The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-12-21
l,;,,e Peggy was fast asleep, with the

air. 1t was much nearer than before
The awakened panther was out in
search of prey. Peggy did not stir IN
her sleep, except to murmur: Dram
ma tomin'; Peggy SO tired
On came that creeping. cringing, |
crawling beast with eyes aflame with |
yellow fire and teeth cleaning. With
bound it dropped into the road, and
crouching into the shadows of the dark
est side, made its way cautiously to-
ward the bridge. Before reaching the
end of the crude structure, it dropped
on its belly in the dust and drew itself
| forward foot at time.
The gentle motion of the bridge and
/ the roar of the water below had lulled
Peggy into deep sleep. Once her bon
net, which she still clutched, huttered
| in the wind and caused the oncoming
| beast to hesitate and look about for
possible danger to itself, but it soon
moved on again. Now it had reached
point fifty feet from the sleeping child
and wis moving it's tail gently from
side to side, as a cat does when about to
pounce upon bird in the grass.
There was anxiety at the Primrose
residence a mile away around the noun
tain. Mr.. and Mrs. Primrose had
mounted the family horse that morn
ing and ridden double to the next settle
ment to visit the mother OF MIR. Prim-
rose. They did not expect to return
until the next day, and Peggy was left
in charge of an aunt and her fifteen
year-old brother Tommy. About the
middle of the afternoon Mrs. Raines,
the aunt, went few hundred yards
from the mountain home to spring
for water, and left Peggy playing about
the house. Tommy was out in the new
field half mile away gathering corn.
All day Peggy had been thinking OF
the visit of her parents to Grandma
Primrose's. She had asked to be per-
mitted to go that morning, but it was
thought that the addition of her weight
would be too much for "Old Badly,
the family horse, so she was promised
that if she would be good girl and
: stay with Aunt Polly and Tommy she
r might go the next time.
: She had promised to be contented
I but the moment Mrs. Raines left with
e her water bucket, Peggy snatched down
n her sunbonnet from nail on the wal
a and departed from the opposite side OF
|. the house. Her feet battered on the
e bare ground like the advance drops of 6
v summer shower, as she disappeared
: down the road taken by her parents
o that morning.
n When Mrs. Raines returned she placed
the bucket of water on a bench agains
It the wall on q shady side of the house
n and called Peggy to come out and &c
J. fresh drink. There was no response
o. and she went about some work she ha'
\ on the outside of the house, thinking
j. that the child had fallen asleep. Afte
o. finishing that task she took her knit
. ting from her pocket and proceeded T.
"A ''toe out" stocking she had been work
~ ing at that day. She was still engages
;r at this work when Tommy came II
" from the field "half an hour by sun,
Il and placed his long muzzle-loadini
n rifle against the side of the cabin. i
4. those days the men folks always cal
IN ried their guns TO and from work as
70 protection from attacks by wild an
A. mails and to procure meat for the fam
Is lily larder.
e "Where's Peggy" asked Tomm,
4 turning to his aunt.
ri sShe's in the house asleep" answere
Ne Mrs. Raines, rolling up her work. u
"a is time was gittin' you children bit
no of supper" she went on, rising.
o. Tommy pushed the door open an
o. called: Peggy, come out an see whi
a Tommy has got for you," at the SAN
-, time drawing handful of nuts frol
no his pocket. There being no respons
he thrust his head in and looked quicl
,o ly about, then exclaimed: 'Why, AuT
81, Polly, Peggy amt here!"
l. well, then, she must have followe
7 me to the spring and got lost. She wa
l. here when j started for water, an
,n 'sposed she was in there sleepin'. 1
!, run to the spring an see if she is there
20 "I'D go down the road an look for III
, in that direction" exclaimed Tomm
snatching up his gun and speedir
. away.
nv Peggy" called Mrs. Raines, as 81
,ra | reached the spring. NheIc are W
child?" The voice of the anxious woI
an came back in a hollow ech
Brother John would never forgive Il
if anything should happen to Peggy
she soliloquized. Peggy" she call
h. again, but there was no reply save Il
chirping of the birds which were see
q ing shelter for the night.
\ In the meantime Tommy had reach
) tho road and was scanning it for sol
sign of the absent sister. He clutch
I his rife tightly and shot glance dov
the road as his eye caught sight OF
footprint. 'She has started to go
:, grandma's alone" exclaimed the exc
ed brother. ''Oh, if / could only rea
her before she falls over cliff and XII
herself, or is devoured by wild beast
AWAY Tommy ran like the wind. d