Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-11-15
CHAPTER I.
riIE STORY or THE YIRsr PtKR


This bit of impromptu psntomims
endei. we expected TO see the Pixies take
their leave. but no such thing.
All three seated themselves comfort.
ably before our tent. and borrowing .
little tobacco they filled their pipes.
After smoking for time Buck opened
out on new lay.
Gents" said he. 'you see n don't
take me long to size M the cats of any
place that throw my hook into. Iwur
born ON the bayous of the Mississippi,
down to the south end % ole Missouri.
nigh 10 the Arkansaw line. I've been .
catfish ketchur al my born days.
Down thar whar ] wur born every
second -on WAS turned loose Ia the woods
To shift for himself bout NJ soon ~ be-
wur wean-d. They had - many chill.
dren down thar that they didn't keer u
tais. NORM bout half Of 'en. What
VA. done with the extra gals l never
found out When the extra boy was
big enough 20 run alone they put = new
brr~chclout on him. hung bunch of
hosshar round his neck. tuck him down
10 the river bottoms and turned him
iooss TO root. hog or die.
"rhe woods along up the river for my
miles above the Arkansaw line wur full
II wild Missourians Of al ages and sises.
After the hst breechclout wur WON
cot oil went naked. and soon they wur
covered with coat Of har ~ long NJ tbs
bearl Of q goat. II the people ever
wanted any of the Wild woods breed
they cot q trap Tor EN-. ketched EN-.
picked EN- clean VI the extra har. put
clothes ON 'en and - 'em to work."
"why," asked !. did they give each
boy q bunch Of borsehair when they
turncl him loosey'
"Waal, bevause the people down thar
are tender hearted like. an not one OF
EN- would turn . child lore thous
given him the means OF maxim . hvtn.
The hosshar were for maxim snares.
Out'n the hosshar they tuck and made
snares 10 ketch catfish. Az soon - .
Missourian IL weaned he begins TO snars
catfish. and ~ pervidcs most OF his Twin.
He strikes out for the river jist ~ .
young duck makes for the nearest pud-
die.
"wheu they are turned loose 10 run
with the woods breed they take up with
some drove Of the hairy ones that u led
by an old buck and 80 git good trainin.
Each drove makes its nest In big hol.
Ter sycamore tree or log; then turns To
aud lives ON the Fat O. the land. They
eat the roots of the yearth. the fruits OF
the trees, sich a. roots. berries, paw
paws, persimmons aud the like. while
Tor meat they have the fat cats OF the
ole Mississippi"
"Do parents often take their children
back TO the settlementsy' asked ous Of
our party.
Parents don't trouble thsirselvss
bout Whose children they Git. When
they want any they 20 out into the river
bottoms, Get q trap and ketch en-. ]
wur ketched time o. the war. Thsn
they 'bout made q clean sweep OF the
woods tribes. They wanted all the mon
they could yet, 20 cot traps al round
the bottoms.
.rll never forgit tho time when ~
and two others wur trapped. We wuE
out In the woods digyin roots when al
at once we smelt . new smell. It wus
sich good smell that al our mouths
began TO water. We siobberrd Ike %
many hounds. Whist Il could bs that
smeit % 6ns We did not know. We
| tuck the scent and follsred u up on -
keen run. In Tout mile We come 70
queer ioohin little houss. IN thar w.
the stun that smslt 20 good. We divsd
In and began allin ousslvs With u