The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-03-01
Young Folks.
Kitty and the Lynx.
ny ELMIRA W. HUGHES.


call came from little lIitty's bedroom.
as her mother sat in the room darning
stockings. 20 mamma come quick !"
Mrs. Martin, hastily dropping her
work, was soon at her daughters bed
side.
"The Lynx, mamma o, ] am afraid
there is one in the room" !"
Kitty's father had that evening read
aloud paragraph from the newspaper,
about Lynx on the prairie attacking
q dog, and as 1t was likely to get the
better of him, young woman who
was working near, killed it with corn
cutter.
"Why, my poor little frightened
darling, these animals are very rarely
seen, even on the prairies, and there is
not the least danger Of them here in
town. And supposing that there were
any, how could they get up stairs here?
o no 1t is impossible. Try not to think
about 1t and go to Sleep"
But Kitty was thoroughly aroused,
and though her mother, to crafty her,
looked under the bed, and in every
nook and corner Of the room, when
ever she attempted to leave the child,
she would cry, 80, can't help it (; l
am so afraid Of the Lynx. Mamma"
she said at last, "don't you know wlen
we lived in Pennsylvania, in that town
at the foot of the mountain, wild
animal came down from the mountain,
in the lot behind the house. Wasn't
that Lynx? and why did the men all
try to catch it, if It wouldn't get in and
hurt you? ?"
"I can not imagine what you mean,
my DEAR" replied Mrs Martin
Kitty continued: "Why don't you
remember, mamma, a boy ran in and
called papa from the study, and you all
laughed 50 at something he said"
so yes, that was deer you know
deer meat is called venison and is very
good food. Deer are harmless creatures
and the men had no fear of its hurting
US, but only wished to shoot it to get
the meat. Gov. johnson happened to
come to town that day; indeed he was
then at the hotel. There had been a
great deal of excitement making pre-
parations to receive him, and when lit
tie Henry saw the men in chase for the
deer, he ran in and called to your papa
DO please come down. The governors
deer has run off, and all tho men are
after him." This brings to my mind
something else that happened while we
lived there, and would tell you about
| it only it might make you afraid"
80 no, it wouldn't mamma, know.
1 do so love to hear your stories. Please
tell me, MANN dear"
"Well; two ladies, who had moved
| away, and been absent several years,
| returned to visit their friends there.
After tea one evening they left friend
they had beon visiting, to spend the
night with Mrs. Lee, who lived little
out of town beyond thick grove, by
the side of which the road ran. The
night was dark, but they walked along,
talking pleasantly, and feeling no fear
until they thought they heard the pat
| ter Of feet behind them. They then
quickened their pace, and evidently
whatever was following them moved
at the same rapid rate, and trip, trip, it
came over the stones. Mrs. Morrison,
who had more courage than her friend,
Mrs. Knight, proposed to stop and see
if they could discover anything, when
to their horror, there appeared bright
sparkling eyes.
1.-THE ladies then ran with all their
might, and faster and faster came their
foe, when at last they ran in to Mrs.
Lees house without the ceremony of
knocking. They began to relate in the
most e scited manner the particulars of
their fearful walk.
Mrs. Lees sonS-two stout young
men-prepared to 60 out with their
guns, thinking they might discover and
kill the animal, whatever it might be,
that had so alarmed the ladies; when
their mother remarked to Mrs. knight
that her yarn was hanging from her
basket, aud examination proved that
her knitting work had fallen out aud
that the ball unwound until the yarn
caught on the basket, and the knitting
work had followed them to the very
foot of the portico, and its needle, eyes
were shining there as brightly as ever.
You may be sure Mrs. knight laughed
as heartily as the rest for being so
frightened at her cwn knitting work."
Kitty smiled. This diversion had put
the Lynx entirely out of her thoughts,
and her close attention had made her
eye-lids droop SO that when her mamma
took the lamp she did not notice it, and
was soon wrapped in slumber.