Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-10-25

trouble, effort double' They say tovcr and
over Let's tell storiesn
Suppose we do ten limited NUMBER
said McArdle, "and draw lots for the cnvi-
able opportunity
II never could tell story to ordcrn said
Holmes
McArdlo had already taken out his note
booa; he cut slips into his hat.
.I'ut the shadow Of a subject on those
fatal papers, urged Gurley $50 the VIC
inns may have a straw to cling to-
Good, said McArdle, sharpening his
Iencil subjects are in ORDER
'-Injuns!9 spoke up Nose.
'The thought of bcin' scalped is wakenin'
TO Nose, remarked Adam.
''Give US something pathetic-with tears
in it., proposed Tom Holmes, with COM
Portable smile
''Indans-Tears," voted McArdle "One
more viii do
something about the North, them" said
Gurley, tipping his head to look up at the
dark sky ANY other point of the compsss
would do as well, but the lichens on the
north side of this tree spoke first"
VERY we'll said McArdlc, and he arose
and carried around his hat for the drawing
'.The Indians have inc, confessed Gurley
And I've drawn the North, " said Phoebe
but who has drawn tearssn inquired Nc
Ar3lc, looking carefully around.
This fellow viii draw bisters," ex-
claimed Adam, dragging his brothers shoe
from the Goals. He'd burn himself to
ashes, and set smokin' two or three days
before he found it out, if didn't look after
him"
Nose struck out at his brother with fist
which revealed the third penciled slip
Come Moses" said Gurley; "let's have
the mellowing story first"
"Oh, git out" muttered Nose, in discom-
fort.
'sone short and simple talc,p added
Holmes; ''only let it be calculated to touch
the heart"
"oh, git out, repeated Nose, twisting UNI
easily
IF you have tears prepare to shed them
nown quoted McArdle.
"oh, blame it, git out" growled Nose,
looking helplessy on all sides Of him.
IF you can't do nothing else cry little
suggested Adam, secure in having drawn a
blank
Here Nose, give me your hat for for
felt, . said Phoebe White l'You'll redeem
it some way They shan't drive you to tears
while | am by Ii is Mr. Gurley's turn
Nose gladly gave up his hat, and curling
his shaggy head nearer the fire, prepared
for unlimited basl5ing.
"Ths is sudden, said Gurlcy, "But give
me your attention and will cndeavor TO fol-
low the warpath
Adam or his sister kept skimming the
thick sirup, and the sound Of the skinner
on the sides, or the strrer on the bottom, of
the kettle was Gurleys accompaniment
Only a few miles from the place where
we now sit, said he. 'there is, rs YOU all
know, mound so ancient that the aborigi-
mes of this country could give no account Of
it, Trees Of centuries growth spring from
it, and it is believed to be the work of an ex-
tinct race
Hes stealing bodily from pioneer pa
pers,n sighed Tom Holmes "Alose, bring
US pitcher Of fresh sugar-water. We all
love that mound 1t has been written about
and photographed but we like to rest our
selves from it occasionally We couldn't
keep house without that mound but when
you attempt to give it to us for an Indian
story, Jack, you arc taking a mean advant-
ageof local weakness
Only few miles from the place where
we now sit, repeated Gurley, with deaf
expression Of countenance, there is a
mound so ancientthat the aborigines Of this
country could give no account Of il. Trees
Of centuries growth spring from il, and il is
believed to be the work of an extinct race.
That ought TO give me a fair start unless tho
iudgcs persist in ringing me back
"The Gurleys were always horsey,"
commented Tom "But could stand turf
talk better than can quotations from old
pioneer papers"
mot many years ago the speaker was a
youth who had Familiar, and this Famil-
lar, instead of being such mentor as his
age ought to have made him, acted rather
as temptern
Tempt mulish Gurleyl" murmured
Tom Holmes.
Mexican relics and Aztec tradition inter
ested us greatly, and we laid up heaps OF
knowledge; only, one of us became positive
that this old mound was merely burial
place Of the native Indians, and the other
became equally positive that il was Of more
ancient origin
"After long quarrelug we decided 70 dig
until VIC fogni proofs to satisfy us. But as
the law protected that mound from curious
investigation, VIC decided TO say nothing
about our intentions, but to go quietly there
in the night, with pick and spade, and avoid
disturbing people.
1T was fall, and hardly leaf remained
hiA hliS SIX LIttos nuHkcI NY tOdb Col-
lar up TO my ears, not because / was cold,
but because the weirdness Of the woods and
season drove one in on himself. We found
the spot previously agreed upon and both Of
US fell to work digging straight downward.
Our slide-lantern was shut up and set athand
to flash on our discoveries. Before long we
stood to our waists in the hole, and then TO
our armpits. The Familiar, being corpulent
and lazy, now climbed out and said he would
hold up the lantern"
This story is contemplate poor per
formance,' continued Tom Holmes.
1T grows better as it gets on promised
Gurley. The lazy, fat Familiar, said,
opened the lantern slide and fatigued him
self throwing light into the hole while /
threw dirt out And presently the metal
struck something which rang in response.
Tho Familiar squatted in excitement and
Kissed directions over my painting head,
threatening me with his lantern because
/ did not upheave the whole find at once.
The spade scooped a great head over and
it continued turning slowly as if by its own