The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
AARON IN THE Wild WOODS.
by JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS.
CHAPTER ".
BETwErS MIpSiGHT ASD DAVIS.

hhl after thev had como from the Swamp. he
went along the path to the spring. stopped on
his haads and knees and took n long drauvht
III tn. cool water. Then lie went In the rear
az he negro quarters. crossed the orchard
fence, and RAISED ticnce to the flower carden
In front of the great house. At one corner of
the house.n large oak reared it's head above tho
second story. Some NJ its limbs when ssarcd
by ihe wind swept the dormcr window that
jutted ont from Little Crotchett'a room. Be-
hind the red curtain OF this dormcr window u
light shonc. although IL was now past mid
night. 1t shonc there nt.nirht Whenever Lit
tie Crotchctt was restless ard slreplcss and
wanted to see Aaron. Aud this vas often. for
ihc yourgster, with oil his activity. rarely kn.w
what 1t was to be free from pain. But for his
Journeys hither and yonder on the Gray Pony
lie would have been very unhappy indeed. All
day long he could make some excuse for put
ting hls aches aside; hc could even forget thea.
But at night. when cvcrvthinL was quiet. Pain
would rap at tho door and insist on coming In
and getting In bed with him.
Little Crotchett had many quaint thoughts
and queer imaginings. and one ot these was
that rain was a sure.cnough 40 ncthing or other
that could come In at the d Dor and 20 out when
Il chose a.little goblin dressed IN red flannel,
with n green hat running - a sharp peak at the
top, and n yellow tasscl dangling from the peak
a red tannel goblin always smelling or cam.
phor and spirits OF turpcntinc. Sometimes and
these were rnre.night3 the red goblin remained
away. and then Little Crotchett could slecp
and dream the most beautiful dreams.
But usually. as soon ~ the night had fallen
on IL. plantation and there was no longer any
noise In the house. tac little red goblin. with
his peakcd green hat. would open the door gent
ly and peep In to see whether tho lai VAS
asleep and no knew at = glance whether Lit
tie ('rpfrhptt WAS slpCpiny or only feigulug
sleep. Sometimes the youngster would shut
his eyes ever 80 tight and lie as still as u mouse,
hoping that the red goblin would go away.
IFut tue trick never succeeded, The rcd Cob
iiaze in tie fireplace lie would wink att very
solemnlr; II not. he'd wink al the candle. And
the floor :or many long moments. Sometimes
he'd run aud jump Ia tie bod with Little Crotch;
when sqddcnly nnother notion would strike
aim. and he'd turn and run out at the door aai
not come back ~ lin for days.
But hi, was unusual. Night In and night
out. the year round. the rel goblin rarely failed
To- show himself IN Little Crotchctt's room and
crawl under the cover with the lad. There
vas but one person ~ all that region whom the
red goblin was afraid OF. and that WINS Aaron.
Hut lac was nm obstinate goblin. Frequently
he'd stay after Aaron came and Try his ,est
q nsht 1t GU, With the son OF Zen All: but IN
the end he would have tu 90. There were
times. however. whcn Aaron could not respond
to Little Crotcheits signal of distress tho
leht in the dormer window AMI at such times
the red goblin would have everything his own
way. He would stay Til alt he orld was
awake. aud then he'd sneak OFT, leaving Little
Crotch-;, weak and exhausted.
Thus It hnrocnrd hat while CarnEH, Riley was
taking an uucNucctcd ride on the White Pig.
ind aftrrwarI while the three men were sitting
rel goblin was giving Little CrUtclett - good
deal Of trouble No matter which wa he
Was there when Aaron cane inio tme hover
garden. He was there wlcn Anroi, stood ut
the foo. OF the great OAK az t'c corner of th'
lANs. ' a gkA- flEFa when Aaron nj futfh At
hand, felt roo and found one OF the iron soises
that hti been driNen 'hto III" body az tho
uRE. Tho red goblin was In bed with Little
/. Gro chrtt and iG{:iug NJ his hack and legs
~nen Aaron pulled hlm,eli upward t. means
!, suikc; when. standing on aid AolCinc 10 these
: %suiSr., lie walsrd up TIC trlns OF tie rrcc a.
10 II w"r" u laddr". and when lie went mo
! III Cro'rl-tts room. by way OF The dormer
/, window. The r"a, name u tho red goblin visa
wt- ,c"v bu,y WIKI l.lttl" Crp'chett tAis night.
, aud tnoU.h the lad Ind fallen INT" n doe. hS
= tered tie room. Tn" son Of Ben Al! S;cuu"d TO
E th' H." bed. AID Ane,t hy Il; !IaciIt h hand
. stroke. The lad aHukc with u start. saN tina,
Aaron wa, near and then close ~ eyes again:
, n loi ~ things for YOU in tie ta,set there" :,
. IL twice A. long; IT would be short for me
a REPLIED Aaron. Then. st'll -%trokinc l.l.tl"
' Cro,cLett's brow with oLc hand, ana Srnt.y
rnHuinG Us body with The other. the Son OF Ben
= All told Of IhuukS Riley ride on IL" White
a.. Pis. Nth his: eve, ciu,rd the lad could s"r
: the Who'll" performance, and lac laughed with
q much h.ardnrs- that Aaron lnnsi"a n, YIN
uatny. This Wa suca a rare event tI"t Little
Crot 'hctt olened hi, ryea TO zee T. 3ut ne s@oi
, goblin was preparing 10 -.
y Il lat CHUNKY Riley" s.id Little Crotch
. morrow Jim simmon. aud III. hounds, And
: he has i Gergh dog WIN l''ni ! s =, nae mi IIs To-
i G nd ho HTs l%,n SSa r u. ear. h have he BEEN %E Srd %,sSi.
9 oh. I'm afraid they'll Cei YOU this time. Aaron.
! WHY NOT ,,tay here with me Tomorrow and the
"lIrrct' There was a note OF surprise in
= everybody onT OF the room. exccp, :"
n n ..."Excrpt ,som.63dy : SAID aaron. smiling.
= man. Good tnall. He'd s.aks IN, hcnd and "a,
e ,,R%Ma%Wav Iiatns in my L i%gie; no, Tas'c rHn'
. You sleep. Tomorrow nlgn, IN come. NJ
= clothes wi!, ,hs riaord and -nasced; Have u,
: mend en- here. and Y lille Tn men,a:ns may
: tel. u tale. | don't know. Maybe. You sleep
red robin L"in@ gone. L,i't!c Cro,,I"rt wa.
1" soon, in The land OF dreams AARON %rv!nnin","
g los the bed to- make sure The sleep vas sound,
u then lac rose. tucked the cover nuout "a, lG;dI
shoulders ltur tho morning air was cool. bile"
y out The candle. w"l' gu On the roof. cios'il
- the window sash after Il. u, am In " monrn'
u 'VaS standing iE IL, flower garden. There h'
! found Rambler. lie trncE dos, awaitiGL him
/! and together TEcN iassri out mt" III" LOT ait
u went by the sprIag. where Aaron STOPPED ant
took another drnusht Of the coCl water,
. Al this tim" III" three men had Teen sittinI
q Oh tie uaSturs irurr A. the uolur where ii IL
e ,er,e ;cd the rnth lending iron, the ,rr'nr. an,
they we're >ii;iuE there Httll, Ao AARON started
\ along this pBth, after leaving ia" sprlng, Ram
, bier trulted ON before. and his Keen i,.C soot
J, detected the presence NJ = rangers. with /
5 whinr that was more than hat a whist"
lu nb.rt gave Aaron the signal To stou, ant
l. then went toward tie fcnCc. Tho situation be
:, rEme clear to hlm ~ once. and II was Ihci
tina Chunky RILEY md ih" tnr'e Zen hn'
y hrard Iim bark. They called u narii"r, b"
q II WAS u message to .NarOa. shSlig;
"l.noSnLt, son q, Zen Al, .o"S s!tHrO
' ! see three Grizzlies tWu, ara another.
" lhrr" was nothing a aiming IN tho sltuNilNn
u n at. hrOn might haN" goii" within haiiiu.
distance 81 the three men without discover,
NJ FOR ~" sprins lot Wa. we'll wooded. II vi
u Is u alCrcr'lnll" NHa any pe"Ulitr.'v
u was Ia luUdn"sN Tor trrcs. IL" ruHld tn
u something to admir-" IN the crnuke"cst sh'u
L Oal; and ~ The srrH-r,r>t elm. lie MOI only AL
~ Lowell IL" trees In ir spring lot to riInN. bl
- uIluiru others. Whcr" Aaron stood ~ rlun
= 81 black Jacks covering u NnHrier "i an acre Lac
u, sprurE IN spur wears l"fHrC. IAcN were roN
=" w"li.Erown ~snpiiuGS aud stood a close tnsril