The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-05-29

at her fat, good-natnred facs, you saw
that the tapc-worm had spared her q
good deal ot nourishment.
"W'at you been doin' honey, al dis
arternoonr" she asked, smilingly, of
Cal, who sat innocently ON the big
chist," twiddling his thumbs.
"Oh, heap OBJ t'ings. I found de
yaller hens nest, and it's got sixteen
eggs in it. / druved ole Blaeky to de
pastur'. Gaze / heerd painter in de
woods" 81
The panther was sudden and wicked
thought of Carl's 1t suddenly changed
the subject of conversation, which was
of rather too inquiring a nature to suit
him.
"Oh, my blessed Marsterl Did you
hear dat, Ikef she exclaimed to her
husband. "Cal done heerd a painter
right nigh us"
"Oh, pshaw"-Ike twisted about
nervously -"w'at Cal know bout
painter? He aint neber seed nome"
"No, but dis ting screeched like
CONAN, down in de branch, and den
went, guggie, guggle."
The "guggle guggle" was too much
for incredulity. They had neither of
them ever seen panther, but they had
heard deal of the savage brutes from
the people who had occupied the cabin
before them. They knew that the PAN
theirs screamed like a woman in distress,
and as for the "guggle," it was only a
proof that Cal had heard them. tr
al tole you, Ike" moaned Dorcas,
something was goin' to happen when |
seed dat rabbit jumpin' Gross de road
Jest afore me. Eff it had been behind
me now, good luck would come; but l
sed it was warnin', and + sees it's one,
wild growliu' painter ready to scrush
us in our beds." fi EFS
Ike whistled Wrastlin' Jacob" with
might and main. He was as much
frightened as his wife, but he tried to
keep up brave face.
"Taint no use to fret, Dorcas," he
said at last. "Ef it's a warnin', it's
sure to come to pass; eff it's ot,-well,
den, it won't come; dat's all bout it." ]
He was afraid to make his usual
nightly visit of inspection around the
premises, and sat smoking by the fire
until bedtime, listening to Dorcas's
mournful representations, and terrify-
ing both her and himself still more by
his own tales of omens and apparitions.
As for Cal, the author of all this un-
easiness, I am happy to say he was 30
much scared that his teeth chartered.
and the wool on his head almost stood
erect. He knew that he had heard
went, there was not a wild beast within
fifty miles of the cabin; yet when his
father barricaded the door with the
table and,other heavy articles, {" to keep
de painter out" Cal assisted him with a
heart beating high with terror.
He refused to sleep in his corner, and
dragged his pallet directly under the
"big bed," and there he lay quaking
until he fell asleep. The lie he had told
took a real shape, and he was quite as
much afraid. of his imaginary panther
as IL real one was at the door.
About midnight all was still and dark
in the Jordan's domicile, though if any
one had been listening intently, they
would have heard kind of rustling
sound overhead, followed by slow
patter on the bed, like the first heavy
drops of thunder-shower.
It was a warm night, and the sleeping
pair had thrown off most of the cover
ing. The sleeping Ike squirmed and
1 groaned for minute, and then awaken.
ing with a wild yell like Comanche
war-whoop, he sprang out of bed and
leaped high in the air. Nor was Dorcas
long in following him. 3l.
tSMurderI Fire l Thieves! Painters p
yelled the couple, stumbling about in
the dark.
40, my blessed Marster, he's got me
by de scruff oh de neckl Helpl helpP'
shrieked Dorcas, prsncing about.
"De painter got he claws in my ear
-murderp yelled Ike, dashing himself
blindly against the barricaded door in
his efforts toget it open.
The incongruity of panther hanging
to his ear did not strike him. He wal
crazed with terror, but it took a new
form when Dorcas screeched OUT
"Snakesl Rattlesnakes! feels 'em
slippin' down my backi Pm treadin
on 'em! Oh, Pm gonel" And she sanl
to the ground more than half-dead will
terror.
"Snakes! snakesl" yelled Cal, who a
the first alarm had. climbed UP the bed
post, and hung there shaking like al
aspen.
Col. Ingram, who lived near Jordan
cabin, was returning from a fre-hun
with several gentlemen, and they wer
nearing the cabin when the extraordinar,
noise began.
Something's up at old Jordan'sv
cried the colonel, squirting up his horse
"Put some more pine in that fire-pan
and let's see what's the matter"
When they reached the door, tn
noise was at its height. They burst |
l Co. a oh Ia
had killed his wife and become maniac
SO wild were his leaps in the air, willis
she lay in heap on the floor. Anothe
) glance showed the floor swarming wit
, crawfsh, great black fellows wit
strong red claws. One hung like
pendant to Ike's ear.
{ "Pm done stung to def, colonelw h
, cried. "You've coined too late TO saw
us"
, "Not bit of it, Ike," laughed Co
. Ingram. "Crawfsh don't kill people
! Let me get that fellow off your eal
What . grip be has, to be sureP'
, "Orawfshesp groaned Ike.
, Crawfshesp screamed Dorcas, si
ting up. "Well, they've done kilt m
, a-jumpin' about. Whar did crawfshs
come from? De debbil sont 'em SUR
/ fur we amt seed crawfish dis year."
"Maybe de Lord sont it fur sign,
{ said Ike, solemnly, rubbing his ca
They've fought me and clawed me ii
! ! amt got whole spot on me. I 'spet
. ifs a Judgment come upon us fur bacl
. slidin' and quarrelin' wild Bruddt
: Jones.p -, - - --r--r '
a i 81" 1 don't know about the judgment,
|. said the colonel, drily, but if you NJ
Cal there" pointing to the boy, who, ,
soon as he had seen the cause Of Il
4 commotion, had squeezed himself benin
/ the "big chist," "I think he can thro
3 some light upon the subject. saw hi
with a basket of splendid fellows tn
|. evening"
|. at put 'em in de seed-basket," whir
pered Cal. al didn't calklate they