Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-08-29
I'csl's - NNol,llc h sack."


Ted. :. NVoo.lcAn ck.''
Ted is = sovon.year-old neigh'or, of
n,ine, "a country neighbor, l mean,-liv.
ing about u quarter of milo of: His
father is away from home the most Of the
time, and his mother is of no account, ono
of the woebegone sort. She got discour-
aged" as her neighbors say, worry carly in
life, and ha . kept discouraged over since
As natural consequence her health is
rather poor. So, between them, Ted goes
ind comes and does abont as he has
mind to. All be has 10 do to retain POS
session Of his liberty is to keep out Of
sight. Nice way to bring up boy! at
least the boy thinks 80. But the neigh
bors shake their heads over Ted. The
fact 10, he has got to b. perfect little
Bohemian already, and is ON the high
Rad to become = Thoroughbred neighbor-
hood pest and imp generally.
lie Ownes u dog. Pinoher, 10 worry much
like his master that together they mako u
colicai picture of sn,all-sixed vagabond-
ism. How TIE two 1.-Two l really cannot
imagine. Nobod. eau. But they do live,
somehow, and l,rowl about continually.
all through the fall my grandfather's
orchard has been subject to little Ted's
depredations, especially one sweet tree i"
standing temptiDgly near the line fence.
The little rogue knows he could have all
the apples he wants by just coming n the
house ind asking for them but It suits
him better to jump ovor tho wall and help
himself.
There have also been two other little
poachsrs on the Sweet treo during the
fall. They are sly, though rather stupid
little chaps, who generally live on frogs,
bugs, worms, small snakes, etc But they
cannot resist melltw, sweet apples. Who
can? So nights, and sometimes by day,
they steal down from the lodges on the
mouptain.side above the orchard to try
tho apples.
lido not know exactly how it happened,
but It did ~ happen, that Ted
and Pincher on one Of their oily
raids, foil af0ul Oi these two latter mar.
auders. One WIS on tho ground n,uneh-
ing an apple, but the other had climbed
the tree and was high up in the top. Ted
aud Pinoher came upon Them unawares.
One would think there ought to have beer.
mutual respect between them. But thore
wasn't. Pincher rushed after tho one on
the ground, chasing him over the wall
ind under . large rock. Ted began to
pelt the ono in the tree.
The ground about tho tree is not in
sight from grandfsther's yard only the
TIP Of the tree is visible. l heard the
barking, and, seeing something moving
about in the top, guessed what was the
trouble. Every minute or two Ted would
run up through the orchard to higher
ground to zee II any one was coming down
from the house, and finding Ill quiet
would run back t. resume tue attack
Feeling interested to know how he woulc
come out with his quilly little rival,
went up stairs u whore window com
manded view Of the miniature battle
GROUND, and, taking an old Iorgnetie be
longing to QUE Of my girl cousins, began t
watch them.
Tod was sending the stones and the ap
pies into the tree with all the strength Q
his reckless little arm, Pincher stood .
the root, looking up aud barking fariously
l-yap! yap! zap! yap! But the littl'
black fellow i'll tho top was evidently hav
ing the eaeiest time Of the three, Ted,
missiles fell short, almost as fur US Pinch
er's yaps! All the while could boar Tex
jabbering" Presently he stopped t
take another look at the house. Then h,
aud Pincher seemed to hold u council
and, ~ i, result, Ted run to fetch lona
polo that stood in the old "bow-back" treI
where it had been used to knock of tn,
~high ones"
The pole was a very formidable wes
pom ; 50, ut least, the little black chap i,
tho treo found it. Ted run it carefully III
through the branches and began to poke
once, twice. The clumsy creature triet
to jump across to another limb, missed hi
clutch and came tumbling down, bumper
ty-hump, from limb to limb. Pincher wa.
waiting for him. But when the queer Lit
tie animal, all rolled up in ball tell down
among tie leaves before him, he dropped
his till and drew back.
"'Y take Tim, Pinch ~ take i'm p
shouted Ted, dropping the pole and dane
Ing about. But Pinch thou ht he would
rathet not, and lodged behind Ted
Shake 'em! Shake 'em, Pinch"
Finch didn't want to, and ran round L
the other side OF the treO.
This unlooked.tor piece of spoonyis,n st
exasperatod Ted that no caug int Pinc,,el
by the ear; and after kicking him sound,
with his little bare, gray loot, dragged
him up and. again bade him ~'s's' take
fm."
! Thus brought to the scratch, Pinch
made q sudden dive, have u quick shake
then let 60 and began to dig at his mouth
Ted looked from one to the other, not q
little puzzled. Then, by way Of investisa
ting the matter, he gave tho little bristl,
ball kick with his foot, but immediately
jumped back on the other and begun L
pluck at his toes. This done, however, HI
ran I" the wall, and, taking up a stone
speedily pounded the life out Of tho little
coiled.up ball. But poor Pinoher WI,
still digging at his chops. Ted took him
III hand and began to pick too and b,
way Of doing it to better advantage he sa
down fiat on the ground with his leg,
apart, and, pulling Pincher down on Iii,
back between them, began to operate on
bis mouth.
| Feeling curious to see the result, l wen,
qnietly down into tho orchard. The lit.
tie impromptu surgeon was 10 busy that
no didn't hear.
"Ted, what in tho world are YOU III
to~ Ted looked up with u jump and !.
queer, distras,ful blink. "What nre YOU
doing to Pincher ?"
"E'sc Sittin the hairs out Nv his mouth. y
And then, his tongue once unlooscd,
an Pinch was goiR by, an We s.wd I.
"oodchuck up in your apPlc-trec."
"A woodcbuck!'
"Ie'us. There was another Oh the
gro"1 no ruined of. This un," point.
ing to tho crushed carcass, was in the
tiptop o tho tree. Knocked i'm out witt,