A POEM FOB TUE YOUNGEST BEADEBS. 
/~\ VER by the tangled thicket. 
Where the level meets the hill, 
Where the mealy alder-bushes 
Crowd around the ruined mill, 
Where the thrashes whistle early, 
Where the midges love to play, 
Where the nettles, tall and stinging, 
Guard the vine obstructed way, 
Where the tired brooklet lingers 
In a qnlet little pool, 
Mistress Salmo Fontlnalls 
Keeps a very private schooL 
Forty little speckled beauties 
Come to learn of her, each day, 
How to climb the foaming rapids. 
Where the flashing sunbeams play,— 
How to navigate the eddies, 
now to sink and how to rise, 
Eow to watch for passing perils, 
How to leap for passing flies,— 
When to play upon the surface, 
When beneath the stones to hide,— 
All the secrets of the water, 
All brook learning, true aud tried ;— 
“ That’s a good-for-nothing skipper ; » 
“ That’s a harmless yellow-bird ; ” 
“ That’s a flicker of the sunshine. 
When the alder-leaves are stirred ; " 
“ That’s the shadow of a cloudlet ; ” 
" That’s a squirrel come to drink ; " 
“That— look out for him, my darlings!— 
He’s a fierce and hungry mink ; " 
; Thai s the ripple on the water, 
When the winds the wavelets stir; ’’ 
“ That— snap quick, my little hearties !— 
That’s a luscious grasshopper.” 
So the clever Mistress Salmo 
Gives her counsel, day by day, — 
Teaching all the trontly virtues, 
All life’s lessons, grave and gay. 
Well she knows the flashing terror 
Of King Fisher’s sudden fall! 
Well she knows the lurking danger 
Of the barb’d hook, keen and small ! 
Well she tries to warn her pupils 
Of all evllB, low and high ! 
But, alas ! the vain young trlflers 
Sometimes disobey— and die ! 
What was that which passed so quickly, 
With a slender shade behind ? 
What Is that which stirs the alders 
When no ripple tells of wind ? 
What sends Mistress Salmo darting 
Underneath the stones In fear?— 
Crying, “ Hide yourselves, my darlings ! 
Our worst em my Is near I ” 
“ I am bouDd to understand it," 
Says one self-proud speckle-side ; 
" When I see the danger's real, 
Then, If need be, I can hide.” 
So he waits alone and watches, 
Sees the shadow pass again, 
Sees a fly drop on the water,— 
Dashes at lr, might and main. 
“ Missed It I Well," he says, "I never! 
That's the worst Jump made to-day! 
Here another comes— now for It ! ” 
Splash ! He’s In the air— to stay ! 
When the alders cease to tremble. 
Silence comes and sun-glints shine, 
Mistress Salmo Fontlnalls 
Calls the roll, just thirty-nine ! 
— JAUK9 RlCHABDSON, St. Nicholas for July. 
Canoeino.— The graphic account of a canoeing trip down 
the Housatonic, written by Mr. W. L. Alden, well-known as 
one of the founders of the Shadow type, will be read with in- 
tereat by the canoeing fraternity throughout the country, and 
will prove equally acceptable to yachtsmen and sportsmen in 
general. We hope that this and similar descriptions of the 
pleasures of canoeing may attract general attention to the 
pastime. There are scores of rivers in this country offering 
rare attractions for those who are able and willing to paddle 
their own canoe. The Golden Age of the paddle in America 
has long ago passed away with the dusky voyayeura of the 
wilderness. For the sake of the great army of land-workers, 
who are annually seeking rest and recreation, let us have faith 
to believe that there may some day come a Silver Age. 
rpHE prairie wolf, or coyote of the plains, is a genius in 
-L his way, and as a strategist is worthy of mention. It 
is well known that he is a sneak-thief, and that he and his fel- 
lows hunt in packs and pursue to the death wounded buffaloes, 
deer, antelopes and other animals that get left in the race for 
life. It is a curious sight, if you can obtain it by stealthily 
“rising ’’ a divide, to see a pack at the carcass of a buffalo or 
deer, pulling at the hide and flesh, snapping at each other, 
hunting among the remains for choice bits, licking their chops 
when sated, finally leaving the well-picked bones to the 
ravens and scattering for a lazy siesta in the nooks of some 
arroyo. It often occurs that wounded animals, aged or other- 
wise disabled, are not to be found, and then the coyote has to 
resort to strategy to capture a dinner. 
The great hare of the West, Lepua callAU, called the jack 
rabbit, is, perhaps, as odd a specimen of the rodents as there 
is to be found. He is twice the size of his congeners in other 
parts of the country, has ears like a donkey, and speed in 
running that is simply immense. Going at his best he looks 
somewhat like a yacht tacking against a high wind, his long 
ears waving with a jerky lateral motion, which seems to af- 
fect the body even to the extent of nearly capsizing the craft. 
And yet under ordinary circumstances he will always keep 
ahead of his pursuer, dog or wolf, and at last fade out like a 
shadow on the ground. The jack rabbit spends a good deal 
of his leisure time under the shady side of a yucca or soap- 
weed, sleeping with one eye open and ever on the alert for his 
enemies. But the coyote gets out of meat, and then plans are 
made that generally insure success. To facilitate matters and 
secure a fair return, two coyotes will start out together in a 
slouchy, sneaking way, and ere long get up a rabbit. One 
then goes for the game and keeps it moving pretty lively on a 
we lh de?e™fnS r ra a Dd fai , Ung *?■ flnd tbe ban(1 we were a ftcr, 
? d 8L T ar ato. taking a wider range, but. keening 
do? of well b Gct,rge Was fol,owcd b y Bruno, the rancho 
dog, of well-known prowess and courage, and I’onto the 
atU *, cb l ed ’ •» usua| . to me. When we were’per- 
nfJi 3 : 8 mi e ? part ’ J noticed George on tho summit of a divide 
mimt 8 thnt D I d «h “"n frantlC Slg ? a and gesticulations, which 
meant that I should come over there, and I conoluded that ho 
enonlh ^ ® f r8C5 !“ tb r e ,lttIe v,llk -y ,1( -'yond. Getting near 
enough to hear his voice, I could distinguish tho words— 
A wolf ! let’s go for him." 
?, Wa 7 hc w , enl P ell - mc11 «t a break-neck speed down 
G if® of , . he hl11 - Whe " 1 reached tho top of the 
d i. ‘ d ? i I m coul< ? see the coyote a mile away, and the runchcro 
after him, going like the wind. 
The chase had begun in earnest, and Ponto and his master 
at once joined in, eajjer for the fray. The coyote was at first 
apparently not certain whether he was tho object of this 
strange proceeding or not ; but dogs and horses were gaining 
on him, and there was soon no alternative but to go, and to 
get in his work as rapidly as possible. Tho tables, for once 
were turned. Heretofore hc had been the pursuer, the slv 
observer of opportunities to waylay unoffending jack rabbits 
and unsuspecting birds. Now he had a chance to know how 
it was himself, to realize what it is to be pursued by an avenir- 
mg Nemesis, by those who regarded him as a criminul, and 
and would exult in lus capture and death. Away he went, 
a bound Uldca8ked > knowing at last it was u struggle for 
In ten minutes the dogs wero up with him, and we struck 
the spurs in deep, cheering them on by our shouting, wheel- 
ing, charging and driving, trying to get the wolf ut bay and 
■nve the dogs a chance to “snatch him bald-headed," aa 
teorge vigorously described it. To our astonishment, how- 
ever, the ranche dog stopped when the wolf did ; refused to 
tackle him, and turned away in apparent disgust. Ponto 
wanted to attack, but was afraid of the ugly teeth snapping 
at him and the coyote, taking advantogc of the singular turn 
affairs bad taken, struck out again, and boldly, for freedom. 
We were too near a capture to give it up so, and again 
urged the dogs to a renewal of the contest. In the meantime 
the coyote rose a little divide near by, and disappeared 
into one of his dens, and we thought tho fellow had outwitted 
us at last. An examination of the premises, however re- 
vealed the fact that he was not far in. and Bruno, as if to re- 
„ ...... „ — “S uveiy on a VC alcd the fact that he was not far in. and Bruno us if to re 
line that forms a circle, coming back near the place of starting, instate himself in our good graces, offered to go in and puli 
Here the first squats on his haunches while the other continues | b '™ And * n ke went. Then there was a fight inside, a 
-.it uu ms uauncues wutie tne other continues mui adu in ue went. Then there was a fight inside a 
the pursuit, though a sharp eye is kept on the periphery of b °^ lbl ^ m ? dley of snarling and growling and snapping, when 
the circle b, the hunter at rest, lest e capture i, mede to hie I !he SuUme f SS'SSSlSPSS f’L'XJS 
the circle by the hunter at rest, lest a capture is made to his 
disadvantage. In a few rounds the rabbit turns over his per- I weapon, from a claim shanty near by "and was determinecT to 
sonal effects, and the subsequent proceedings frequently ter- bel P the do 8 8 some way. In the light again, Bruno let go his 
minate in a row between the parties engaged. The undulating , - and T ! vould bave nothing more to do with his distant 
elope, of the plains furnish esdlcot oppor.uuiiie, for scciug S^wner B ptS' TSZ%?JSg , £T«?gS& 
a long distance, and the practiced eye readily determines the | fhe board and the other a bite, until, finally, George got the 
number of yards or rods away an object may be. 
Once while hunting grouse I caught sight of a coyote ranging 
somewhat like a pointer on a piece of level land nearly a half 
mile distant. The movements were not as regular as a trained 
dog’s yj'ould be, but he would travel back and. forth, appar- 
ently across the line of scent (if he was so guided) his general 
course being toward some low bushes on the hank n f . “ T en - JU8t *V be was struggling out of a deep 
creek. At the point of turning in these c SL M ^^^ shon dl8 * nce off ’ « d -trike 
creek. At the point of turning in these cross movements he 
would crouch in the grass and lie quiet for a few moments 
then rise stealthily and travel briskly with his nose to the 
ground. Being on the windward side of him, in the midst of 
a cluster of small choke-cherry trees, and on higher ground I 
could, unobserved, see all that was goiDg on. The sight w’as 
novel and peculiarly interesting, and my great hope was that 
nothing wouW occur to interrupt the proceeding or change 
the wild hunter in his enterprise. 
Suddenly, when near the first of the little bushes, the wolf 
■nnna/1 l^nr in .1 «... 
lariat over the wolfs head and reduced' him to perfect 
quietude, a condition from which he would never more rise to 
organize a partnership and gather rabbits on shares. 
unting ducks one day I found myself after two hours’ 
sport in the vicinity of Bear Creek canyon, a locality rich in 
attractive scenery, and, though a comparatively wild place, 
indented here and there by the hand-prints of brave and ener- 
getic men. Just us the pony wus struggling out of a deep 
out at a lively nace for the rolling prairie that stretched away 
to the south. lie was a full-grown individual of the genus 
eanti, an artful dodger, no doubt, and I determined to give 
bim a chase. Six ducks on the horn of the saddle, and gun 
in one hand, were bothersome impediment* i ; but the pony 
was agreeable, and a touch of the spur started him off beauti- 
fully. 
After goiDg three or four hundred yards, the coyote, still a 
good distance ahead, stopped to reconnoitre, pointing his nose 
rearward over his back, and seemed to ask himself the quea- 
dronned low in n.n * f j , won rearward over ms back, and seemed to ask h 
tim§ and torn gJtog^Twith * If 8,ow1 ^ stoppmg at lion-” Is il a matter admitting of no doubt that that party 
greatest ^ cautioS 8 Th l n,ove ! nent and ! he lsa[lErn >e'" And he doubtless came to the conclusion he 
f fe?feet S ?he bush wl cn nl?? ? 6 prowlerwas w ' tb, “ W( *. as the flight was renewed and he skipped away with 
th.t ... V"!- 1 ’ , e , was a s P rjn & a sray flash surprising energy. The pony was equal to the emergency 
panic "sTriK ^iJtKrSkliSl-lSr^ d '° ZCD ?h r0USe Wae , however ’ a " d knew excellently well how to thread hfs way 
£a?m and it wildly giving the general among cactuses, and leap over intervening breaks and dog- 
“i?™ ‘ n . tLe US , ual un * holes - The di8,aDCe belw <* n Pursued and pursuer was gru3- 
number^ 'was lefT ?n b te’ m0t,0n V °° e ° f lhe, T ually les8enin K- and 1 wa8 pretty confident of getting a shot at 
Sritv Tthe rl,«mnion fl ;ii, r ! m 7 ° f the pr ° Wess aad seventy or eighty yards, when a deep, steep-sided ravine ap- 
champion sneak of his species. | pearod in view, reaching a long wuy out at right angles with 
a creek near, lor which the wolf was making with all possible 
While completing an outfit preparatory to a trip into the 
mountains beyond Platte Canyon, in Colorado, it became 
necessary one day to go and find a Texas mare I had pur- 
chased, a famous antelope chaser, and capture her either with 
ft lftriftf Ill’ll liL'M a Iqcoa .1.-. .. 
| speed. Suggesting with the spur a more reckless expenditure 
I of muscle, the pony leaned to the task with redoubled effort. 
Tho Hiiol/C lr\AOnnino f rAm I IlO Olrirwr (innll/>a<wl nx. _ 
d lflrifti'iiftH “«■* | The ducks loosening from the string, scattered promiscuously 
fint wVJ,!., , 8 °,' 0r , by r . unn, ?S ber dow ?’ brat “ cut- along in the grass, a broad-brimmed hat broke from its moor- 
t g ner out of a band of ponies, the stock of a neighbor ing and went sailing, and the saddle, on account of a yielding 
ranchman, with which she was stayiog, sinch, threatened to turn aud throw the rider over the pony's 
ine yaqurroi employed at the ranches are thoroughly head. Ere the coyote reached the ravine, however, the con- 
postea in tins cutting oul business, and capture a pony in a tents of both barrels were sent after him, and the last I saw of 
very lew minutes, and with little trouble. The lasso is gene- 6'anu latrana he had crossed to the opposite side, and was 
rally tnrown arouud the poDy’s neck, and then he is quickly going at a limping pace down in the direction of Santa Fe. 
choked into submission. These chases and skirmishes, my indulgent observer, were 
1 was accompanied on this expedition by George , the principally to get accustomed to hard riding, and indulged in 
ran cd man h |ms elf, lariat in hand, mounted on a large horse, with a relish, because it is delightful now and then to be 
while I rode a favorite broncho. After an hour’s search, tra- | doing your level best. J. c. Buk.nbtt. 
