The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-11-05
BABE.

who now and again looked out OF the
cabin door Three boys had laid of
o game and. with hickory nuts for
marbles they shot and shouted. turn.
ing somersaults or walking on their
hands with heels high In the air when
q point was scored while ono little
fellow. too small to participate, stood
idly by watching the game
A nth boy had just skinned down
from a locust tree. and with smoth-
cred groana he sought TO extract
with crooked pin a thorn from his
bare foot assisted by one OF the girls.
The other two girls were trying to
clean two iron pots In anticipation oil
breakfast An were happy. merry
aud noisy. Every little while the gay
spirits OF some one were proclaimed
by o snatch OF song such as:
Bow Ter dc buzzid, an den ter ds crow;
An ov'y tims hop up, hop JOS So
Fuss on my heel-tap an dan on M toe,
An cv'y tims jump up, jump Jim Crow
..Ain't none or yer seen Babo yit?"
the mother called from the interior
ofthe cabin.
mo. ma'am. us amt done smell
her." came the response.
.'Wondy what do keep Babe dis
long" she muttered while her fingers
picked over the heap OF crow foot
greens beside her. Use powerful
hungry myself It's high time for
her ter be here wild de meat sho."
The game OF marbles came to an
abrupt close with angry cries and
blows. Out OF the cabin door the
mother dnrted with a stout stick and
fell upon the gamester5 deal
ing her telling strokes indis-
criminately right and left de-.
spite imploring protestations OF
.Twant me- NANNY" NANNY. hit
wus Bill" NANNY. Tom 'gunde
'spute." Nanny. he flung my mar
bles in de lye hopper" NANNY. l
diden do no SIGH err thing etc.
Without needing the cries or asking n
question she piled the rod impartinlly
until wearied and breathless When
peace had been restored. and four
whimpering. smiling boys were roll
ing their big eyes at each other and
their mother she espied the couple
under the locust tree working at the
thorn.
''Whuts do matter wild you Ike%'
she asked.
GOT er thorn in my big too. nam.
my"
.'Whar ye G t hit sahp Bin up dat
lokiss tree ergin arter dat squinch
owl ness amt yer? l boun yer is.
Gimme dat here pin. Starry an lem.
me dig out dat thorn" With no
gentle hand she proceeded to perform
the operation. assuring her victim that
he should have one good beating. as
soon as the thorn was out: Gaze
amt l done tole you free hundud
times bout letin dat squinch owl ness
erlone sahp"
..Yas um."
IAN amt I done tole yer sluinch
owls were kin ter spirits. an fotch
er sight er trouble on folks whut sturb
Jump" giving vicious dig with tho
crooked pin.
'Yas UNI vas um." Ike howled.
oh, Lord err massy. yer mos k Hin
me- nanny"
Eyer zerve tor be kilt, sab. polk n
yer black nose bout squlnch owls like
us did'en hev nough troubil now. Dat
owl sho to fetch mo- trubil TO dis
here year out an effen her do right
her cen dat strucshin on yo' head
whut NEEDLE her sho. Oar! De thorn
out Git down now. sab. and took
yer beatin'."
But just hero much to the satisfac-
ton Of Ike. there arose from the tall
est girl prolonged cry. echoed by
the entire group OF 'Yon cum Babe.
you cum Babe, nanny" and Ike was
released. With hungry. expectaut
eyes all turned In the direction indi-
Gated while one child called out
..Dar Babe an hers got err greet big
rabbit sho"
Into the midst OF the waiting group
trotted small hound bearing in her
mouth large rabbit which she
placed at the feet OF her mistress.
The hound was sparely built and vel.
low hided- with long. dropping ears
and scarcely enough OF a stump be-
hind 10 bear the name OF tail. That
had met with a serious accident In her
early youth. Ike had been instructed
TO clip the tip end OF Babes tail to
make her sharp Not understanding
the directions he had tied the dog
down and. after several Intellectual
whacks with dull axe bereft her OF
tho tail except about two inchcs.
Despite her forlorn appearance.
Babe was by far the most important
member Of this family; for did she not
market daily for them in the thick
woods aud canebrakes and did she not
many time allay the pangs OF hun
ger with game when nanny had not
even crumb OF brea1 in tho cabir?
Ehc was an earnest faithful and tire.
less worker for tho black pickanin-
niS..
Before the sun arose Babe began
icr labors aud generally returned
from u successful hunt in time for
breakfast Tho search for game was
renewed after u short rest and by
righ.iall, often much earlier tho