. Congressman J. Hampton Mooro'a book, entitled, "With Speaker Cannon Through the Tropio," tolls that the vessel on which tho voyage was made was provented from landing its dis tinguished passengers at Colon on the day of arrival because of a technical violation of the quarantine law of tho Isthmus of Panama. Finally the order was Issued permitting the vessel to come up to the dock. A pilot on shore was wigwagging signals to tho pilot on tho "congres slonal junketeer" wheu Speaker Can non caught sight of the strange per formance. Ho was standing on tho deck with Representative Moore at the time, and this question was ml dressed to tho author-congressman: "What In does that fool want?" "iBUjjposo," was Mr. Moore's answer, "ho Is a member of the Panama con gross and he is trying to catch your eye. lie probably wants recognition." Force of Habit. "Close shave, sir?" No response. "Would you profer tho window closed?" No response. "Getting rather cold, eh?" No response. "Trim your mustache, sir?" No response. "Think Uoosevelt will accept a third term?" No response. "Hay-rum?" No response. "Any news about the murder trial?" No response. Whereupon the country barber, who was alone in hip shop, took a seat greatly refreshed lie had been tnavlng himself! Judge. Slow. "Jones is terribly slow pay, Isn't he?" "Well 1 wouldn't like to say that ox actly. Hut I 'will say that when it conies to paying what ho owes, ho ap pears to he a victim of stuporous melancholia." Detroit Free Press. The New Way. Lives of groat iiifii all remind us If wo go in for 1'K crlino, We'll win out, and luavo liohliul uh Smaller rascals doing- time. Halttmoro American. Evolution. Uttlo drops of water, Mttle grains of saiul, Make tho mighty milkman And the grocer grand. Juilg. MP YAim Exposed fowls are apt to be poor layors. Tho farmer may not know himself, but he ought to know his soil. Whole oats and wheat and cracked corn make a first-class hen feed. Three requisites to early potatoes Karly soil, early planting, early vari ety. It Is the earlv hatched chick which. If proporly reared, becomes the profit earner In tho fall. Not only tho right amount, but the right kind of food counts in encour aging tho hen to lay. Croatf-breedlng of sheep requires both judgment and skill. Don't at tempt It If you are a novice. Remember at this season of the year that if.ls Important to keep the hogs out of the wet. and to keep pens und beds dry. A cow turned out to pasture in good vigorous condition will respond to the fresh foed 50 per cent, bettor than the animal which Is run down. With so 'many men out of work throughout the country, it seems a shame that farmors are so hard put. to it to get the help they need. Stingy feeding is followed by scant giving. What have you gained if you havo saVed a pound of one-and-a-half cent foed and lost a pint of flve-cent milk? Don't let the first few warm, bright days of spring make you forgot, that there will be cold, raw, wet days a- plenty. Look out for the stock In such weather. Take a hint from the politicians and begin to repair your fences, If you have not already done so. Look cave- fully. The stock will find tho weak places If you do not. The farmer who has raised sheep and finds them profitable says that the right kind of a flock In tho hands of the right kind of a farmer Is one of the best, kind of investments. The boy who Is brought up to feel a personal responsibility in tho farm or some feature of the farm and who reaps the direct reward of such devo tion, is seldom anxious to pull away from tho farm to the city. Koop records and accounts both of the livestock and the crops of tho farm. The value o.f knowing what It costs to produce tho products on your farm lies wholly In the possibility af forded by Its uso In comparing your system of farm management with that of others. With body rested by the winter let up and tho mind stimulated by the lec tures of tho farmers institutes and the studies of the short course at the agricultural school, and the reading of tho good farm journal, which of course you take, you are ready for the work of the coming season. Glvo the boy a chance for a little Independent management on tho farm. Glvo him a ram lamb and two young owes. He can handle them easily, foed thorn on n small lot and train himself to be a fine shepherd In doing it. You will find the following to be a Rood ration for young pigs: Three ounces of cornmeal to one quart skim milk. For pigs over (10 pounds give six ounces cornmeal to ono quart milk. Whon thoy reach 100 pounds weight add eight ounces cornmeal. Good dairying Includes good cows, good pasture In summer and good jfeod In winter, good shade In sum ;mor and good shelter In winter, good water and good euro all tho year round, and good ma chinery to run the separator, the churn, etc. If the farmer has good eyesight, ho can easily boo the good points of tho above declaration. Cut out the suckers. Tho troo Is weakonod by them. Try a song or a whistle with the chores. Makes them go easier. Arrange the stock buildings so as to minimize the work of caring for the animals. It. will pay you to havo a feed mill If you aro feeding from 20 to 25 bush els of grain a week. He on the lookout for new ideas. Little danger that you will ever know too much about farming. As the American farmer Is known abroad "American butter" is tho name given In Syria to oleomargarine. Overfeed or underfeed, Irregular feeding or improper foed are mistakes to be avoided if stock raising Is to prove profitable. x He careful and do not let tho young horses strain themselves under tho heavy spring work. An Injury dono will be bard to overcome. Use a spring wagoa whon hauling fruit or vegetables. If you haven't. ono got the springs for your farm wagon to be used when needed. Make up your mind uow that next win tor you will tako that short course at the agricultural college which you hud half a mind to try this year, but just didn't. Fodder which is scattered on the ground and run over by the sheep Is practically waste, for they will not touch It, although perhaps suffering from hunger. Not a had Idea as the horses como into the hard work of the spring to clip them. A heavy coat of wet hair is not very comfortable In a cold spring breeze. Never think of marketing a thin horse. Tho food It will take to put him in good flesh will more than como back to you in tho better price you will get for the animal. Take a day off sometime and work out a scheme whereby you can sell some of your produce direct to the consumer rather than paying most of the profit to the commission man. In pan-raised cream you have the pans to wash and where separator is used you have the separator to wash. Where Is tho difference? This for those to answer who object to the sep arator because of the work of wash ing It. A good carriage horse will bring from $200 to $300 In almost any horse market, while scrubs that cost almost as miicji to raise will bring only half that sum. While you are In the horse raising business breed to a good sire and get an animal that Is worth while. Put. In the raw material and bring forth tho finished product is what tho farmer does when he fertilizes hla soil and cultivates It and grows his crop. Such a farmer Is in profitable manufacturing business. Hut he wlio takes from the soil and puts nothing in the place of tho crop removed Is like the miner taking riches from the ground and making no return. Asparagus and rhubarb' neod lota of manure, and scarcely too much can be applied to the soil. Whatever may be said concerning tho typhoid bacil lus In horse manure and Its dangers to strawberries, certain It Is that It does not apply to rhubarb and aspara gus, for the latter plants aro cooked before eating so that any germs wlilcli might be present would be destroyed. Millet seed Is recommended by a poultry raiser, who says that he has I'ound it to bo one of tho best feeds for imhv chicks, Klven just before they are put to bed for the night. A very good bacon pig can be obtained by mating the ordinary sow of the coun try with a male of tho bacon breeds. Two litters are usually obtained from the sows, they having tho spring lit ters sufficiently early to allow the sec ond litter to bo weaned before cold weather sets In. Prof. E. T. Hart of the University of Wisconsin has devised a now milk test for the discovery or tho caBeln content of tho milk, and which la of special interest to the cheeso maker. His test consists of placing a quantity of milk Into a tube with chloroform and acetic acid thoroughly mixed. The tube Is thou revolved, uh In the Bab cock, test 2,000 revolutions a mlnuto for eight minutes. This distributes the Ingredients so that the ohloroiorm and tho fat In solution are at ono ond and clear wator and the milk solids on tho top. Tho cnseln Is found In a whlto mass betweon these two and may be measured by tho scale marked on the tube.