Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-09-30
1850 ---'
THE SNAKE IN LEE SWAMP.
nv EAER llIRDSEY.


The whortleberries' we're full ripe, when
one pleasant morning Philip Allen har-
messed up tho strong young horse Prince
| and invited his sisters, Annie and Bessie,
| his cousin Shelly, and young neighbor,
I Alico Neal, ia scat themselves in tho large,
light buggy, and take ride out to Ice
Swamp They woro Nil delighted nj tho
prospect, and gathered up twice us many
baskets and buckets as they could fill i'll
ono day. Prince was rs gay rs the rest,
and looked around uneasiiy every few min
utes, Ms if no wished they wouldn't BIO 80
long getting rendy to start, but ut last, to
his satisfaction, Phillip sprang i'll and gave
tho ward to Ego" and no trotted of, with
his glossy name and tail flying morrily III
| tho wind
The young people laughed and talked
continually for the length OF two or three
miles, thon tho broken country they were
riding over gave new direction to then
thoughts. The road grew lonely looking,
and presontly Bessie remarked piaynitiy'
What if n big Indian should jump from
behind tree and throw his tomahawk ut
us?"
"What IN idea r returned Shelly, laugh
ing. "But girls are always afraid of the
woods and of being alone after dark y
! no, I'm no coward" said Bessie, ''but
the idea il not SO wild o. you suppose. fol
thoro hare been Indians IN these very
woods J.
well, il there arc any hero now, lei
them como out If they dare, said Shelly,
heard by nny such stray character that
might possibly be providing around.
| There was brief siIence among the lit
Ito party M they assembled hill, then
passed down through deep ravine, where
stood tho remains Of u log cabin by tho
road.
| ''rhoro wan Il wild cat killed hero severa
years ago, they say" remarked Alice Neal,
M she gazcd round nj tho cabin. ''The
man that killed it lived there and his name
was jackson Jones. Ho said it kept him
| awake nights by its crying, and one night
! he cot up and went out and shot it"
! 'But," said Philip, smiling mischievous'
| ly che forgot to. say that whom tho neigh.
bors secured the woods to and the animal,
Fit proved to DO beautiful spotted tame, cat,
belonging to one OF them, who took it homo
/ and nursed the leg that was broken by the
shot till it got WELT -; >! ~
T. Alice .blushed considerably at the tdn,t
|.seouel to her ,oiM statement, and admitted
she had not heard this before. SHELLY was
thinking Of Jackson Jones and Laughing al
his mistake, and said, -
II should have found out what it was
before raising the neighborhood, l think
and after so many bold expressions; the
girls began rather to look to him rs brave
Boy, who would certainly be their protector
:ifanything 'happehed TINT they should need
one. -. d. -
Is The overhanging trees ofthe: donse wood
through which, they now passed. almost
obsured the sky from view, and under pre-
tonse of needing help to hold the baskets,
Alice, ond :. Bessie. proposed thaR Shelly
should sit on the back seat with them,
vhita, Ammo moved forward and sat with
HAAipY .lhey'now, fslt g. little safer. 'ahd
Philip smilngly whispered, IT, annie: Tint
,,1l,, ,,r, ,louIt fnIt Lc xvnn aofo ot lnaat