Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 186, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1913 — THIS ’COON MOTHERS CHICKS [ARTICLE]

THIS ’COON MOTHERS CHICKS

Said to Be the First One on Record to Overcome Natural Killing Instinct. Monessen, Pa. —"Smoke,” a pet ’coon belonging to Franklin Sauter, of this place, has cast aside bl« hereditary instinct of enmity towi rd birds and fowl of all kinds and a-lopted a brood of young guinea hens that had been hatched in the oven of Air. Sauter’s stove a few days ago. Naturalists and woodsmen in this section declare it is the only instance on record where a ’coon is known to have overcome his natural instincts to kill all feathered creatures Several months ago Mr. Sauter, on a hunt, captured a young ’coon that had been pulled down and injured by the dogs Taking the animal home, it soon became domesticated and became a great pet around the house. Not having an incubator for his missing guinea hen’s eggs, Sauter placed the eggs in a box back of his stovb. He was considerably astonished yesterday to find the ’coon in the box with young guineas, “mothering” them. Since that time the animal has refused to leave the guinea chicks and keeps them well covered.