The Lincoln County herald., 1870-10-06
HITTING THE INDIAN.
by EMMA HARRlM AN.

Jimmy's hair was 40 very, very curly
and such funny color, it 10 ked like q
lot Of corn silks matted thickly over hi
head. lie had the blucst of blue eyes
and his checks were as round and rcd ns
two apples, but for thst matter, lie was II:
round as an apple himself.
He had big. black dog.-a handsome
shiny fellow. and tho dog always went
with Jimmy, or Jimmy always went with
the dog, { | can't say which way it was,
but they were always tose,cr.
Jimmy and his dog lived away out in
the woods, not all alone, like people in
story books, but among lot Of Jimmy's
laughing red checked sisters. There
were Indians 10 the woods, too none Of
the noble savages that some talk about,
but wre,ched, filthy, blood,hirs,y In
dians. ready to kill all the white people.
One night, when the maple loaves
were beginning to turn crimson and gold
and the "a lirrels were gathering in their
winter stores, Jimmy walked home from
a neighbors, all alone through the woods.
The moon was very slender crescent,
that shed only faint light, and even
that would last but a short time, fur i,
vas nearly ont Of sight behind the trees
Tho tall oaks locked their branches to
Rcther over his head and shut out the
light, making it SO dark he could hardly
zee the the road in some places, but IN
others, where there were fewer trees, or
they we're farther apart, it come down
family and distinctly. just enough to
show him the dim outlines of tie trees
and the old logs beside the road.
lie felt very cautious. for, walk as
carefully as he could. his feet would make
considerable noise among the dry leaves,
and he knew if 40 Iud,an we're watching
for the passers BY, as he had often heard
Of their doing. the noise would betray
hin. Once or twice he stopped. thinking
he heard q slight stir beside him, but
concluding the souod was made by hi.
own feet passed on.
Suddenly be saw something that STOP.
ped kis feet and bis hear. at the same
Instant. He was standing 10 the shade of
o tall old oak, but just . flew steps in
front of bim, where the moon shonc
clesrest, was dark something ,movine
noiselessly to one side and then the other,
as though watching him. He bentIhis
head little forward to look more closely,
still keeping in the shade however. The
dark object moved again and leaned
little toward him. lie was sure now j,
was an Indian. but it was SO strang. that
old Watch was SO quiet. for a white
mans dog always hates m Indian.
Hc put his hand back to sec If he
we're still there. Ycs,:he felt his sleek
head, and the dog wagged his tail and
put one foot on his masters arm but he
made quick motion for him to be quiet,
and be dropped back instantly into his
old place. Quick as lightning the
Thought WENT through his brain-wha,
should he do? This was the only way
homo, and even If there were another i,
was too late to retreat now. For some
unaccountsble reason lie had left his rife
st home. or he would have known at once
what was to be done.
A quick thought came 10 him. He
considered the chances just for On instant,
then, drawing long breath. with /. dcs.
perate plunge, he planted his Est FULL in
the Indians face. There vas a cracking
among the bushes, a tumble and scuffie
- Watch bounded after him, and he
stood there rubbing his bleeding hand
and laughing rather loduly for a boy who
wss afraid Of Indians moment before.
His Indian was only y tall stub, light.
colored from having lost its bark, and a
clump Of bushes growing close beside it,
between him and tho stub, and swaying