The method shown in the drawing is resorted to only in the spring and in water not over a foot or two in depth. Turtles will rise at any noise, and usually the fisherman only claps his hands, though each hunter has his own way of attracting the terrapin. One hunter whom I saw when I made the drawing uttered a queer guttural noise that seemed to rise from his boots.
CATCHING TERRAPIN IN THE SPRING.
Whatever the noise, all turtles within hearing—whether terrapin or "snapper"—will put their heads above water. Both are welcome and are quickly sold to the market-men. The snapper slowly appears and disappears, leaving scarcely a ripple; and the hunter cautiously approaching usually takes him by the tail. The terrapin, on the contrary, is quick, and will descend in an oblique direction, so that a hand-net is needed unless he happens to come up near by. If he is near enough the man jumps for him. The time for hunting is the still hour at either sunrise or sunset.
"LOCOED"
(A story of a Texan girl.)
BY EDWARD MARSHALL
ohn Fredding had laughingly taken his sister Martha as a partner in his Texas saddle store. She made a good partner although she was only thirteen years old. There were other women on the ranch (the saddle store was only an adjunct of the big cattle-ranch itself), but the grandmother was very old, and the servant-girl was Welsh and would not learn to speak more English than was required in the daily routine of housework.