Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-03-13
The Racer, the Rabbits, and Carlo.

The Racer, the Rabbits, and Carlo.
We we're boys then. Our house was
lust below the hill, with two very large
pine-trees at the back, fine shade in Sum-
ner and protection in Winter, when their
dense boughs would often be bent nearly
to the ground by the showers of snow and
ice The spring was on the hillside, con-
tanning the purest water, so cold in Summer
as to make ones teeth ache, and never
freezing even in the coolest Winter. a
pitcher of this water, fresh as 1t came
from beneath the big hill, was luxury
on Summers day | used frequently to
be sent for pitcher full fresh for dinner.
One day ! had just filed ny pitcher, and,
looking up, saw within few feet of me a
racer, large, black snake, with his head
about two feet from the ground, coming
toward M. | never made such quick
time from that spring as L did then with
the tracer after me. Father did not
complain that time of my being gone so
.ong. The racer did not quite catch me,
as the house was too near. He was about
SIX feet ong, and as thick as a mans wrist.
He was an old settler there, aud was often
seen by the workmen coiled up asleep in
the hollow of big stumps. Many time
they tried to kill him, but he was too quick
tor them, as they said he ran as fast as a
horse At last they saw him go into
large pile of dry brush which they fired on
all sides, and he was never seen again.
But it was not about this was going to
tell you when | took up my pencil, but
about the fun John and | had one day
with catching rabbits.
The large barn was built into the hill
fronting the house. 1t was in the Spring
Of the year, when there was but little hay
or straw in the barn, when John and our
dog, Carlo, happened to be in the barn
Carlo was dog that was a dog, aud as
father said, knew as much as some men
did. Carlo was below IN the stable, and
John aud [ in the NOW above on the straw.
don't know how we found them out, but
we were soon after the rabbits. With
long pitchtorks we punched the straw and
down went the rabbits Carlo understood
his part OF the business, aud with head
ia seI AMI tail waggug, he did nc let
them touch the floor as they fell, but gave
them bite aud laid them IN pile in the
yard. Such fun we had, and such mum
Der to, of hne, piunp, fat fellows
enough for dinner Tor u weeN, Soon We
left Carlo TO watch the game, aud we went
10 the house with the news as fast as our
le., would carry Us. We stumbled into
the door Que over the other, each anxious
to tel first. crying out mother mother
come see our rabbits
Grandmother. over seventy, nimbly as
a g,rl caught her bonnet aud went with
us TO the blruyard, and, as we proudly
pointed to our pile Of game, said she, with
u merry sparkle in her eyes. Why. boys
they are not rabbits at all, they are rats. -
II dogs Do live hertalter, | shall be very
clad To meet Carlo sometime lie was u
re ig;ouS doL, and always went to church
Is We let hjm II we did mt tie hmm up
before We went be was sure % be there.
b, and by he came 70 know when sun
dav came. ana If we DID not smut him up
on Saturday be would not come near the
house ou Sunday morning. bat would at
uu tue n.I. watching, and Nac1 we would
START. Ic would 90 JlTa through lae feds,
.s.pIa.e4 with u.s. one Sunday there
wa- a quarterly -mee'u-. 81 h.c time then
there are Do ~url meetings now. when We
had forgotten Carlo uau we reached tae
church door. There he was =. Smiling As
a basket o. chips" What was to be doue =
The house was crowded. even the negro 5
bench bv the door was full So there was
no room for good Carlo. The only thing
10 do was to tie him SO father took the
reius. fifteen or twenty feet in length, and
tied ham 10 the wagon.
The old presiding elder wa, deep in mis-
sermon. and the large congregation was
listening with rapt attention. Our seat
was second 10 front, and soon we heard
something come dragging up the aisle
L11kiu- around there was Carlo. with
twenty feet Of leather strap after him
il was % muca for human endurance. Tac
preacher stopped in MS sermon, aud IN
qurcl II the owner Of that dog was present,
but no one answered Father did Mt own
C1-ioju-r then. An Old gray-haired dea-
con. equal TO the situation, amid the litter
ing Of toe young folks. toos the dog aud
strap beyond the door.
BESIDES UeIng a go-to-meeting dog, Carlo
was Industrious During two Summers be
would wait anxiousIy for his breakfast.
and then 70 with the cattle to the woods.
remain with them during the day. Keeping
them together and bringing them home at
night Tnls he did Of his own accord.
without our teaching him. 80 much for
our dog Carlo. # any OF our young
readers nave any better do-s, we would
IKE to hear about them Western Chris
tjq1 idsocatr