The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

skcered HIM, and he sent the dog away
| "Wcll, no sooner was l fairly weaned than
daddy begins my dedication by gittin' me
six.monthsold bar cub for playmate, lha'
cub we named Rough, accordin' to his mater
and he was very comfortable friend as long
us we were rompin' or sleepin' together; bul
when our bowl of husband milk was sol
down there was suspension OF sociaoilllies
until one of us got a sound wallopin', ana the
winner finished the mushand.milk.
Trough and me generally tit fair, but he
would sometimes take Il mean advantage
when he found had the upper hand IN a
fight he upset the pan, well aware that wheh
il came to tapping milk off the floor he was
boss and | nowhere. In spite OF these iltllc
onpleasantnesses we both managed to keep
fat and hearty, and no outside beast or human
ever undertook to poke his snout between us
without feeling the strength OF our friendship
When we had growed to be three or iour
years old, Rough, accordin' to bar natur, had
got SO far ahead OF me, and so careless ABOUT
my clothes, that nanny begin TO leeu Us
separate pans. This new plan was so mighty
quiet that nanny, fearing we might pine
for our usual exercise and excitement, "ouli
sometimes slop bowl OF milk into the mush
pot, and allow us to go Tor the scfaplhs
Gentlemen, arc you acquainted Win scIap'
in's?'
We were constrained to acknowledge our
ignorance of the term. With u smile Of be
nignant pity for our simplicity, the narrator
proceeded:
an our settlement it was the pride OF good
housekeepin' to keep the mush-pot always
hot and never empty, and what with MIN
and refillin' you might reckon II wouia gu
pretty well gummed up 1t was cooled OH
and scraped mostly Of II Saturday evenln'.
Now gentlemen, them scrapln's, all so crisp
and cru sty had Il flavor that was mighty en-
ticin to bows ana bars, and | can't help feel
in sorry for a fellow whose boyhood haint
been enriched with the recollection thereof
But to follcr the text. Although it moight be
supposed human wit would have given me
some advantage over "A brute beast, yet, to
tell the truth, Rough's muscle was gettin' a
little too much for my strength and science
together, as appeared one day when whole
coachlolH of our lawyer and politician rela-
tivcs come to make a socablc visit to daddy
and nanny. | believe the whole notion of
1t was to betoOl him and her into slgnn'
some paper, that they mought cheat him out
en- land. But the bar and me knowed moth
in of that bein' sent together INTO the kich-
en- when the company landed, nanny bein'
ASHAMED to show us with the pretty children
all dressed in store clothes and ribbons. But
this put Rough and me both in bad humor;
so we fell a-quarrelin between ourselves, and
presently we had row, and he slapped me
into the slop.tub headforemost where |
mought have drowned, if, mt the same time,
he hadn't upset the tub in his awkwardncss,
Now the visitors had jist laid off their cloaks
and bonnets, and was a-sickn' up their chill
dren's curls, and a-braggn' of their smart
ness, when in | straddlcd, dripping out of
the Stops, and bawlin' like bull-calf. Now
was one of those hard-headed wO
men that set no value on calico and knick-
llnacks for herself, but to see her brag child
cuttin' sch figure in company was littlcI
too much, and She flarcd up like an armtul
Of brush.
"'IIusband,' sad she, either that boy or
hat bar has got to leave this house. The
Jrute has outgrowed the child, it has, and
hey can't git along agreeable no more, and
IN account of its onmanncrliness It's onpos-
ible to keep Rowzey dressed decent, it.
"Wcll, what's to be done about the boys
eddicationY says dad.
Nanny suggested that was getting big
enough TO go to school, Dad, had hearn say
it was more arist0cratic and safer tor the chill
rcns morals to have u private. tutor, SO he
,worc we should bold on 70 the bar.
Things went on as usual for a while,
when the family dispute was settled by on
forescen circumstance. One day was roast
in Of later in the ashes when | observed
Rough a.scttin' off by the door a-watchin' me
out OF the corner of his eye. [ mstrusted his
intentions, and as knowed ! was no longer
IA match for him in a scramble, jist kivered
my later little deeper, and slyly put the po
kcr to heat in the Goals. When 1t was done,
| took up the poker and poked out my later
on the hearth. No sooner was il clear of
the hot Goals than Rough's paw covered it,
and slap went the red poker atop of his paw.
There was ayell you mought have heard n
mile off, and the whole cabin smelt of burnt
har | was scared myself so, droppin' the
poker aud hustlin up my roast, | started for
The stable loft but at the room-door me,
daddy comm in all in flare.
"'Rowzey,' said he, what have you been
a.doin' to that poor brute beast"
"'Nothn',' says |, feel;n' mighty mean
lie grabbed my later, snd | licked him,
that's all And it was ,aSr hght'
but what do you think She cussed brute
done? Why, he jist held up his burnt paw
to show daddy, and then went nosin' and
whnin around the hot poker, tellin' the
whole story in fewer words than any human
could have done. Well, dad jisr divided his
judgments by glyin' Rough the tater and
yivin' me fits which was sweetenctby my
,eein the brute eat it, all the while maxim
mpudent faces at me, while stood s,tivclin'
n corner We never had any more friend
hip or confidence in each other after that.
All the artfulncss of my mater was reused by
he wish to git square with the brute unbe-
,nowns to daddy; and Rough never see me
lick up anything after that, even chip, that
Ia didn't run and hide hissclf
NANNY took advantage OF the GOODNESS,
nd poor Rough, like Ishmacl, was sent back
nto the wilderness. After he was gone ii
ONE back to me that | had acted mean
art toward my old companion, and for
AMY day felt lonesome and pinin' when
yer | thought of him. Then | was sent 10
chool while, where l was licked through
rom b ab to C0nStdntinopic in less than two
ears, fit the boys, kissed the girls, and pick
d up an amount Of book larnin' and high |
ic that has been an advantage to me ever
ince, as you gentlemen can plainly see. But
$ soon as had growed big enough 10 han
A. a r;Na 1ua took mp home apin Ia shine /