The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-30
MY AUNT'S SQUIRRELS.

Perhaps it was because she hated
cats.
My aunt's house is a large one-very
like those you often see Wien travelling
in the country-square, with windows
all shut, silent doors and empty porches.
The beauty of my aunt's house was its
back yard and back door. with great,
fiat stone step. A gate at the back of
the yard opened on a lane, where trees
grew on each side, and thickets, which,
in summer. are full OF birds, butterflies
and blossoms. The deep ruts are over
grown with grass; only the breezes pass
to and fro, which ilutter the leaves into
little rustling songs. The back door
led into a great kitchen, built ever so
many years ago; the rafters were coffee
colored, for my aunt would never have
them whitewashed. Lots of things
were slowed away among those rafters
pumpkin seeds, ears OF corn, punches
of herbs, an old saddle; and, in the
winter. hams and links OF sausage swung
from the beams. Piles OF paper bulged
over their edges, and the rubbish of
years was there. precious to my aunt,
but useless to everybody else. .' VI.
One day in autumn, Josh, my aunt's
man of-a'l-work, while hosting a bag
of dried beans into the rafters, discov-
cred pair of gray striped squirrels.
He ratified the beans and ''shooed.'
but thew onlvskipped beyond his reach.
chattering, and stood on their hind
paws, making motions with their fore
paws as if ''shooing" Josh in return. .
II do believe, men, he calledto my
aunt, "that these little thieves have
come to eat up all my garden. seeds; but
l can't make out why ground squirrels
should roost up here y
"Let them be, JOSH" said my aunt;
"rd rather have squirrels overhead
than cats under feet; the creatures won't
trouble me-" I .....a
Nor did they, but, when people talked
in the kitchen, the squirrels chartered
louder and faster than ever. Although
they dropped seeds and straws on my
aunt's muslin cap, and although Josl,
muttered about holes in bags, and
muss, and noise, she would not listen.
She declared they were company for
her. and she was certain they would
not forget her friendiness toward them:
they kept their distance, and were al.
ways the same bright, cheerful, happy
little beings! r pF -.-.N'o :
For all this, Josh pondered a plan,
and carried it out. /" G1Ound.squir-
rels," he argued, "had no business up
in the air. So he prepared a bag,
tackled the old horse to the wagon,
caught the squirrels when my aunt
went out. put them in the bag, and
rode away up the lane and into the
woods. When he got to thick SPOT,
dark with trees. he shook out the SPUR.
rels. turned about, and logged home,
with the satisfaction of having finished
a good job, just a little dashed with
dread of my aunt's scolding, which. any
way, was not SO bad as their chatter
Josh opened the kitchen door and went
in. The silence pleased him, and he
began to rub his hands, as his way was
when pleased. He cast his e,es up
ward and was instantly greeted with a
merry chatter. The squirrels had got
home before him, and were all the more
lively for their voyage in. the bag, the
ride in the wagon. and the picnic in the
woods! uaa .I ...... j. ..
i :! Marcy on me!' he cried, his hands
falling apart Just then the squirrels
j let drop a hickory nut on the bald spot
of Josh 8 head. .! "a .s1. t.a
81 missed their noise," said my aunt
"they have been cunning enough to &C
out nutting."
"Yes,',' said poor. Josh "They are
very cunning, mem; know so much
= about them" Il .Ha.t ,"a"ot 'l
Either the indignity of the raid upon
them. or the find of the hickory-nuts
was too much for the squirrels; shortl,
after, they disappeared. My aunt wa
reminded more than once OF their in
4 gratitude, but all she said was.
u Wait" 81, ~ 8a "a ses
"A cat was proposed for q pet onc'
more. "No cats"' my aunt said
looking severely at Josh. who went on
to the barn Immediately. .4.
When the snring came, and the lilac