The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-07-11

ILL POooiOiO ehoe al OehOi SOuhS
man could shoot so we'll.
We lived in sparsely settled dis
trict where game was abundant. Oc-
casionally bears were found in the
dense woods and wolves seen skulk
ing about the timber, while one of
our neighbors had killed an immense
panther not far from our home.
About ten o'clock on this particular
morning Jack and l started. He al
lowed me to carry the powder horn
and shot-pouch, while he carried his
gun and lunch that mother had
put up for US in little basket, which
l expected to fill with hickory-nuts
after dinner.
A walk of but fifteen minutes
brought us to the timber Then we
followed a little stream flowing,
through the woods until we had gone
perhaps two miles.
Jack had shot a squirrel and
couple of rabbits before noon, when
we sat down on the grassy bank of
the stream in an "open" of the timber
and ate our dinner. Part of the meal
was the squirrel, which Jack broiled
at fire l had built. Though we
lacked salt and pepper, / have never
since tasked a squirrel SO delicious as
that one.
A big hickory-tree stood in the CEN
ire of the little open place in the tim
Der, and heavy frosts had brought
great many of the nuts to the ground.
Nov, Tip" Jack said after dinner,
81 think I'll strike off into the woods
for half an hour or so, and leave you
here to fill your basket with shell
banks. I'll not be gone long, and
those short legs of yours need rest,
anyhow"
Jack shouldered his gun and
started off, calling back to me from
| the timber:
Mind that you don't go off into
the woods, Tip! I'll be back by the
time you've shelled your basketful."
picked up my basket, went over
to the hickory-tree, and had been
picking up nuts for about ten minu
ties when heard sound of swapping
twigs in the woods behind me. Think
ing Jack had come back, l turned
and saw Dick Powell The moment
he saw my face his small eyes lighted
up with wicked CLEAN.
"Aha, it's Master Tippy" said he.
eyer the boy that calls me 'Sulky
Powell, Ell? I'll let ye know how
sulky kin be! By gracious, I've got
you now! I'll let yer daddy know
how he'll cheat me out of my wages
He'll pay me good deal more on top
of it before he sets eyes on you again,
me boy!"
Too frightened to move or speak, l
stood there with my back to the tree,
shivering and speechless, and, I sup
pose, deadly pale.
ooh, ye kin we'll turn white, ye
can" said Powell. I've mind to
make ye whittier an colder n We air
now by chuckin' ye into the crick!"
Then he gave me ringing slap on
the cheek that sent me reeling to the
ground. AS lay there sobbing and
trembling he leaned over me.
"I'll show yer daddy who he'll draw
gun on I'll draw wuss'n a gun on
you-do ye hear?'
Then he unclasped big knife,
jerked me to my feet, and said
"You come along with me, an not
whimper nor screech out of you,
or I'll treat you the same as if you
was squirrel. Come now!"
He started toward the timber,
roughly dragging me after him with
one hand grasping my wrist.
Jack! o Jackw | shrieked, too
distracted by Powells threats to obey
his commany of silence.
"Oh, jest wish Jack was here!"
he said. sid Jack him! I've got
long score against your Jack. But
you say Jack again, an see how you
like proddin' with the knife-mind
that now!"
He dragged me along, muttering
threats and giving me jerks that
sometimes threw me to the ground,
when he would jerk me to my feet
again and shake me cruelty. So we
went along the woodland path, till
suddenly Jack appeared about ten
feet ahead of us.
"Jackl jack" l shrieked. o Jack,
save mel"
Jacks gun was at his shoulder in
an instant.
"Stop right where you are, Dick
Powell!' he said. "Let Tippy go!"
His voice was low, but there was a