The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-05-11
CHILDREN'S CORNER.
COESY's CATANOTNT.
By LOUIS VI. ALCo1T.

from the slender STICK III MS hand;
but he watched his ncighbor with a
yexing smile, saying a few words
occasionally, which seemed to. add to
the neighbor's irritation, though they
were in a sympathizing tone.
ooh, well, if chap can't do a.
thing, he can't, and he'd better give
up and say Beat" he asserted final
ly.
'But ! wont give up, and never
say Beat I'm not going to be
laughed out of it, and III do what |
said | would, if 1t takes oil summer,
Chris Warner" was the answer he
received.
you'll have to be spry, then, for
there are only two more days in Au-
gust" replied the whittier, shutting
one eye to look along his arrow and
see if its lines were "truc.'
81 intend to be spry, and if you
wont tell on me, III let you into
plan | made last night"
81 guess you can trust lie. I've
heard about a dozen plans Of yours
already, and never told one of EN-"
"They all failed, so there was moth
ing to tell. But this one is NOT going
to fail, if ] die for it. | feel that
it's best to tell some one, because it
is really dangerous; and if anything
SHOULD happen to me, your knowing
III ,un,,l1 and fpnn-
BILE"
81 don't seem to feel anxious a
mite. But III stand ready to pick
up the pieces, if you come to grief"
"Now, Chris, it's mean of you to
keep on making fun when I'm in
dead earnest. You know | mean
what Pm saying now, and this may
be the last thing you can do for me-
"Wait till get out my handker-
chief; if you're going to lie a!fectin'
| may want it. GRANTEES cheap up
here; just mention what you'dli like on
your tombstone and I'll see that it
gets there, if it takes my last cent
The big boy in the blue oyeralls
spoke with such a comical drawl that
the slender city land could not help
laughing, till, with slap that nearly
sent his neighbor off his perch, Corny
said good-naturedly:
Come, now, stop joking and lend
hand, and III do anything | can
for you. I've set my heart on shoot
ing wild cat, and | know | can if |
once get good chance. Mother'll
not let me go off far enough, so of
course | don't do it. and then you all
jeer at me. Tomorrow we are gong
up the mountain, and I'm set on try
ing again, for Abner says the big
woods are the place to find the var
mint Now, you hold your tongue,
and let me slip away when | think
we've hit the right spot. I'm not a
bit afraid, and while the rest go polk
ing to the top, III plunge into the
woods and see what | can do"
"All right. Better take old Buff;
he'll bring you home when you get
lost, and keep puss from clawing
you. You wont like that part of the
fun as much as you expect to, may
be" said Chris, with sly twinkle
of the eye, as he glanced at Corny
and then away toward the vast forest
that stretched far up the mighty
mountains side.
"No. | don't want any help, and
Buff will betray me by barking; |
prefer to 90 alone. | shall take some
lunch and plenty of shot, and have
glorious time, even if | don't meet
that COMPOUNDED beast. | will keep
dashing in and out of the woods as
we go; then no one will miss me for
while, and when they do, you Just
say, ooh, he's all right,-he'll be
along directly; and go ahead, and
let me alone"
Corny spoke so confidently, and
looked so pleased with his plan, that
honest Chris could not bear to tell
him how much danger he would run
in that painless forest, where older
hunters than he had been lost.
81 don't feel as if cared to tell
any lies about it, and | don't advise
your gom !; but if you're mad for
catamounts, | s'pose must humor
you and say nothin'. Only bear in
mind, Abner and l will lie along;
and if you get into a scrape, Just
give yell and we'll come"
"No fear of that; Eve tramped
around all summer, and know my
way like an Indian. Keep the girls
quiet, and let me have a good lark.
I'll turn up all right by shutdown; so
don't worry. Not word to mother,
or she wont let me 90. I'll make
things straight with her after the
fun is over"
That's not square, Corny; but
it's not my funeral, so wont med
die. Hope you'll have firstrate sport,
and bag brace of cats. One thing
You must mind,-don't get too near
your game before you fire; and keep
out of sight of the critters as much
as you cam
Chris spoke in a deep whisper,
looking so excited and impressed by
the reckless courage of his mate that
Corny felt himself Leatherstock
ing, and went off to tea with his
finger on his lips, full of boyish faith
In his own powers. If he had seen
Chris dart behind the barn, and
there roll upon the grass in convul-
sions of laughter, he would have been
both surprised and hurt.
No deacon could have been more
sober than Chris, however, when they
met next morning, while the party
of summer boarders at the old farm
house were in a pleasant hustle of
preparation for the long-expected
day on the mountain. Three merry
girls, pair of small bows two ami,