The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-11
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
How the Boys We're Punished for
Their DisObedience.

"Don't say any thing more about it.
You've got to pick them oranges to-day
and get 'em ready for market early to-
morrow morning. It's nothing but
hunting and hunting from morning till
night, and l amt going to have it no
more You understand now"
"But after we get 'em picked can't
we go after the wild turkeys? There's a
big roost of them down in the low hon.
mock"
''You can't get 'em picked before
night, and have any time to hunt So
that ends it."
"But, father"
ut amt no use, tell you"
Mr.. Bullock twirled his long whip
around his head and made resounding
snap with the lash.
The two half-asleep mules started at
the sound, and lazily pulled the heavy
load of oranges down the sandy hill.
The two boys, with their orange-clip-
pers in their hands, stood silently in
their places and watched the retreating
cart as it slowly disappeared in the pine
woods.
Aoo WV uiOoh AOA ohy o1AA5' OolA
George; then, as he turned to his
brother: ''Them turkeys won't be there
another day, reckon, and we'll miss
the finest sport of the season. I wish
these old oranges was somewhere else"
"Never mind" hopefully replied
James, as he looked at the golden fruit
over his head. "May be we can get 'em
picked before night, and then we'll 60
and have some sport"
'That's so. Let's get to work at
once" enthusiastically chimed in
George.
With their bags slung over their
backs the two boys then mounted the
ladders, and began clipping the oranges
with will. For long time nothing
could be heard but the monotonous
click, click, click of their big scissors
IS the golden fruit was cut from the
tree.
The two were so intent upon their
work that they forgot to talk.
Then they began to get tired. They
had emptied their bags a dozen times,
and the trees were beginning to look
bare, when George threw down his clip
pers and said:
''Oh, it's too bad to miss them turkeys
Il declare it is!''
Eyes, it is" assented James. 81
hear the old gobbler now. He must be
right near the edge of the hommock."
That's so. reckon he's maxim fun
Of us. He knows we can't go for him."
They looked wistfully at the hon.
mock for awhile, and then George burst
out decidedly:
'I'm going, anyhow. We can kill the
old fellow, and get back time enough to
finish these trees. I'll steal up to the
house and get the gun, and you get the
corn-fiddle."
"All right"
The two boys then separated. George
made detour of the grove and en-
tered the house from the back, while
James stole up to the packing-house
where his favorite corn. fiddle was kept.
This musical instrument made hor-
rible grating noise, which was sufficient
to frighten any thing but turkeys. When
properly handled it made sound very
similar to the call of wild turkey COB
more than once in calling together a
flock of wild turkeys.
At the edge of the hommock the two
boys met about ten minutes later.
George was struggling under the heavy
load of a big, muzzle-loading shotgun,
while James held the corn-fddle in his
hand ready to play on it
''They roost somewhere over this
way" said James, pointing with his
finger to dense part of the low hon.
mock. 1--WE must get around on the
other side and then cal them to us"
SWELL, you lead the way and I'll fol-
low. This gun is so heavy that can't
get along very fast"
A Florida hommock is not very
pleasant place to work your way through,
and the boys made slow work OF it. The
tropical luxuriance OF the vegetation
closed up every avenue as soon as it was
made, and the boys could not see their
own path behind them . dozen feet.
The ground was soft and Doggy, and In