Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-05-05

TOM COYNF MAKEs A TRADE

xviii.
TOM COYNE Makes A TRADE
Tom Coyne was a Free-born AmerI-
can Boy. His parents lived next door
to the Zeniths and naturally enough
| Tom lived there also. Quite as natur-
ally the young ladies of the Zenith
household entertained many decided
opinions concerning the average Free
born American Boy; and the cOncensus
of opinion among the Misses Zenith
was antagonistic to the Free-born
American Boy and they sometimes ex-
pressed their respective opinion TO Tom
personally in language as vigorous,
emphatic and unmistakable as custom
permits the Freedom American Mai
den to make use Of Indeed, there is
no doubt that they sometimes stretched
the permission of custom TO its utmost
limits and ceased to stretch that per-
mission with some reluctance, feeling
that Justice had not been done in the
case; perhaps even feeling that JUS
tice is unfair and tyrranical
when she forbids young ladies to en-
piOy all OF the resources Of language
concerning the Freedom American
Boy.
Some days after the search for Miss
Stella was abandoned Tom COyne en-
tered the parental parlor where his
mother was chatting with neighbor.
His mein was that of a conquerer OF
nations who fully appreciated his own
Importance TO historians.
Now. that's what | call Il bargain"
he said displaying a fiint-lock musket
Of the oldest pattern eXtant The
stock was clumsy, the barrel Of amaz-
ing length, and the calibre great
enough to carry q peach But IL was a
gun and that satisfied Tom. For its
oddities. It's dcfOrmities, he cared
nothing; his boyish ambition had been
to own a gun; this was a gun; he
owned this gun; therefore he was hap
py.
Tom. Where in the world did you
get that?" his mother asked in a dis.
couraging tone that was lost on Tom
It's mine"
Where did you get it?"
Traded for It,"
What did you trade for it?"
Brownie
oh Tom. You poor foolish boy,
That old gun is not worth fifty cents
and the calf is worth five or six dol
lars Your father will make you undo
that trade
sYOu tell him to not? I'd rather
have this gun n a whole drove OF
calves, X il won't eat nuthin' n il
won't cost nuthin' ii fl VIII XIII rab-
bits like gosh, We can eat rabbits n
III see that it kills plenty of EN- you
bet, X I'll have more fun with this
CUR in a nour than / could ever have
with BrOwniel 4 feller can play with
a gun an enjoy life but no feiler with
good sense can play with a calf n have
fun"
Il IN sorry TO dlsarpoint you, my boy
but u is a foolish trade"
We'll, mayn't [ keep It to-day"
You may keep it till your father
comes home and then he may do az h'
pleases."
N y29 make MIN let me keep It
Ma; any way III go huntin' now; I've
got powder Il shot"
He stuffed Ais pockets full Of ole
newspapers for wedding and proceeded
TO load the piece. The gun was so Ions
that he had to thrust the butt seyera
feet to the rear before the muzzle wa
lowered within hlg reach so that he
could pour into II the tremendous
charge OF powder that he held in his
palm. Having deposited the powder in
the baUel he stood the piece erect and
ratified the butt on the floor TO settle
the charge into the chamber Finding
that he could not, owing to the altitude
Of the muzzle, keep the gun perpendic-
ular while he drove the wadding home,
he mounted an upholstered chair and
started a roll OF paper down the long
bore. Then a new difficulty was en-
countered; the rammer could not be
drawn without inclining the gun, the
length OF the gun added to the length
or the rammer exceeding the height of
the ceiling; and Tom had an idea that
the powder must be kept level in the
chamber or something would happen.
Therefore the gun must not be inclined
until the wadding was packed upon the
powder Climbing down from the chair
he went to the porch and stood the gun
on the ground, so that there was only
a cloud for the rammer to penetrate.
Having rammed the wad home with
n vigorous and willing arm Tom sent
a handful Of shot rattling down upon
it and after the leaden pellets he sent
another section of newspaper Throw
ceeded 10 prime it by pouring powder
into the pan which he uncovered for
that purpose. Captain Zenith was sit
ting on his own porch reading the
Scranton Republican and Toms prim-
ing movement brought him into range |
and he cried:
Tom, Don't point that thing this |
way"
''I,., ,5,,,r ,,,rd,v g.,,.f. ttJ,s,
notice any one" and the gun was |
shifted with the muzzle toward the
parlOr window, bringing the sports
mans mother into range. /
What are YOU going ~ shoot Tom?' ,
Captain Zenith inquired, rebels, de-
5erlers or provost marshall"
Rabbits! n you bet III Kill drove
of ON. | know where they're thicker
n hens teeth"
IF you Kill for market you may
bring me two brace"
How much II you give?"
Market price"
''All right. ! don't know how much
hat is. but I'll find out T you don't
know. n say, Captain Zenith, I've
ust traded Brownie for this gun n Ma
,ays t Pap won't lemmc keep 1t. Won't
you tell Pap 7 he oughtta lemme keep
T."
Yes, Tom. I'll talk It over with him
md help you II can.
Thank you Captain. You're brick
+ yer girls IL sassy. / tell you them
girls OF yours is terrors n | don't see
low you get along Twin in the same
lOusc with en-. It's bad enough livin'
lext door. Carrie isn't so bad but /
Wish bushcl that Molie was boy
or about nour! I'd enjoy the occa.
Ion by giyiD' her 4 mighty good lick \