The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-07-02
A SUMMERS OUTING.

tNASiS ts"'AS ~ 'TtNtg tNC IVY
Wasn't Afraid of Any Thing.
Tell YOU story? What Shall l tell
you about? "Any thing" eh? Well,
will you promise not to ask one qucs-
ton until I'm all through? You will?
Listen, then. Three years ago last
May Mr.. Jones came to sec me one
night. He wanted to know if was go
ing camping that summer, and if were
would | take his Bob with me? Now
Mr.. Jones had promised to let Bob go if
he passed his examination in school.
and Bob had not only passed but
takcn the highest honors in his room.
Well, after some talls1 agreed to take
him along. Whew, hold on now,
stop. thought you weren't go
ing to ask any questions. Glow
old was Bob?" Thirteen. "lVas he a
nice boy?" About the average, I guess.
But see here If you don't wait until i
get through I'm going to quit. SO re-
member. l went to bed that night with
presentiment that something was 60
ing to happen, and no wonder. Six
o'clock the next morning my door-bell
rang as if it had fit. l got up, dressed
hurriedly, expecting to find the house
on fire, at the very least. But as un-
locked the door, 10 and behold! there
came voice from withoutsaying: 'Oh,
hurry up. I'm Bob. I've come over to
talk about going camping, and I've only
- Nd l. ;r,,, hpf
| could say word. Then echat an hour,
and what "a criss-cross examination. 1t
makes ne shudder to think of it.
Were there any bears where we were
going? And how about killing ducks
with sling shot? Did l think he was
big for his age? Could he use my
gun just once? Could he swim all
alone? Did l use worms for bait?
We're we going to have tent and
do our own cooking? Would feel of
that muscle? And could he bring home
some game and have it stufrcd?" Final
ly to my great relief he ran down, or at
least, got hungry, and went home. He
came again that afternoon. was out.
Then he came in the evening. After
that it was about three times day.
One night he came fairly boiling over.
His father had bought him a gun-a
nice, light shotgun. That settled it.
From that minute bears grew tame; he
wanted something larger and tiercer.
His courage was amazing. soon be-
gan to think ! would have no chance at
the game at all. Well, after repeated
attempts to convince me that May was
better than June, and June better than
July for camping out, the time came
for us to go. -Four days before we start
ed it rained and he nearly went wild
for fear there should be no fine weather
that summer. At last the wished-for
day came bright and clear, and
he absolutely refused to leave me for a
minute. / hired q man to cook and do
the camp work, who was to meet us at
the depot. He was not there when We
arrived and Bob was positive he would
disappoint us and we should miss the
train. But he didn't all the same. At
tho last moment Mr.. Jones told the
young chap not to be afraid to sleep in
the tent, as l would take good care of
him. "Wcll, now he guessed he'd never
been afraid of any thing in his life, and
as for sleeping in tent, he had never
wanted to sleep anywhere else" After
a two days ride in the cars we arrived
all right. My man (whose name was
Pat Murphy hired farmer to haul our
things to the lake, ten miles from the
railroad, where we were to camp. Bob
was at once on the watch for game, and
we had not got more than mile, when
he saw some birds flying over head.
Bang, went his gun. We never found
out whether he hit any thing except the
bottom of the wagon But that was
enough for us just then. The gun
kicked him clear off the seat, scared
the horses into a run, and frightened
the farmer Bob did no moro shooting
during that ride. About two o'clock we
reached the lake, and it looked cool and
pleasant after our long ride in the sun.
Pat and ! soon got the tent up with
Bob's help. He helped in this way: Lie
drove two stakes, splitting both, but he
felt very sorry for it; then he split .
package OF tea, let one of the oars ge
afoat, and skinned his knee. You see
he carried his gun all the time for feal
some game might come along
and it made is very awkward
when hs attempted TO do any