The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-06-15
an interruptIon was sure to cali up |

VA IODS dsO iuduo mo qulto IOI8 get my
play. Nothing that my own or another's
brain could suggest ever equaled in in
terest these old mems stories. 1 can
not clearly recall a single one of them
now. but simply the effect they pro-
duced, and the sad fact that. in their
estimation, the present never favorably
compared with the days when they
were young. And is it not ever SOP If
l have learned nothing else since then,
i have learned this: that the glorious
future to which as child looked for
ward has proved every thing but what
my fancy painted.
There was comic side to my inter-
views with the wood-choppers which
recall even now with grim satisfaction,
for l think it was right that outwitted
an unreasonably cross-grained aunt.
Often my heart was sorely troubled be-
cause, in the midst of most exciting
story, Aunt would call out: "Thee is
hindering Miles at his work; he doesn't
like to be bothered:" all OF which
was in the interest of the work being
done, and not Miles comfort. Not
like to be bothered, indeed! Neither
he nor Uz disapproved of lettering. for
both were old, and Aunt knew this as
well as they. Before summer was over.
stratagem was devised that succeeded
admirably. / had merely to take my
place on the off side of the wood-pile,
where l was quite out of sight, and
Miles or Uz would work. oh, SO dill
gently! at the light wood for half day,
which needed next to no eSertion, and
all the while could talk Tvs freely as
when taking his incoming. Perhaps
it was not well, but. youtg as l then
was, learned that in human nature
the real and the apparent are too often
as widely apart as the poles.
The wild life that forty years ago
lurked in the woods and swamps of the
old farm was not different from what
is still to be found there. but there has
been great decrease in the number
of many forms. The wildcat and fox.
perhaps, may be considered as really
extinct, although both are reported
at long intervals in the immediate
neighborhood. These, it is certain are
stragglers-the former from the mount
aims to the north, the latter from the
pine regions toward the sea-coast. But
it has not been long since the raccoon
was regularly hunted during the moon
lit winter nights, and the opossum
found security in half the hollow trees
along the hillside. The dreaded skunk
was then abundant. None of these,
however, can be said of common occur
renee now, and their discovery pro-
duces a ripple ofexcitement at present,
while in my early days their capture
excited scarcely a word of comment.
Then the old woodpile was not infre-
quently the hiding-place of one or more
of these ''varmints,' which raided
the hen-roost, kept the old dog in
fever of excitement. and baffied the
the trapping skill of the Oldest ..hands'
upon the farm. Now, at best, when
the last sticks are cut and stored in the
woodshed, the burrow of a rat is all
we find.
With what glee do still recall an
autumn evening, years ago. when the
unusually furious barking of the old
mastiff brought the whole family to
the door! In the dim twilight the dog
could be seen dashing at and retreat
ing from the wood-pile, and at once the
meaning of the hubbub was apparent
Some creature had taken refuge there.
A lantern was brought. and as every
man wished to be the hero of the hour,
my aunt held the light. The wood-pile
was surrounded; every stick was quick
ly overturned, and finally skunk was
dislodged. Confused or attracted by
the light, l do not know which, the
warmth made straightway for the
ample skirts of the old lady, followed
by the dog, and, in second. skunk,
dog, lady and lantern were one undis-
mass. My aunt proved |
the heroine of the evening. nor did the |
men object. often pause at the very |
spot, and fancy that 1.-The scent of the |
roses" doth '.hang around it still.n
A wood-pile, If it be not too near the |
house, has many attractions for birds |
Of various kinds, and am at a loss to |
know why the whippoorwill should, of
recent years, have forsaken it. Form
erly, the first of these birds heard in
early spring was that which perched
upon the topmost stick and whistled
his trisyllable monologue from dark to
lawn. Now they frequent only the
retired woodland tracts. Various in
sect eating birds continually come and
90, attracted by the food they find in
he decayed wood. but the house-wren
remains throughoutitss summer sojourn
here that is, from April to October;
while during the colder months the
winter wren takes the others place.
These little brown birds are exceed
ngly alike in appearance, in habits