The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1882-11-24
THE STORY OF LEWIS BEDsPREAD

When l taught IN the mill DISTRICT
the ~talleSt boy in my school was Levi
Bcardsley. 4 dark-eyed, olive-skinned
Young fellow Of seventeen or eighteen
wears. q lad 81 rare merit in every re-
spect. In .'boarding round i fell 70
nv lot 70 70 first to Lewis home; and
this. with his winning ways and worth.
made us friends from the beginning.
Many were the good times we had AZ
the school studies. visiting around the
great open lire j cracking nuts. pop
ping corn. skating and sleighing over
The Wild country roads.
One cold evening rs we Were starting
for d ..spelling-school" IN another dis
trict some miles away, his mother came
10 the door and said We would need
more lap-coyerings for such q night.
We assented. and She turned back into
the house. saying: I'm bringyo Levi :
IN 4 she was at the door
AGAIN. and a. l took the dark mass from
her hand. She said: s.He has outgrown
il for his bed, but il i long enough Tor
a lap robe"
Tuckinr il around rs. away we went
in our homcly back wood rig; and as
we glided through the forests and past
| the scattered log houses. Levi told me
about his bedspread. He came into b
possession Of Il the spring he was nine
years old. He was very fond Of fishing.
which Is not unusual with boys. and was
peculiarly successful. which q unusual
with fishermen Of any age.
One morning early in May. accom-
panied By his little dog, he sprang into
the skiff on his fathers millpond. and
padded up stream to fish for trout IN a
brook that ran into the pond half q mile
above the dam. Now in order 70 I'M
derstand the best point Of Lewis advent
ure, il is necessary 10 get . clear idea
of the mouth OF this brook. II came
down from among the hills. leaping
from rock 10 rock and scudding across
the levels like q squirrel 1t play. Its
last leap was It's highest: and. rs II
scared at having jumped 50 far. i quiet
" slipped in a half circle around q huge
rock. and hid itself in the waters Of the
pond. which at this place was Ave or six
rods wide and flowing on with strong
current 20 the DAM The pool ~ the
foot Of this fall was Levi : destination: q
fpot whore he had often been before.
and never without success.
Softly padding his boat TO he shore
Of the pond. q few feet below the mouth
Of the brook. and pulling on end of i
upon the shelving rock. he had only %
riamber up the bank a little 70 be in the
r best position for fishing the pool.
Leaving the dog in the boat a taking
his fish-rod. in q moment he wa slyly
\ dipping into the foamy waters where
waited the trout How many .spcckled
beauties he had caught 1 know not
y bat only . few minutes had passed wher
4 slight noise on the rocks just above
him caused him TO look up.
An! what q sight met the boy eyes
There. within fifteen or twenty feet
!. was his bcdspread (not yet hi, how
Il eyer), dappled and glossy, constituting
the wrapping Of another individual
= And that individual. with glaring eye
balls. ears laid back, unSsseathed claw
and lashing tail. seemed about 70 seel
4 nearer acquaintance with Levi.
A glimpse was enough for the lad
!. Dropping his fish-pole. he slid like
!. fash down the bank toward the boat
! and lodged under the shelving rock
y thus passing instantly out Of sight q
n those glaring eyes. But scarcely ha'
- liz left his perch by the trout hole or
Il was occupied BY the other individual
Al this turn Of affairs the dog began u
n excited yelping In the further end q
q the boat. Immediately absorbing tn
n panthcr's attention. And more quick
81 " than IL can be told. the 1.-THE cfeatur
~ sprang again into the air, this time ~
Y. er the dog. With q heavy lunge 81
came down midway in the boat. by HI
weight and impetus sending Il adfift nm
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