The aegis & intelligencer., 1893-09-15
nliscel ellanenms.
HOW JUBE ESCAPED.

HOW JUBE ESCAPED.
Philadelphia Times.
1t was a warm day in March, one of
those days when we feel that the
weather may be going to play us a
trick in genial sport or else in its old
angry, furious way. Down in the
swamp the early grass had put fin
ger or two into the atmosphere, as one
dips finger in water to test it. Arm
Dilsy' had averred that morning that
she heard distinctly the 'turkle dove
holler," and on the marshy branch
the frogs were singing, while ever and
anon an idle bull-frog twanged in a
negligee style his one loose banjo
string.
These ancient omens of the ap-
proach of that ethereal mildness" so
sung, but never to be oversung by the
poets, were little needed on this es-
peciai afternoon of which l write, by
Il number of boys of many ages and
breakneck speed across n newly
ploughed field, uttering hideous cries,
often of sheer terror, as occasionally
few yards, followed by every other
boy, and then as senselessly rushed
forward, bringing up the ragged rear.
There were men, too, in the excited
throng-one noticeably in advance of
more masterful.
He was a rough fellow of the bully
type, with a general russell tint per-
vading his entire physique, as we'll as
his outer get up
"He's gone to the stable lot, boys,
come ahead ~ he cried, i'll a voice rem
dered hoarse by intense excitement
and long strain.
He carried in his right hand a revol-
yer which he freely fiourished to the
erS.
Come ahead ~
Over the stable fences they scram,
bled, some falling over on others, but
quickly recovering their footing. One
small boy, with a suspicion of tears
on his cheeks, was detained helplessly
by his trousers catching Oh SHARP
point of the fence. To this disaster
none gave heed in the wild race fol
what? Amad dog Woe to the little
boy thus arrested. No words cal
portray his anguish in this brief
| though apparently endless, time be
tween the catching of the frail cloti
and its sudden rending when he fell
He was game, however, and mo-
needing the tears that threatened, he
'rightedn himself and rushed forward
soon regaining his lost ground, anC
came UP with Il hoarse, but trium
phant YELL
At a word from their leader the
crowd divided themselves with mill
tary precision and seemed closing
around their terrible game-the boy
at that moment arming with every
Imaginable impromptu weapon.
Many voices were heard to say
"Lemme git me rock ~ as they
steeled themselves for the encounter
Poor desperate creature! was ther'
not a heart among his pursuers to bt
touched by his sufferings, and thu
mute but eloquent expression of hi
tail?
There was one under the old JACKIE
of the boy of the frail trousers. Hence
the suspicion of new tears on the soil
ed, ruddy cheeks.
81 amt keerin' if he do git away
fun um ~ he inwardly calculated, TO
his noble thoughts, too, were destitute
of the grace we call grammar. Is /
strange, then, if a moment after, whel
the dog rushed past him, and he saw
him fleeing toward the back yard o
the old homestead that he remained
mute, though dozen voices cried
(Which way did the beast go p
Meantime "Arn Dilsy," monarch o
all she surveyed in the grand realm
the old Virginia kitchen, had snitfe'
the battle from afar, and when tiding
of the cause of this unusual inroad o
the s'scum O. creation" from the neigh
boring village, breaking in upon tn
dignified repose of the old woman
everyday life, was reported to hel
she promptly ordered all the ''chillun
into the adjacent house known as th
cabin where had one scrutiniZed
closely from the outside, there woul
have been detected an eye at many {
its chinks.
"Arn Dilsy'' herself maintained
constant watch at the kitchen dool
which she held partially open in mt
mentary expectation of an attac
from sundry mad dogs. Lavinia,
great-eyed mercurial looking girl, wit
hair wrapped in many small plaits
preparation for the Sunday toilet, ha
ingeniously edged herself between til
. partially opened door and the mate
!. familias and gaZed with fascinate
eyes upon the scene.
Her mother, having aroused herse
from her very unusual abstraction
made a slungen at her daughter, WI
adroitly lodged the attack, and e!
claimed. "I'll mad dog you, gal
What's got de matter wild you an
how, an de knives to clean, too oT
: please, mother, lemme look" La
, yinia meekly implored.
] A shade of maternal sympathy WI
awakened in earn Dilsy'sh heart, al
She allowed the girl to return withol
fear of molestation to the coTeted b'
uncomfortable position.
"Yes, come ON an stare an stare e
'' yo' eyes come clean out for all keer
Lavinia was the first to warn n
: mother of the approach of Beppo-a
animal more famous for his devotit
to the kitchen than for any more us
full or agreeable proclivity. In tn
service Beppo had grown old and
most toothless, but was ready to su
E render the very last tooth in servi
which, although it had its seamy sid
possessed for him a charm he won
not willingly relinquish for those
r knew not of.
i Poor Beppo! Five minutes ago
7, was regarded without d shadow
y suspicion and would not have been I.
:, MED an entrance into his old famlli
os haunt.
ID II be boun' Peppo done been W
'e dem dogs - exclaimed Arm Dils1
= looking with whitening contempt up
b the covering Beppo, who fasten
I the suspicion upon himself by causi
z his tail to disappear between his h
., der limbs, and received lusty Xxi
al from the old woman.
y. Il tYes, Lavinia," she continued o
.s cularly, "Beppo done been wild