Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1888-1899, 1889-09-12


- -, !. Ne lpas, and lnnx -
H,NA - ssArAhls friends- eveF<since
The day When eereft II mother. broth
ere and sisters at one cr,isl stroke by
the falling ~ giant trs.e, ltttle Billy
had booh hruught b. the house a BADLY
frightened and very noisy little ball If
yellow down hooking morr like a wad
oi vet and tangled cuiton tnan lineal
descendant ~ champion fvkin duek.
What pity said Mr.. Gilson.
Dicky's mpihcr, A. she placed tho
lonely orphan in a snug nosi bsiors the
frc. uhers The rruisi giuw would grad
ually dry aud rulivea his bedrargled
feathers There were nine 81 them
this morning sUrh = pretty little nock
and the old duek wa= such q pet
Well. sell duut rnckon thr little
thing will live but stih. wc can lct
hin take biz chances
Watch D,czy or he'll kill him
hiore night unmarked Ne ellison.
laurhingiy3 "thluk. there never was
soch party thing picky do-s keep
him ausy from lim, mother, ur you y
have 40 durk
"Nhat's tEg q ldsHrlerP rrovle cid
man Nc rury she hunter and trappcr
Who made his home aith The Gil-ou's =,
''ths buy might us sell kill him ~ The
yarmiui. Wbsl rs#b siru ~ 'cuou ~
theru iz aluuI thr edge 81 th, hottom'
an mius tracks tiIl you cant rcsi' no
danger that tbs bird sill ever have ter
die uf old age.
But II h..y mrrvly loved biz Young
friend iur thc sake ~ the dainty tid-
bite that they shared together. the
same charge could not apply % Dicky.
Mily va bis only playmate in The long
hours MrCruys bir, good od-uaturvd
hound Track, vas abz.nt with his
master ln che wouds When Track
was ~ home. BlIly saz often nogiertcd
for never was there such a good.
playful giant - dog before but
" ben the hound was ah-cut. thea
she hahy aui the ducklinr urro
Hs inseparAhle ~ brothor-. nioky's
home vas at the verge ~ one
oi the many great svnmps oi
she south vcst Year, before biz father
had CLEARED q farm ana built hous.
uu a iov mound near the cuuhueuoe oi
river aud smaller er,,rk iu the
dry season ~ she year this cultivated
mound vns little sanshiuy paradise
iu q vlIdsrness % 81 canebrako aud cy-
prrss bot with the heavy rainfall that
might eumc nt ans timo. the swollen
strrams uvrrh0wed the noighboriar
luw grounds. and Gilson's hiil a. Il
vac called became an island and ssTs.-
rated from the narrow highlands by a
dryp strip ~ water. which was many
r,,ds idr AZ tho narrowest point
A frw yards from the rcar - the
house va the boat landing, where
from one years eud o. another. the
half dozen skifs and dugouts owned by
NJ ellison aud his friend No rory las
floating 10 the submerged grass aud
weeds go high aud dry un che barg
ground, iust ~ ii stage uf water
chAnced % b. And herr. one mora
iug iu August the aquatic Instincts ~
she RESTLESS BILLY led him % wander
aud clo=e in the rcar followed the
strus hat and long. llHsey skirt 81 his
friend
'H.Ily." called the child. with in
prsssivs severity. ''tum hat here Ia me
Oo'li ala d'owudod u 90 do In dar'"
but hiily kuew better than that, be
walked with grave delihoraiion ~ the
waters edge, vet his throat with fov
drops thea lay one side oi his head
and nock In the black ooHe. ~ though
trying = mud application for the ear
ache. and. a. n satisfied with the ~
cult shock himself gally. waded fur
ther out aud noated like an autumn
leaf on the bosom II the waters
oh. ducky. duckyi boo tum bat. 81
cried the anxious baby but bic appeal
wAs uan0tloea and IN vaia Never be-
fore. In BlllY's recollection. had he en-
joyod himself 80 sell a. n the present
moment The choicest mors.l of cake
az pie could MOI have saticed him 10
the shore.
Dicky stood with his lltne bare toa.
IN the water and rubbing bis eyes say.
aguly with his fat dlmpled fists His
Billy vas gone--yes. he wasi he kuow
he'd never come back any morei n be
could only catch him oacs.
II Dicky could get In the boat. per-
haps he could regain possession Of HE
D., Losing his hat In his haste he
scrambled about aud made his wsY
i~ek tothv stern. and the naded weight
N the boat swung the bow clear of the
laGk and around Into deeper water.
With a mi.chievons hlrt and q
chuekle the runaway Bully darted far
ther out and as Dlcky reached oui 10
detaia Il he caught II q hanging bush.
Hnd uaconsclously eKerting his baby
ish strength. sAw with delight that the
l'oai was moviag. actually following
biz escaping property.
''Dcss m dit him d'wecly." mar.
muned Dloky. and indeed. Il began 70
leok ~ 'hough there was some chance
oi n. lor The water Of the river. rising
rapidly had left the channel and was
cutilug across back Of the hill with =
current quite strong enough 10 swiftly
vafi the yoaag voyager beyoad sight
aud hearing of his home
fortuaatsly. however all voyages
must GENE 10 an end. and. o haif-mlls
IRON he land. The pllotless crAft.
csaght ~ . cross carrsui swnng up 70
hnTs Resting cypress tres. caught ln
. ira.Hng grapevine sad was hsld
hsfa Nna iast md after olrvslne
kfppna ier . isw nssss>s Ne sss