The Lamar Register

GIVE IT TO MOLE

Little Animal Hereby Qualifies as a Samson.

Venerable Fisherman Tells Story That Should Remove All Doubt Concerning the Strength of the Small Earth Disturber.

"Do you want to know the most powerful animal for its size in the world?"

The question was asked just after a venerable fisherman had landed a fine eastern brook trout, says Edward M. Wright in the Portland Oregonian. We were standing on the shore of one of the lakes well back in the Cascades. I had only a few moments before slung my pack at his cabin, and, following a trail that led to the lake, had found him right in his glory. I, of course, was interested in getting all the data the old fellow had to offer and we sat down on a log and as he produced a Missouri meerschaum I handed out a box of tobacco. He proceeded to fill up with what he called his favorite brand next to H. O. That gave me a clew and I knew at once the ancient angler could tell some big ones.

He fired up deliberately, sat and crossed his legs in leisurely manner.

"Well, sir," he started out, "I reckon, according to what one of them scientists told me that happened in Korea while back that the mole has got 'em all stopped. I had been telling some stories about being towed around in a boat by a big fish off the Newfoundland banks and after I got through he waited a little while and then said:

"Well, captain, I have never had a lot of experience with big fish, but I certainly had my eyes opened one day. I had accidentally caught a live mole and for no particular reason I brought it into the house and put it on the floor.

It began to wander about the room and finally came up against the leg of a chair which happened to be up close to the wall. The mole smelled it over a little, backed on a little, sniffed some and put his nose in between that chair and the wall and pushed her aside as if she had been a puff ball.

"That certainly got my interest so I said to myself, 'Look here Mr. Mole, we'll try you out and see what your limbs are.' I hunted around until I found a Webster's dictionary and big family Bible, paired these on the chair and piled other books on top of them until that chair would hold no more and waited for him to try it out.

"Pretty good he came, keeping close to the wall. This time he never stopped to sniff, but walked right through. That got me, but I scratched my head a little and when I saw Mr. Mole coming up for the third time I jumped on top of the pile of books. But it was no use: he kept right on going and slid the whole business of us right to one side.

"Well I was somewhat amazed, but suddenly a thought came to me and I went out and called in my neighbor, a big fat man weighing a few pounds over 300. He straddled aboard. On came the mole, this time his muscles fairly standing out to get into the fray. But he was no foolhardy young mole. He took time to size on the situation sort of shrugged his shoulders and acted as if he was spitting on his hands. Finally he poked his nose in between the legs of that chair and the wall and raised those mighty shoulders. The chair creaked a little, moved slowly to one side and the whole passed - but the chair broke and the fat man came down with a thud on the mole's back. And, do you know, that mole hesitated only a moment and then started for the corner of the room, carrying the fat man on his back."