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About The Coquille Valley sentinel. (Coquille, Coos County, Or.) 1921-2003 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 1933)
PAO» NINI OUT-OF-DOORS STUFF a game trail, where poison had been i used, his indignation know no bounds. > Each Christmas issue of The Sen He Icenched his withered hantfe and I tinel I have given you a little Christ blinding team came to hfa old eyes. mas story and so here’s another I Tears of rage, of pure helplessness. The second year after poison had I have written for you. Trust you will enjoy it I wish alee Ao take this oc been resorted to Otter Dan’s total I casion to thank the readers who have fur catch for the winter amounted to > contributed bits of news and stories twenty-seven dollar«. The old man i to my column in the pest and to wish skimped. He cut down on hfa food 1 and even on hfa beloved cut-plug. But ■ you all a merry Christmas. it was no use. There was no work to > be had and even though there had I FORTY TIMES FORTY been, Otter Dan was too feeble for ' Hfa name appeared on the county most any sort of manual labor. records as Daniel Sherman—this U waa bitter to have to acknow ' latest arirval at the poor farm. His ledge defeat; to give up the little ■ old cronies would never recognize this shack that he had called home for ' name nor associate it with Old Otter so many yean; and become an inmate > Dan, as he was familiary known to of the county poor farm. But he hundreds. His poaaessiona consisted couldn’t leave his traps behind. They of a flour sack containing a suit of were a part of his life. It would do underwear, a pair of socks, a pair of him good to have them near him; to run-over shoes and a gunny seek of fool with them; teat their strength steel traps. Otter Dan had insisted and imagine that be was once again upon bringing the hitter along. Practically all hfa life, ever since he about to sally forth dnto the woods in pursuit of furbearers. ’’ had been big enough to set a trap, he Otter Dan was proud and hfa en had trapped for fur. trance to the poor farm was hard to He knew no other trade and was an bear. His old back seemed to bend expert in his line of work. In fact he a trifle more and his old Cheery smile had acquired his monicker years be was seldom ueen. For hours he would fore by making a record catoh of ot sit upon the veranda of the big white ter. buiding and dream of the years gone But old age had claimed him and by. He knew he hadn’t much longer he was no longer able to buck the ele- . on this earth and his proud old spirit m-nts and go far into jungles in pur revolted at the idea of dying a pau suit of fur. But despite these facte, per. But what wae there to do? Otter Dan was still able to make a Nothing. So with a sigh the old man perfectly good living with his oteel would load up his pipe and leaning traps, doser in to civilisation, until back in his chair, would dream some the advent of the sheepmen. more of those golden days, that had With the coming of the latter and passed him by. their flocks, poison bait was strung Fall rolled 'round. It was only a about the countryside, for the pur- few scant days to the opening of pase of killing predatory animals trapping season and, as usual, at this that preyed upon the sheep. The re time of year, Otter Dan began re sult of this practice was appalling. ♦ ceiving mail. True it waa only circu The fur-bearing animals which had lars—fur cineubm— ___ but they meant a P^.*dn* D*"’ WT*| fonow. Bitring upon' the By Lana I move practically exterminated. I porch in his favorite chair, he went Otter Dan and several more mem over them one by one. Fur» were bers of Ms profession, appealed to sure high this season. If it hadn’t sportsmen's organizations and com been for that poison bait, he would mercial club, seeking to stop the wan have made good money. Yee, plenty ton destruction, but to no avail. of it. Why, look at this! Otter up The sheep industry must stay. What as high as fifty dollars! Regular war did a few ignorant trappers’ opinions time prices! A paragraph art the amount to? In vain, Otter Dan and bottom of the circular caught and his associates sought to impress upon held the aged eyes. It read: “To be them the fact that the predato» assured of a good Christmas stake, could be trapped and that -poison ship all your furs to us. We pay need not be resorted to; that the poi more.” It went on to state how to son was destroying harmless birds ship, etc., but Otter Dan’s aged eyes and animals, as well as valuable fur- had «topped upon that one word that bearerea. But a daaf ear waa turned stood out so distinctly from the upon them. others, that word which had leaped Sadly, Otter Dan watched the ter at him from the other print, but waa rible work of the poison slingers. The new seen only dimly through the mist dsy he found ths mother 'coon and that filled hia lyw-QW her two half grown ones lying along Old Dan «wallowed hard, dislodge the lump that had risen in doing by the superintendent of the Then—“ain’t much on flgurea, mis hfa throat. He brushed p gnarled farm, Dan replied, “Never have ter, so would you mind tellto’ me what hand across his' eyes and blew his missed the first day of trappin’ sea forty times forty makes ? And any, nose violently. Leaning back in his son since 1 was knee high to a grass Mister, wonder if you'd do me a little chair he fished hfa pipe from his poek- hopper—that is, ’eeptin* this one. I favor. I ain't much on writin' and et and carefully stoked it and aa he wias just aorta lookin’ the old steel spellin’ and 1 waa wondering if you'd lit up he mused to himself, “Wish over." Something like a sob sound drop old Pete Anthony a Christmas they hadn’t sent me that price list— ed in the withered throat as he add card for me and tell the old aon-of-a- drat it all anyway.” ed, “Just fur old times* sake, you gun to meet me at. my shack three That one word Christmas had know." days from now and bring my old gun brought back a rush of memories. The The superintendent was a kindly along that I left in his care, and tell old shack which had been home to soul and was touched deeply by the him we're going to eat duck together Dan for so many years was visioned old trapepr's apparent sorrow. He again this Christmas.” again through the tobacco smoke. gazed at the old fellow for several Each article in the little cabin stood seconds. Suddenly he brightened. His Humble Opinioa forth distinctly—the three old dining “Say,” he said, “I saw an otter track Motorist (Inquiring hie way)—Boy, room chairs, the old rocker, the down on the bank of the stream last am I all right for the coo? faded carpet and in the corner the week. He indicated the stream which Bright lad—As far as I know you squat lititle stove—the stove with an ran through the borders of the farm. are, mister, but I'm not running the soo.—Montreal Uazette. ' oven just large enough to admit the It was the old man’t turn to bright old blackened roaster with two plump en. “You don’t say!" Sos You! ducks nicely stuffed with dressing. “I waa just thinking you might set “After all," says a politician, “Great Never had Otter Dan failed to have a trap or two for him. There might Britain and America speak the same two ducks for Christmas dinner. He be more than one. I don't* 'know language.' would always take time off from his much about them myself.” But his "Oh, yeah?”—The Humorist Maga- trap line a few days before Christ voice was drowned by the rattle of mas and with Ms old muzzle loader, trap chain« as the eld trapper again which he had clung to down through dumped his treasures upon' the porch. UNANIMOUS the yeans, slung across his shoulder, A few moments lawr. Otter Dan, he would set forth for the little pond a dozen traps in one hand, a hatchet which nestled in a clump of willows and several yards of wire in the far from the beaten path of the city other, was making his wsy across gunners. fields to the distant stream. It ap Old Dan knew just how to approach peared that hiu step was quicker, that that particular pond which was al his stooped shoulders had strengthen ways certain to hold a flock of feed ed a trifle and there was no mistak ing mallard*. He would make a cau ing the gleeful light which danced in tious approach and presently the his eyes. The first day of trapping booming voice of the old gun would season and as in rhe days of yore he shatter the silence, the dense smoke wan on his way to make his seta the of the black powder would splurge first morning! These thoughts forth in a great cloud and the two brought once again that cheery smile birds that Dan had signaled from the to Otter Dan’s lips. flock lay quietly upon the water, “What sort of fellow 1» JonesF Arriving at the bank of the stream while with quacks of alarm the rest his eye« travelled expertly along the “Well, he means well." “So you think him a nuisance, too. nt the flock took wing. Upon arriv soft mud at the water’s edge looking ing hom the old trapper carefully for sign. “Ah!” The breath fairly Imagination plucked and dressed the birds and whistled from his lipa as his gaze She—Do you remember where you hung them in the frosty night air un came to rest upon a portion of the were first struck hy my beauty? til Christmas morning. bank on the opposite side of the He—Tea, dearefa. It was at a It wouldn’t be Christmas without stream. It was worn smooth as glass masked ba IL—Boston Transcript roast duck and old Pete Anthony to and a trail led from the surface of share them with him, a* he did each the water to the very top of the worn No Stopping It Christmas. No, it wouldn't be Chrfat- spot An otter slide. Teacher—Willie, what la an adult? mas without sitting down to a meal Danb heart was thumping against Willie—An adult la one that has in that little shack. True, he was his ribs with excitement as he found Stopped growing except In the middle. treated well at the farm, but it waa a foot log and crossed the stream. The —Kansas City Htar. far from being like home, and—the wire was unstrung, a trap taken dinner gong sounding broke into the from the string, a long stake cut and Ask Ned €. Kelley for rates on Fire old man's reflections and with a ‘he was ready to make his set. And Insurance. weary sigh he arose, stuffed the fur what a sat it was! Hb was not nick circulars in his pocket and made Ma named Otter Dan for nothing. Stand Calling carda 50 for SI.00. way slowly toward the dining .oom. ing back several yard« the old man re The opening (4ay of trapping, sea garded the set intently,. nodded hfa son rolled ’round. It found Otter Dan head in evident satisfaction and made seated in his favorite chair, his sack his way on up the stream. When he of treasured traps at his feet He returned that evenng, in spit« of a had brought them from his room, strenuous day, his step waa still dumped them upon the porch and springy and a score of years seemed carefully gone over each of them. to have slipped from his shoulders. When questioned It fa just one week until Christ Modern Prues Architecture Sow« penal Institutions which have adopted modern prison architecture are the new federal penitentiary at Lewis burg, Pa.; the New York Ulate Medi um Security prison at Wa'.lklU. the Massachusetts State prison colony at Norfolk, the New Jersey reformatory at Annandale, the Maryland State pen al farm at Roxbury aad the new later mediate reformatory at Jeffersonville. Me. For sound Are insurance, go to Nsd & Kelley. Dr. Mlles NERVINE "Did th» work’ says Mias Oliver WHY DON’T YOV TRY ITT JBIy more __________________ than three months of suffering from a nervous ail ment, Mias Oliver used Dr. Miles Nervine which gave her such splendid results that she wrote us an enthusiastic letter. • If you ruff er from"Ntrv»».“ If « you wvw lie uuzurvu awake night», Pw*|pv*wwg aturt at sudden noises, tire easily, are cranky, blue and /Idpety, your nerves are probably out of order. •Julet and relax them with the same medicine that “did the work” for this Colorado girl. Whether your “Nerves” have troubled you for hours or for yrers, you’ll find this time- tested remedy effective. At Drug Stores 25c and $1.00. OR. MILES' ERVIN E _____ i 'QUID « The Favor of Other Men mas. It is evening. The superinten dent of the poor farm and Otter Den are seated tn the former’s office. The superintendent has just completed a long distant ’phone call. The old man fa leaning expectantly forward in his chair. “Well, Dan that house offers you forty dollars straight through on good grades of otter pelts.” Old Dan strikea a match, applies it to hfa ancient briar, blows a ring of smoke ceiling-ward before replying. f Unless two pinto of bile juice flow daily from your liver into your bowels, your food decays in your bowels. This poisons your whole body. Movements get hard and constipated. Yoji get yellow tongue, yellow skin, pimples, dull ryes, bad breath, bad taste, gas, dizziness, headache. You have be come an ugly-looking, foul-smell ing, sour-thinking person. You have lost your personal charm. Everybody wants to run from you. But don’t take salts, mineral waters, oils, laxative pills, laxa tive candles or ehewing gums and LOOK HERE FRIENDS! ». * DOLLAR SAVING OFFER! ALLA ONLY MAKE UR YOUR OWN CLUBI CHOOSE 1 Magazine From Group “A” From Group A m I THIS NEWSPAPER (ft Full Y WHY PAY MODE? 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