A COON HUNT 



E. E. EDWARDS. 



We had 2 she'pherd dogs that we be- 

 lieved could be taught to hunt coons. Sev- 

 eral nights we had taken them out and 

 failed to start game, and we determined 

 to try a hunt at daybreak. 



Quite near the house we discovered 6 

 coons coming out of a buckwheat patch. 

 Then there was a warm time. - Coons, dogs 

 and boys squealed, yelped, yelled and ran. 

 In jumping a log I tripped and fell head 

 first into a mud hole. I got the mud out 

 of my eyes in time to see Charlie tearing 

 himself out of a briar patch near by. We 

 agreed right there to go slower and keep 

 cool thereafter, even if we started a wagon- 

 load of coons. 



The dogs were barking in the distance. 

 We found one at the foot of a large bass- 

 wood and the other farther on by a hem- 

 lock stub; but not a coon was in sight. 

 Then we pounded the trees and decided 

 they were both hollow. Charlie said he 

 would go for an ax if I would stay with 

 the dogs and watch the trees. To be bet- 

 ter prepared to stand off an attack from 

 the coons I looked for my gun; but look 

 where I would, it was not there. Nor 

 could I remember having had it since my 

 tumble. Charlie offered to lend me his 

 gun until his return, but cruelly stipulated 

 that I should tie it fast to my neck. 



He handed me the gun and went away, 

 after cautioning me not to shoot the dogs. 

 After he had gone I happened to look up 

 into a bushy tree and saw a large coon. 

 Now, thought I, I will have a little fun at 

 Charlie's expense. I got a club, climbed 

 into the tree and put the coon to sleep. I 

 carried him into another tree, placed him 



on a crotch in as natural a position as 

 possible, and then went back to the 

 dogs. 



When Charlie got back with the axe we 

 went at the basswood and soon had it 

 down. There was one coon in the top and 

 my dog disposed of him in short order. 

 The rest were in a large hollow limb which 

 had split off when the tree fell. Charlie 

 said he wished 1 would hold my dog and 

 let his dog, Shep, show how quickly he 

 could kill a coon. So I caught my dog, 

 while Charlie cut a hole in the limb above 

 the coons. Shep thrust his head into the 

 hole. Out it came in an instant, wrapped 

 up in a coon whose teeth were deep in the 

 dog's neck. The dog yelled murder; the 

 coon didn't waste any breath, but just 

 scratched. Finally, the coon let go and 

 started up a tree, and Shep left for home. 

 Charlie grabbed the coon by the tail and 

 the animal fell right into his hand and 

 positively refused to be dropped. Charlie 

 called for help. Then I separated the con- 

 testants and my dog killed the poor coon. 



We got 2 more out of the basswood and 

 one out of the hemlock. Finally Charlie 

 saw the one I had planted in a tree. He 

 thought that an excellent opportunity to 

 show me what a hard shooting gun he had. 

 Backing off 50 feet, he tried his best barrel 

 first, but the coon never winked. Then 

 he fired the other with no better success. 

 He tried 2 more shots and then said his 

 loads were too light for coons, anyway, 

 and he was going up the tree to punch 

 that brute's head. Before he came down I 

 bargained with him to say nothing about 

 it if he would not tell how I lost my gun. 



LAKE PEND D'OREILLE 



L. E. HOLMES, M.D. 



Lake Pend d'Oreille, my mountain lake! The fringing- trees around thee make 



Lovely thy crystal waters break! A Naiad ' s bow > r for Love > s own sake . 



The morning sunlight on thee shining! * , • ,. , , • ,. . 



While on thy breast my bark reclining And in j hl £ e ^ /h'O "11 1 



Leaves lingering ripples in her wake. .Lake .rend a Ureille . 



Now creeping shadows measure take 

 Of day ; light skips thy foamy flake ; 

 The breeze shakes out thy silver lining; 

 My swelling sails cease their repining — 

 Farewell to thee ! The night winds quake, 

 Lake Pend d'Oreille ! 

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