THE SPOTTED SKUNK 287 



is often referred to by cowboys and prospectors 

 as the "hydrophobia" or "phobie skunk"] 

 what would n't play with you if it just had a 

 good chance. They get tame just like a kitten, 

 and it's no time until they're crawlin' all over 

 you trying to make you play with 'em. Onc't 

 I had a little cabin made of palm logs and it 

 was n't very extra built, so that it had a num- 

 ber of cracks in it. Now it beats all how them 

 little phobie cats can get through a crack. I 

 had n't been sleeping inside many nights until 

 I had a visit from a skunk. She came through a 

 crack in the back end of the house every night 

 after that at just about dark. I got to feedin' 

 her bacon scraps, and the first thing I knew she 

 was lettin' me pat her a bit and stroke her soft 

 hair. She used to like to crawl upon my head 

 and down on my shoulder and then jump, 

 she would, square into my lap, and then race up 

 my arm to the top of my head again. A feller's 

 hair gets powerful long a-stayin' out in the 

 desert with no barbers around, and that little 

 skunk used to like to come in when I was layin' 

 down on my bed and then play with my locks. 

 And when she had a batch of little kittens, 



