Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-10-04
Hannah's Snares.

bright little yankee girl pamed Hannah
Buck.
Her father was lumberman that is,
he used to chop down the great primeval
forest trees and trim OF the branches
and the giant logs thus made ready were
fiosted down the river to Bangor, where they
were saved into lumber al the great saw
mills.
Little Hannah lad three brothers, John
and Charles, older than she, and William.
younger. The district school was two
miles from their home !; and at the time OF
which | am telling you. only John and
Charles attended. Hannah and Willie
being too young to walk so far. The
nearest way to school was by path mile
or more of which led through thick wood.
The boys nearly always went that way,
slnce 1t was nearest, although 1t was really
dangerous TO do so for wildcats and
wolves were numerous in that region, and
occasionally besr was seen.
One fall night, as the boys were well on
their way home, they saw flock Of qualls.
Charlie proposed that they should set
some snares in the bushes on either side OF
the path, and perhaps they might catch
game enough for dinner!
Accordingly, the next morning they started
early for school, that they might have
time TO set the snares. Charlie set his On
the east side nf the path, while John
chose the west, each setting a dozen
snares-
Oaly bows crn im.glne how anxlously
they waited the close of school. How
ever, their impatlence resulted in dlsap-
poiDtment, for not thing did they find in
th:lrsnares that night. The next day they
were more successful, for in the morning
John found quail in one Of bis snares !;
and at night Charlie found two qlails on
his SIDE OF the path.
The boys were IN high spirits over this.
Their parents were pleased, too and the
whole family enjoyed the game drnner.
Frequently, too, after that were the
young sportsmen successful.
Little Hannah was never weary of
hearing about their ventures and theu
luck, and she often went "apiece" with
them when they set off for school, and one
eventful Saturday she was taken 10 see
the snares.
.'Well, one day shs took 1t into her lit
tie head that It would be fine thing TO
set some snares of her own so the next
Saturday she coaxed to be taken again
10 see the snares and this time she no.
tlced particularly how they were made.
That day, after dinner, she called her
little brother William out into the wood
shed, and there told him her plans They
then at once started for the woods. Han
nah chose a different path than the one the
boys traversed every day, for she thought
she should not like them to rnd heE
snares.
Docs you really Know how TO SCI
snares a. queried Willie, as they trudSec
along.
"Yes, sir, do" replied Hannah, in
dignantly. "Havenr seen the boys Sc
snares ever so many times And SCI
what a nice strong string have. found
it among fathers tools. l guess thef'
can't anything to beat that can; cut
myself. so / brought mamma's scissors Z
cut It.
The adventurous little girl set four snare
the best she could, although she fount
hard work in bending down the younl
ssplings.
On the way home Hannah cautlone'
Willie TO: to say word about the snare
to anybody: "Csuse, Willie, we wan
to 'sp-ise the folks, you know"
Willie kept the secset faithfully, though
a. night, when they went up to bed, b
did want to tell his brothers, very, yer
much.
Hannah thought about the snares all tn
afternoon. and wondered and wondered
, they would catch anything and at nigf
after she went to bed, she fell asieeI
, thinking of her snares.
And sitter she was asleep she dreamed
oh what dream II Was dream, bt
truly our little huntress thought that 81
i heard fearful noise in the yard the
@ a scratching ard scrspng on the side &
a house and then-oh, such terror ! !-sa
/ a great wildcat spring in at the open vii
: dow and leap right on her bed.
II She tried to jump out and run to h'
v mother but she was rigid and could n
s move. In terror she cried out ~ M
d Wildcat, please do not hurt me, I'm goo
grill"
Good Girl - roared the cat in
f voice of loudest thunder. "Good girl
: should think you were good glt
What did you do this very afternoon T.
1t "Nothing, good Mr.. Cat" besougl
Hannah, but help mother and play-ol
II set some snares J"
}. Eyes" thunderei the beast. "Ihat
it you set some suares Did you a
t, your mother if you might ~
a "No," tsemblingly replied the little hu
re ter.
ar Then you did something without 20
5. mothers permission. must punish y
N for ii! Did you tell your mother VIII
a you came home :"
NO" faltered Hannah.
'"Tnep you deceived your mother.
to must panlsh you for that, too. Now
ct me tell you whs. else l must punish y
for YOU caught me in one OF your hC
a nd snares whilst WAS seeking fooi ioH
er young; but / got array, and am NJ
Id come to
ali Here poor little Hannah, crying slo'
woke up.
I There was no wildcat IN the room.
Is was still peaceful. The beautiful mo-
light filed the room. Hannah knew
X had been dreaming, still she was frig
or ened. and it was long, long time bef
she could fall asleep again. She resol'
that the first thing she did IN the morn
should be to tell her mother about
as snares.
rd She awoke rather late the next norm
,,z She made haste down stars, and INTO
IN kitchen where her mother was bushy ?
OF parlng breakfast.
ur Now, all the while Hannah Was dl
md sing, she firmly intended to tell
zen mother at once about the snares; but
NJ the time she entered the kitchen. she
in concluded that sbe would just go and
md at the snares first, so she only said 'G1
oor morning. MOTHER" took her sun-oou
rs and went out into the yard AS soon
IN sic turned the corner she started on
nm for the woods: In her trst snare
rye found no. hing but as she approached
ck- sec md, she heard growl, and stop
has soeech,ess as she saw two great
,ar. staring st her She did not take a sec
om look she r,n back home as fast as
iust little feet could carry her. shriek'ng
I'm. CRYING. 'Oh, the wildcat the wudca
how She rushed into the kitchen, ran