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.
