Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-05


DARN! Invent by myself and thought
it all out; then went and found ny dear
teacher.
mister Gray" says !, whisperin', "you
done me lots o. good turns. and if you'll
Jest foller my lead mebbe I kin do you a
couple er So"
''All right, jim" says he, laughin', 81
never take dare-what's to be done!''
"Oh, nothin' Jest now Only keep close
ter Miss Wintry all day long fur one thing,
save and 'ceptin' the times / need yer help
Promise me ye won't git riled at what
does, no matter how reckless it pears ter
yOu."
Pleasant conditions TO begin with, jim; /;
it's bargain-I promise. My boy, there's
fierce light in your blue eyes-what sort
of storm does IL betoken,"
Like nuff yon kin tell me when the thun-
der and liShtnin's over, sIr:" And then l
leaves him a-laughin', and pe-ceeds-on
the strict quiet, ye mind, fellors-to climb
a tall tree near to where they was begin
min to spread out galorious lunch.
takes stout piece O. rope up with me Git
KEN from round the crockery box and
makes it fast to a long bent limb. Then l
slips the other end round my own body,
safe and fast, catches my jacket up over
twig L broke off on perpose, and perceeds
to hang there IN the air-leastwise that's
what pear to he doin' ter the folks below.
With one direful shrek l call fur help-I
pertend ter see nothin' nor nobody but Mis-
ter Montrissor, and l howl for him ter
come up and help me fore l perish. He
looks up with his mouth so full o. cheese
and crackers that most spoil my actin
and laugh ont loud. But he didn't move
anywheres near the tree, you bet, and Miss
Wintry screams: 'Oh, save the child"
At these words off goes one mans coat,
and John Gray is shinnin' up the tree like
mad, and in twinklin' l am jerked up
onter the limb
You little monkey!" says he, a
breathin' and pantin'.
"You kin bet 1 wished 1rcrc,'' says 1,
a whisperln' back; for monkeys have got
soft snap of it-a wrappin' their tails
round limbs o. trees-I had ter use HLs,"
and l showed him the rope that KEEP me
from fallin'.
"By all that's marvellous"
Don't ye git excited, sir; it's the f,Gst
trick-and you jest foller my lead all day
and Wen come out ahead-that's ALL"
We slid down the big tree and was met
by all the picnickers with cries of Joy. l
KEEP nv face straight, and when she KEN
up and clasped his hand saw the blood go
a flynn to his honest face, and he turned
away, shy and silent.
1t were q rip-snortin' good dinner, fel-
lars, and no mistake. We, bein' the lions,
eat the lions share-leastways did. But
l managed to git through it fore any o.
ha liz l1at Inff irhf
nothin' from sanditches ter pie; but got
through fust, as l were tellin' yer, and
went sneakin' off towards where them
nooday oats They was tied to a
long fore were on the back o. the friski-
est looking one of 'em and goin' it slam
bang through the woods. l he'd good safe
grip on the short rein, kin tell you, fel-
lars; and l knowed what l were about.
The harness were all on, trim and trig, and
nothin' less'n partin' with his own hide
would throwed me! l haint rid the trick
mule az the circusses, haint, fur nOthm'!
Yet l imagine l must looked perty scarf
fed as ken yelpin' past the picnic party
the wax Mazepper seen at that same mu-
kickin' Kickin'. Well, should remark
and thrashin' out with my best leg like
mad and succeedin' 'mazin' well in my OBJ
jeck-which were ter frighten the nag clean
outen his senses! Clean outen the woods
we rushed like the wind and when I'd got
out o. sight behind little hill pulled him
cleak square round ter stabbord and went
gollopin' back agin. They was all lookin'
anxious toards where l disappeared, and
John Gray were ready fur Inc (as knowed
he would be-, comm ter meet me on tOther
gray nag. yelled "help!" so you could
heared me plumb mile, and on ken John
Gray toards my poor scairt beast.
o. course he cotch US easy as wink-but
it looked like a wild West show-fur he
rode like Wild Bill and 1 yelled like
Comanche. When we was quietin' down
and trottin' passive up ter the place where
their dinner was a-waitin' for them poor
'bused hosses. I says:
"Trick number two-oh, we're a-doin'
beeyootiful.''
"You little rascal-what are you up TOT"
"rm up 10 my knees in catnip, if yer
please" says l, as / slid down from my
foamin' steed and shifted at the sweet
smell o. crushed leaves.
Some performance of congratulatin' Us
both. Some claspin' of John Gray's hand
by her perty white one. Some blushin' and
turnin' away Of eyes-but more light in
hern-and a softness and sweetness that
were encouragin' to behold.
All US kids run like wild through the
Wintry woods. They was a perty little
stream called Silver creek, cause it were
so clear and ripply. Jest a stones throw
from the place dinner We're eaten the creek
got wider m made dandy place to row a
skiff in. Right on the banks of this stream
we all shot off fire-crackers fur hours,
pack after pack, kids; hiyi, but weren't it
fun on the half-shell! 1 most furgot my
avengin' business in the high ole times
were hevin', and 'tweren't till / put some
of the little spit-hres into tin can that l
see my way clear ter make pint. l fills a
sardine box nearly full OF fire-crackers,
pressed down the bent lid and slips it slyly
inter the gaping pocket of the curly Mon
tressor, who sits close by Miss Wintry a
holdin' her bambcrsol over her head and
hanging onter every syllabub she says,
waitin' his chances, like snuff. ter go over
the same perlaverin' nipped in the green,
green bud earlier in the day. 1t were the
neatest fit, kids, yer ever seen, and thanks
ter that same parashoot he were
holdin', he never see me gettin' in
my work. 1 skinned up a convenient
tree and watched fur the fust act in the
new skit Dreckly the fun begun-the fuse
cotch on and sech scairt man ye never
heern tell on. Give you my word ne
danced round like a feller in humble bees
nest yellin' fit ter kill! Hurt him! How
could it! The crackers was all inside the
tin box and though it did sound perty lively
it couldn't hurt him Well, he performed
like rooster with his head of tryin' to
git some one to help him and nobody
KNOWN what on earth were the matter.
Rimebye John GRAY cotCh on and marched