Speaking of Hobbies 



You Should See the 

 Member Mathers' 



Zoo on Farm Bureau 

 Mason County Farm 



/7 F you should stop at Dr. M. B. 



l/l Mathers' Mason county farm 

 \^_^ someday and see a bear — don't 

 try to pretend you haven't seen anything 

 out of the ordinary. You will have seen 

 a bear all right! In fact you will have 

 seen two bears. And if it's a year or two 

 from now before you pay your visit you 

 will have seen a couple of bears and a 

 cub or two thus making you feel like a 

 modern Goldi-locks. 



And if you should try to rationalize the 

 bears by muttering, "I just knew I 

 shouldn'ta taken that extra cup of coffee 

 last night," .... forget it, because what 

 you might say when you spied the 

 doctor's newest pet, Josephine, simply 

 wouldn't do to print. 



Josephine was given Dr. Mathers early 

 this spring. Her waist line was fit to 

 draw the envy of many a matronly 

 maiden because Josie had been fasting all 

 winter. The folks who owned her were 

 worried by her non-desire for food. 

 That's why they brought her to the ani- 

 mal-loving veterinarian. 



After she had laid around the Mathers' 

 basement for a week or two looking like 

 a piece of weathered stove wood, the 

 doctor pried her mouth open and stuffed 

 a handful of hamburger in it. As the 

 weather settled and grew warm, Jose- 

 phine unlimbered her many joints and 

 barked like a dog for her minced steak. 



You see, Josie is an alligator and as 

 such she hibernates in cold weather. 



Tamest of Dr. Mathers' menagerie is 

 his pair of wapiti (elk to those of us 

 who aren't. Indians) . Papa Elk is a deer, 

 scientifically speaking, and so is Mama. 



Trouble arose, however, when Papa 

 glimpsed a camera pointed in his direc- 

 tion. Curious as a two-year-old child 

 he approached, straight, flat muzzle ex- 

 tended, tongue ready to taste the lens. 



The pair were born in a semi-wild 

 state on a Wyoming game preserve. 

 Under the kindly doctor's care they have 

 become tame enough to be turned against 

 the usual corn belt pasture fence although 

 they stride about on stilt-like legs as long 

 as the fence is tall. 



More awe-inspiring are the American 

 buffaloes or bison, once the shaggy- 

 haired monarchs of the prairies. Though 

 not as tame as the elk, they are quiet 

 enough to be photographed at close quar- 



ters. (Startlingly close quarters if you 

 happen to be the photographer). 



As the camera came in view two buf- 

 falo cows executed a neat end- run around 

 a brush pile. With a deep-throated "Cm 

 boss" or two from doctor they lowered 

 their heads (as the camera person edged 

 toward the fence) and nervously pre- 

 tended to resume their grazing while the 

 even more nervous photog tremblingly 

 clicked his shutter. 



"They get used to a voice. Clothing 



little wind blowing that they are allowed 

 to play in their outdoor cage. 



"Monkeys seem smart enough to talk. 

 But they have no palate, zoologists say, 

 and therefore can't form words. They 

 do their share of chattering, though. 

 And that young male there at the cellar 

 window is wise enough to undo the latch 

 once in a while and let himself out," 

 the doctor said. 



Prettiest of the lot are the English fal- 

 low deer. About as tall as a Shetland 

 pony, they move silently about their pad- 

 dock on slender cream-colored legs. Al- 

 though tame, they are timid. Their body 

 color is a creamy brown mottled with 

 white spots. 



A peacock is the gaudiest creature on 



DR. M. B. MATHERS AND FRIENDS 

 Mr. Wapiti, the elk (above, left) looks over the situation. Ti«ro buiialo covrs nervous- 

 ly guard their calves. A young bull remains alooi in the background. Prettiest oi all 

 is the English fallow deer. He will have antlers and a smooth mottled coat before falL 

 Tommy, a young black bear, nibbles a piece of bread in Dr. Mathers' hand. 



fools them but they will always quiet 

 down at the sound of a familiar voice. 

 All animals are the same," Dr. Mathers 

 pointed out. 



Most intelligent and mischievous of 

 the pets are Jerry and his mate, a pair of 

 monkeys. Most of the year they are kept 

 indoors. It is only in fair weather when 

 the temperature is above 80 and there is 



the Mathers farm. He and his mate came 

 from Colorado Springs. 



Other fowls are wild Canadian geese 

 and a variety of wild ducks. They have 

 a pond of their own south of the bam. 



Fur-bearers on the farm include sev- 

 eral specimens of rare, black raccoons, 

 red foxes, and skunks. Dr. Mathers has 

 enjoyed singular success in breeding and 

 (Continued on page 28) 



JUNE. 1938 



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