The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-03-22
rllanruus.
A FUNNY CALLER.

anu announcer Oh popcorn, ana PAINFUL oil
chestnuts all ready for roasting; but Neddy
didn't seem satisfied. He kept casting long
ing looks at grandpa One thing was want
ing to I'LL his cup of joy quite full, and that
was story.
did you have New Years Days when
you were little boy, grandpa ~ lie asked
pretty soon.
How grandpa Gray did laugh. 10 be sure
"Why, OF course. !" aaid he. ave 20, sixly
years OF my own, Neddy, and they were all
new ones to begin with"
Neddy looked puzzled for minute.
80, but | didn't mean that" said he.
Il meant did folks have parties and go sleigh
riding and pay visits the way they do now,
grandpa?'
Wei, not quite" grandpa said, with a
twinkle. He knew very well what Ncddy
was aiming at There were not SO many
people to make visits as there are now,
Ncddy. When your grandma and | first
moved to this State, our nearest neighhor
was two miles away, right through the
woods"
90! Or cried Neidy. "Anl now it's
most like a city here"
80 it is" said grandpa "But then there
was nothing except woods where the houses
AID mills and stores are now. And so, YOU
see, we hadnt much chance to pay visits il
we wanted 10. | remember a New Year 5
Call your grandma and | had once, though,
That was funny enough"
60 tell it ?" cried Ncdiy, eagerly.
And Of course that was just what grandpa
meant to do. lie folded his glasses, and laid
them on the table.
Though there were so few people living
near us" he said, 1--WE had plenty of neigh
bors, such as they were Very often We
could hear the screech of a panther, as he
roaming through the woods, and oftener
than not the wolves howIed at night around
the edge OF our little clearing"
80 wasn't you sCared-and grandma ?"
asked Neddy, with big eyes.
Not much" laughed grandpa. Evolves
are Cowardly animals in daylight, and | took
care not TO be far away from home after
dark. But one night, the one l was going
TO tell you about, we did get n start.
at WAS New Years eve, a bright, pretty
night, and we sat before the fire, your grand.
ma and !, she knitting sock and reading
the news from paper two months old, and
watching the flames dance up the big chin
ney.
"Ail at once We heard the long-lrawn howl
of the wolves.
40 dCarH said your grandma. She never
could get used to hearing it,
"Nearer the sound came, and nearer, and
il seemed to come from the Threats of twenty
wolves.
"'rheyre in chase of something said /.
"A deer, most likely
"'Poor thing said your grandma, plying
ly, and with that she got up and unbarred
the door, to open it. Suppose il should be
man ?" said she.
81 knew there wasn't chance of that,
but didn't say word, and your grandma
set the door wide open, and let the freight
shine out over the snow. She wasn't min
ute too soon there was rush outside, and
in through the doorway came painting,
deer"
80 or criel Neddy.
Quick as a flash your grandma slammed
the door, and put the bar in place, and the
wolves might howl themselves hoarsc, for all
the harm they could do.
Strangely enough, the deer did not seem
a bit frightened. lie stood in the further
corner Of the room with his head down, look
ing at us curiously out of his big soft eyes.
Pretty soon your grandma went over and
patcd him and by and by, when she got him
used 10 the patting, she brought some corn
from the grain-bin in the loft and fed il to
him from her hand. 1t wasn't much wonder
the wolves wanted him for meal; he was
fat as butter, the very best kind of venison."
80 grandpa" cried Neddy, you didn't
mo" smiled grandpa, "Ididn't, though we
needed the meat bad enough, and if I'd come
across him in the woods l suppose l would
have shot him quick enough.
1--WE kept him all night, and in the morn
ing opened the door and let him go again.
And believe if your grandma hadn't been
woman she would have cried to
see him bound away. | thought she came
pretty near it as it was"
"Why, grandma what for p asked Neddy,
turning an eager face toward the chair where
grandma sat knitting something else than a
sock for grandpa how. "What did you for,
grammar"
81 don't believe did" laughed grandma:
''if did, guess it was because was lone
some, and hadn't any Neddy to cheer me
up"
49," said Neddy Then he whisked his
his cricket around to graudma's side.
Now, you tell me one, bout another time,
when you lived in the woods, please,
glsmma ~ he begged -louths Companion.