The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-08-11


until he had reached the fun limit six
runs, when the cry of "lost ball!' in
terrupted everything, and all the play
ers, both "ins" and "outs," joined in
the effort to find it
But with no success. for, after twenty
minutes of tramping to and fro, the
Captain of the STARS cried "No gor'
and sorrowfully the two clubs gathered
again about the scorers stand.
"We ought to have brought another
ball." said one.
"Yes, but it's too late to 60 for 1t
now" replied another.
"Shall we call it drawr' said q
Rocket"
"No. sir! For we would have beaten
you if the game had been played out"
returned "Star.''
1--WE must put the matter over for
week." said Charlie NARROW, of the WIS.,
iting club, land you fellows come and
play it out with us"
mo" replied Ned Edwards, 1.-The
game is due here and must be played
out here; but if you'll come over and
finish it next Saturday I'll bring my
new football, and we'll have run with
that after this is decided"
Both Rockets and Stars were pleased
with this suggestion, and it was unani-
imously agreed to; and soon thereafter,
noisy, laughing crowd, the two clubs
shouldered their bats and turned up the
winding pathway homeward just as the
far-away sun kissed the western hor-
lion. But Ned Edwards babe the 9TH
ers goodnight" and plunged into the
cranberry swamp upon Decline for his
fathers house, something more than q
mile away.
The air was cool and fresh; with
vivid colors the setting sun painted the
fieecy clouds that tloated overhead;
the twitter of the birds seeking shelter
for the night mingled with the drowsy
tinkle of a distant cow-bell, and the
faint but plaintive cry of a bewildered
lamb alone broke the stiffness of the
coming night. The shout of the player
was stilled, the occasional bursts of
laughter from the distant home-going
crowd did not reach the lowland of the
swamp, the croak of the frogs in the
great marsh sounded like the mystic
music of some unseen chorus, and
watery echoes, faint and sweet, fioated
through the air. As Ned advanced his
loneliness became more marked.
This did not trouble the boy, how
ever, for many mile had he tramped
alone and after nightfall, too: but there
came uncalled-for to his busy brain
just at this time of all others the rumor
which he had listened to the day before
at the village store. of a panthers cry
which had been recently heard pro-
ceeding from some heavy timber at the
upper end of this very swamp. 1t was
an unpleasant thing to remember as the
shadows were falling and the distant
woods doomed black and somber; but
Ned laughed at his vague half fear,
even while his heart beat little more
rapidly. and fastened forward whistling
cheerily.
The swamp was at this season of the
year nearly dry, except where the
water formed deep pcois; and to avoid
these the boy was obliged to make
many turns and detours, choosing his
path with great care lest in the dim
light he should become entangled in
the morass and be forced to return as
he came.
Although the actual distance through
the swamp was considerably less than
a mile, yet the difficulty of passage was
so great that Ned was not half way
across it when the twilight faded into
night, and the soft stars that peeped out
overhead where the only lamps by
which to guide his footsteps.
He had forgotten the panther story in
his worry about the path, and his only
anxiety now, as he moved slowly for
ward, was to escape the treacherous
vines that continually wound around
his feet, and avoid the water holes that
lay upon either hand.
The frogs chorus was quiet now, but
the night had other voices all its own:
the gentle whisper of passing breeze,
the distant bark of some prowling dog,
the far-off rattle of home-going wagon
upon the hillside road, the soft Groom of
little birds nesting one against the other
among the ow-growing bushes, the
dismal, lonely boot of an owl from the
darksome recess of the woods close at
hand.
All these Ned heard, hardly noting
them as he struggled onward; but sud-
denly new sound broke upon his ear,
startling him; and, pausing, be turned
quickly toward the quarter whence it
came.
1t was footstep. apparently follow
ing him; q 1.-the tread. not crashing
through vine and branch, but falling as
though padded upon the tangled
growth; and the panther story again
flashed across the boys brain, chilling
him with quick fright and driving the
whistle from his lips. Perhaps the
rumor had been true!
With straining eyes he peered into
the darkness about him, listening mean
time intently.
For q moment he heard only the owl
and the fsrawsy dog; he saw nothing.
Then . sudden swaying of the bushes
caught his attention, and an instant
later black something, an animal with
long body, four feet and q huge head,
dimly appeared, half crouching upon an
open spot not thirty feet behind him. It
was the panther!
With cry of terror the boy turned
and fed.
Over matted vines and quivering
quicksand, through twisted thickets and