The record-union., 1892-09-03

tue fence at OluH1py trap. AS 4
thought" he laughed. Its empty"
Climbing over and raising it gently, he
lowered his captive into it. then, closing
the door, replaced it on The ground.
| There" he thought, smiling as he ran
OH, what q triumph for Giumpy."
When Glumpy, on her return, found
the trap closed, the only thought she paid
to the fact was that Hannibal had not set
II carefully and the trigger had slipped.
| She tipped it up and half opened the door,
then crammed her rabbit in without no.
ucing that it contained an occupant al
ready.
"Oh, Lawd," she exclaimed, capering
delightedly, Hannibal sutLingly will
think this a powerful trap. Two rabbits
in one mawnin'! L jes' am a-hankerin'
I to see his face"
CHAPTER III.
When Hannibal arrived to accompany
Glumpy on her visit TO her trap he found
her, with her brothers and sisters, seated
on the floor in 'front.' OF the fire, busily en-
gagged in satisfying the appetite which her
early morning tramp had given her. She
looked up eagerly us he opened the door,
and emptyiug her mug of coffee, seized
two large humps OF cornbread and bacon
and prepared 10 attend him ut once.
AS they marched along, side by side,
Glumpy inquired in Il careless fashion:
''Cotch any rabbits this maWnin'?'
Hannibal hesitated. Yes, got one,"
he replied slowly.
''Y on did? What trap wuz it in?''
''It-oh-it WIZ in the one IL The pine
| thicllet over yandeT."
Clumpy took u bite of bread and re-
piled with her mouth fun. Yes, she
remarked, ,thoughtfully, Il reckoned' tWuz
i'll that one"
''How much do You bet thars a rabbit
in yo' trap?' asked Hannibal with grin,
q moment later
How much?'' said Glumpy musingly.
''Well, how much d'you say?"
Hannibal grinned yet more broadly.
"Well," he said, ''ef you catch a rabbit
I'll give you my little log trap. It's a
mighty good un, an eff you don't why
| then Pll git yourn."
Thought you said 'twasn't wuth nuth-
in'.'
"Tain't neither, but I mought alter it
some."
Glumpy looked at him sideways. 'Au
| right" She said.
Hannibal was much surprised at see
ing the trap. He never thought OF its
! being there, not that he ever thought
about it at all, he declared.
! lis it by them perSimmOnS?" he asked
/ innocently.
YES" replied Glumpy. "But no one
/ don't know it,
Then, as they approached tits down."
/ cried Glumpy, in woll-feigned excite
! nent. "4o' precious log trap b'longs 20
/ me-"
mot yet awhile" retorted Hannibal.
! ''GIaybe it's ies' slipped shet."
GIumpy stopped over the trap, while
! Hannibal leaned carelessly against the
fence with an air of studied indifer-
ence.
Glumpy tilted the long box on end.
TITS mighty heavy" she announced.
N How ..Al
do b'Neve-," he began, and then stopped
in amaZement.
Glumpy had opened the door chink
and peeped in. She raised her head. and
then quickly bent it again, giving a shrek
/ of delight.
in thar?'' he cried eXcitedly. ''What's
the mattah, chile?" for Glumpy was dane
ing and hopping, first on one foot and
then on the other, yelling and swapping
her fingers.
''Oh, Lawdn' she shouted "Oh-o,
Lawd! thar's two on 'em. Two on 'em,
sure rs alive. Praise Him fom whom
all blessin's tiOw,' es the preacher says
| w en- he git big cllectiOn. Oh, Lawd, ha'
mussy!" and she threw herself on the
! ground, rolling to and fro in the widest
! ecstasy.
Hannibal stood thunderstruck. Then
he peeped in. He remained perfectly
! StltIlG 1OI 1uLly IL IllIuJG, GDCn ClOSGI LllG
! door with an emphatic, well, | never
did" Glumpy sat up.
What d'you think O my trap?' she
inquired. Hannibal hesitated. but adj
miration and amazement conquered. at
! jes' natcherly Is as a real ole whaler," he
exclaimed.
'tPlease, Miss Jennie, hyah's little
! Glumpy Jackson say she want to see you
all.r
Jennie laid down the book she was
reading, and, exchanging glance with
Arthur on the hearth rug, answered over
her shoulder TO the colored girl at the
door, Very well, Queenie, bring hel
in."
Queenie drew back, and Glumpy en-.
tered the room. She stood still in the
middle OF the floor, her hands rolled il
her apron, her heels together and hel
round eyes gazing about her with a mos
Innocent air, and yet taking in everything
she saw, the large wainscoted room
/ lighted by the glancing freight and the
chill glare of q winters day, the opel
piano, the books and pictures, the boy
and girl seated by the hearth dowI
to the very style OF Jennie'S shoes anC
the ribbons on her hair.
Arthur rose from therug. ''What is it
Glumpy?" he asked.
Glumpy came forward to the fire anC
seating herself on the floor, looked up a
the two white children.
Il want to AK you all somethin'," she
said.
'What is it?''
you all mus'n' tell nobody. IT.
bout my rabbit trap"
Arthur flushed red, but Glumpy pro
ceeded without noticing him: - OF see
| wuZ scared ] uoughJu'C cOtch no rab
bit, so | jes' TUX one outen Hannibal:
trap TO- TO put in mine. An Wen l eli
to my trap, thar l find Hannibal a-r0b
bin of it. l wuz scared he'd find me
with the rabbit, so I jes hid in the bresI
trap the dor wuz shet, an thar wu:
mother rabbit III IL what had got cotchet
while he wuz away"
Here Glumpy paused, for Arthur haC
burst into such peal of laughter as sur
prised her. Jennie, too. Joined in, Will,
Glumpy sat looking from one to th
other.
You'd ha' laffed NOR eff you'd jes
seen Hanniba's face" she said at last.
Jennie controlled herself. Il wish
had,' she said. But what was it yol
wished to ask me?''
Glumpy sat back on her heels "This
wuz it," she said earnestly. They say
es how you oughter TEX the foot o. thI
fust rabbit yo' trap gifts an hang it roun
yo' neck an it'll bring you good luck
Now I can't git my fust rabbit-Hanni
: bal's got tan | wanter to know ef yol
ali think that the foot o. the one what go
in afterwards I'D do 'nstead?"
Jennie tried to look grave Pm sur
it would do quite as WE'LL" she said.
You says so?'' said Glumpy. ''Bu
look a-hyah now; while I wuz skinnin
'em / got the two rabbits mixed, an
dunno which % them footses b'Iong t
the rabbit got outen HannibaI's trap an
which TO the one got outen my own
So saying she produced from the bosom
of her anrnn Two rahnitSl fnnt aud hnlE