Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-10-21


the mother ard Babe wagged her
stump tail in response. .Waal 90
long an res dem she added. and
the hound stretched herself beneath
the locust tree.
Gum here Tom an ten ter dis
here rabbit an whin yer don shunt
hit fotch hit in de cabin sab. Hurry
up now. Hits late an | sho Is horn.
CRY myself. You Betsy. cum here
an put desc here crow DOT greens in
de pot dis mint so es dey kin git
done time de rabbit done stchewed.
Jemimy ok see of de kittle b Hin
and make dc sassyfras tea. Stirry
yerself else be berhint yer all in no
time"
In the course OF time breakfast was
served and after satisfying the troop
OF little darkies their nanny col.
lectea every rabbit bone that had
been picked. and piling them into a
tin basin. with liberal suppl, of the
greens. sailed forth in quest of Babe.
She lay asleep under the locust tree
with the mosquitoes. flies and lees
buzzing about her head. Having no
tall to switch Babe hal learned 10
utilize her long ears aud had grown
so skillful in locating the insect which
she wished to remove that a single
flap OF her ears was sufficient general
ly to send it in search OF fresh game.
She needed no second bidding to STIR
Hungrily and eagerly she attacked
the bones while her mistress stood
by and encouraged her appetite.
Good Babe" she said. .eat YOUR
belly full; yer zerve hit sho Spec
yer clean wored out fur true. Wondy
70 do Lord whut would cum err me an
de chillun effen Babe die. Us wuld n
neber git no fresh meat den sho |
doau lack ter eben thunk bout dat.
Peer lack Babe es mo- hep ter me
den cher my husbin wus whin he
livin' and sho | knows | be mo
strested ter lose Babe den l wus ter
part wild Sam. Babe yer all my pen
Ounce. chile. +" She continued ad-
dressing the animal affectionatey. as
If she felt sure of sympathy and com.
prehenslon. Yer keeps de pot
b'ilin'. an fetches the chillun victual s
whin | can't lay my han on or cruss
er bread. De Lord gwine ward yer
sum how. sho." Babe was apparent
ly an appreciative listener for she
/ wagged her stump and then continued
to crack bones with zest.
Dem rabbit bones powerful COOL
amt dey. Babe? De chillun ;es'
smack dey MOVIES too Spe: | hev
ter christen you my merchint Babe
You Sc dis better'n err merchnt do
Gaze dey makes foxes glib er passed. or
money. an you pervides fresh meat
fur we all dout no pay. Gaze yer
| knows whar would pc me git er nickel
ter glib yer. Babe yer mus keep yer.
SET we'll chile. No longer'n las night
dat ole squinch owl whut got err ness
IN de lokiss tree sluinched fur death
tell he'd ter fling salt in de fire ter
stop her mouf. an den ter day ter
make hit mo- wusser. Ike he'd ter take
his black hide an camb dat lokiss
tree an NEEDLE de ness. an | sbo is
skeered now. Dat ole squinch owl
gwne fetch strucshin an death sho
an l dat skeered hit mout be you
Babe. Lord whut would | doo [
cen er mos ruther hit be one de chill
lun, sho " wiping her eyes on her
apron whilc the hound, munchinr
bones looked up and wagged her
| stump once more.
| 'Doan yer member. Babe how
miser'ble | was time yer he'd dc
NANCE between sobs. eDoan neber
die etfen yer kin hope hit.
Throwing her apron over her head
the mother turned toward the cabin.
Day after day as the year ad-
vanced. the hound kept the cabin
larder supplied with game and that
with the addition of greens turnips
aad herb tea frightened the wolf
from the door, and kept the happy
little negroes sleek and fat. Mid.
summer came and passed and no
new grief had been brought upon the
family by the screech owl in the To-
Gust tree. but the superstit iou5 man,
my had the dread of impending evil.
She sat in the cabin door one day
singing mournfully to herself while
patching small garment. Babe was
away hunting for dinner
Drawing a long breath. she en-
claimed: .Wondy TO de Lord what
make me sing dat fu'nal sperritual,
an wondy whar Babe kin beP Lord
truss hit amt harm done cum ter
Babe Dis mighty curis lut'rin' bout
my heart sho'."
Rising, she shaded her eyes with
a big black hand aud looked anxious.
" toward the wood straining to
catch glimpse of tho little mer-
chint." Babe never returned without
something. 'Possums. coons rab.
bits and squirrels formed the staples
OF her trade, but when such game
was scarce and the hour grew late
she would turn toward the swam2y
bayou. about mile from the cabin
and never fail to catch couple of
bullfrogs.
On that drowsy sweltering morn ,
ing in July when the sun beat down
mercilessly and the very air seemed
to scorch ones lungs Babe who had
failed to catch scent OF game turned
/ toward the bayou. She was tired
and if she had had tail it would
have dragged over the ground as a
sign OF her WEAKNESS; and yet with
never n thought OF returning without
something perhaps with an ever
present thought OF the eight hungry
little darkies at home depending on
! her for meat she trotted toward tho
bayou.
the lagoon she heard the hoarse
croaks OF her game and encouraged
by the sounds she struggled through