The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-11

the creek dry-shod.
Wash, accustomed to such feats, walk
ed easily across, but Mr.. Harland and
sscooned it, as the negroes say-that is,
we crawled on our hands and knees.
Emerging from the swamp on the
| other side, covered with mud and LAGER
| ated with briers, we found the boys and
| dogs under canopy of vines which
| clambered over several small trees. The
| surrounding air was laden with the de-
lightful fragrance of full-ripe musca-
| dimes.
81 don't blame dat 'possum for comm
year. remarked Wash. want some
o. dem dimes myself
Everybody fell to looking for the
game. Wash, holding the torch behind
him, closely scanned the tree-tops and
the vine. and presently exclaimed:
| ST sees 'im!''
There was great excitement among
the boys, each wing with the other to
see the opossum first. The rapscallions
| were standing in a STOPPING posture. side
by side, with their hands resting on their
knees and the whites of their eyes turn
ed up to the sky.
s'Dar he!'' exclaimed one.
s'Whar' bouts?" inquired the other.
s'Top o. dat vine. Oh-ee! amt he a
buster!''
''Gol-ly, what whopperi'
''Lemme knock i'm out wild a rock"
The last speaker stepped off a few
PAGES and picked up stone which he
found by an old decayed stump. He
turned and was in the act of throwing,
when suddenly he dropped the stone
and commenced fourishing his black
shanks in the widest manner, slapping
his body with his hands and crying:
'sOh-eei Cheer
whats de matter wild. you, you
young vagabone?n inquired Wash, in
an angry tone.
''Sump'n bite me, Tinker Wash
oh-eer'
''Yallef-i Jackets" sententiously spoke
Wash. Oats what You git for bein' too
smart. Who ever year tell O chunkin'
a 'possum? Here, take dis hacker"
handing him well-masticated quid,
''and put it on de place whar dey bite.
/ speck dat'n kyo (cure) YOU"
Wash now gave the torch to the other
rapscallion, charging him thus:
|'Hold dis light, and don't you let ole
Rock go nigh dat stump. Els for dat OBJ
jackets eat i'm up boddaciously."
Wash shook it violently The next mo-
ment the opossum fell heavily to the
ground and was Immediately covered
by the hound, while the little dog, keep
ing at q safe distance, deafened us with
incessant barking.
From the fangs Of the hound Wash
rescued the opossun-a repulsive object,
alive, but feigning death, grinning from
ear to ear and showing gums as well as
teeth.
A stout stick was cut, and in the end
of it, which had been split for the pur-
pose, the opossum' tail wasinserted and
held with the grip of a wise. This, one of
the rapscallions swung over his should
er, and the hunt proceeded.
We were destined now to long and
fruitless walk, traversing numerous
tracts of woodland and several cultivat-
ed fields without finding any trace of
game.
At length, when our patience was
nearly exhausted, the hound struck a hot
trail and quickly run it to tree.
To our dismay, wefound that the game
had taken refuge in large oak, the
branches OF which were still covered
silence, broken first by Wash with an
aphorism:
big tree, little possum."
Another pause.
"Cudjo, kin you clam dat tree?' ask
ed Wash, addressing one of the rap
scalions.
Guido hesitated.
faint no use, Tinker Wash. Nothin'
up dar but little ole blackjack pos
sum-
..You amt no count said Wash.
@tJake's de boy for my money He
amt afeared; he kin clam it like a
squir'l'
jake could not resist the insidious
fattery. With q show of alacrity he
commenced to climb, but several times
had to be encouraged by Wash before he
reached the lowest branch.
s.Dar de 'possum, - cried Wash; Fright
out dar on dat linn. Shake it wild yo'
foot, Jake"
The animal clung desperately, and
when his feet were shaken loose, still
hung by his tail, which was wrapped
around the limb.
Wash caught him in his hand when
he fell. He was, indeed, diminutive
specimen.
Big 'possu1ns don't walk dis time o
night" remarked Wash. as we started
of. ave better bull up fire and
roas' some Eaters tell midnight. Den
big 'possums be out ag' in
Every good" said Mr.. Harland.
s'But where are the potatoes to come
from?'
3"Taters in dis crowd Wash replied,
triumphantly, and drew from his bosom
and the pockets of his trousers about
dozen fine vans.
A fire was kindled, and the potatoes
and pocketful of peanuts, which Wal
ter produced, were buried in the cinders
to roast.
Long before supper was ready. how
ever, all the negroes were sound asleep
and snoring audibly.
A conspiracy was formed among the
whites to play a trick ON them, and when
they awoke we pretended we had de-
voured all the edibies.
Wash received the announcement as
unquestionable truth, and disappoint-
ment was plainly depicted on his coun-
tenance.
But Jake was suspicious, and after re-
volying the matter in his mind awhile,
very pertinently asked:
''Whar de goober hulls and later
skins?n
This brought out confession from
the conspirators, and the feast was par
taken of by all hands with apparently
equal relish.
The hunt was now resumed, but with
no success until we had nearly reached