The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-12-13


his ears in digniied way; and tn
three or four yellow ours who were
Bulls satellites yelpcd delightedly anC
discordantly.
Bill, said Bud Means to his broth
er, FAX the master eff he'd like to hun
coons, ia like to take the starch ou
the stuck up fellow
'Nough said,' was Bills reply.
You durn't do it, said Bud.
Il don't take no such q dare re-
turned Bill, and walked down to the
gate, on which Ralph stood watching
the stars come out, and wishing he
had never seen Flat Greek.
4 say, mister, began Bill, mister
they's coon what's been a eatin' oul
chickens lately, and we're goin 10 try
to ketch the varmint. You wouldn't
like to take coon hunt nor notbin
would your
why, yes,' said Ralph, there's
nothing [ should like better, if
could only be sure Bull wouldn't mis-
take me for the co9n."
And so, as matter of policy, Ralph
dragged his tired limbs eight or ten
miles, on hill and in hollow, after Bud,
and Bill, and Bull, and the coon. But
the raccoon climbed tree. The boys
got into quarrel about whose business
it was to have brought the ak, and
who was to blame that the tree could
not be felled. Now, if there was any
thing Raiph's muscles were good for,
it was to climb. So, asking Bud to
give him start, he soon reached the
limb above the one on which the rae
coon was Ralph did not know how
ugly customer raccoOn can he, and
so got credi. for more courage than
he had. With much peril to his legs
from the raccoon's teeth, he succeeded
in shaking the poor creature off among
the yelping brutes and yelling boys.
Ralph could not help sympathizing
with tie hunted animal, which sold its
lite as dearly as possible, giving the
dogs many a scratch and bite. 1t
seemed to him that he was like the
raccoon, suddenly precipitated into
the midst of a party of dogs who
would rejoice in worrying his lie out,
as Bull and his crowd were destroying
seized the raccoon and put an end TO
it, Ralph could not but admire the de-
cided way in which he did it, calling
to mind Buds comment: 'When Bull
once takes a holt, heaven and yarth
can't make him let go
- But as they walked home, Bud car
rying the raccoon by the tail, Ralph
felt that his hunt had not been in vain.
lie fancied that even red-eyed Bull,
walking uncomfortably close to his
heels, respect ed him more since he had
climbed that tree.
Purity pcart kind Of Muster, re
marked the old man to Bud after
Ralph had gone to bed. Guess you
better be little easy on him. HeyH
But Bud designed no reply. Per
haps because. he knew that Ralph
heard the conversation through the
thin partition.
Ralph woke delighted to find it
raining. He did not wan: to hunt or
fish on Sunday, and this steady rain
would enable him to make friends
with Bud. 1 do not know how he
got started, but after breakfast he be-
gan TO tell stories. Out of all the
books he had ever read, he told story
after story. And 'old man Means
and sold Miss Means and Bud Means
and Bill Means, and Sis Means, listen
cd with great eyes while he told of
Sinbad's adventures, of the Old Man
Of the Sea, Of Robinson Crusoe, Of
Captain Gulliver's experiences in Lii
liput, and of Baron Munrhausen's
exploits.
Ralph he'd caught his fish. The
hungry minds of these baekwoods
people, sick and dying of their own
commonplace, were refreshed with the
new life that came to their imagina
tions in these stories. For there was
but one book in the Means library,
and that. we'll thumhed copy of
Captain Riiey's Narrative, had long
since lost all freshness.
'I'll be dog-on'd," said Bill empha-
ticaIy, "ef [ hadn't. rather hear the
master tell them whoppin' yarns, than
to go to circus the best day l ever
seed Bill could pay no higher COM
pliment.
What Ralph wanted was to make
friend of Bud. It's a nice thing to
have the seventy-four-gun ship on
your own side, and the more HartsoCk
admired the knotted muscles of Bud
Means, the moe he desired to attach
him TO himself. So, whenever he
struck out peculiarly brilliant pass
age, he anxiously watched Buds eye.
But the young Philistine kept his own
counsel. He listened but said Moth
ing, and the eyes under his shaggy
brow gave no sign. Ralph could not
tell whether those eyes were deep and
inscrutable, or only stolid. Perhaps
a little OF both. When Monday
morning came Halph was nervous
He walked to school with Bud.
4 guess you're little skeersd by
what the old man said, amt you?'
Ralph was about TO deny it, but on
concluded that it was always
best to speak the truth. He said that
Mr. Means description of the school
had made him fee! little down.
hearted.
What will you do with the tough
boys ? You amt no match for EN-"
And Ralph felt Buds eyes not' only
his muscles, but scrutinizing
his countenance. lie only answered |
L don't know
'What would you do with me, for
instance2' and Bud stretched him
self up as if to shake out the reserve
power coiled up in his great mus
cles.
Il shan't have any trouble with
you.'