The record-union., 1898-03-23
D. [. AND THE STORY TELLER.

D, |. AND THE STORY TELLER.
You can tell me some more about the
coon and the 'possum and the old
black crow" said D. L., settling her
self comfortably and indicating by the
motion of her body that she wanted
the story teller to rock. They lived in
three big hollow limbs Of big hol-
low tree, you know, and used to meet
together sometimes in their parlor and
talk"
Why, yes, of course. The story tel
Ter had most forgotten this colony and
its domestic arrangements, but ii all
came back to him now and he hur-
Tiedly tried to remember some one OF
their many adventures. Out Of the
mists Of that long ago time when all
animals and men spoke one language
and mingled more or less socially to-
gether there came presently dim
memory that cleared and frightened
as it came, and took form at last IN
something which the story teller told
to the dear little girl as
THE 'COON'S BAD COLD.
One day, early in March, and dur
ing a long wet spell. the coon caught
a bad cold The next morning he
stayed in bed, and pulled up the covers
and was cross and too sick to go out
This made extra work for the crow
and 'possum, who, Of course, had 20
bring him in his meals and take care
of him, and the coon, who found how
nice it was to be waited on, thought ne
he would take his own time about get
ting we'll He was sick SO long that by
and by it set the crow to thinking, and
one day, all Of a sudden, he was taken
iii, .oo, and coughed and took on and
called across TO the others that he was
sick and couldn't come out, either
This made still more work for the
possum, who now had to catch game
Tor three, besides waiting on sick folks
and taking care of their houses. So ny
and by Mr.. 'Possum got to thinking
some, as well as the others, and one
morning, while the crow and the coon
were laying all snug in bed and laugh
ng to themselves at the trick they were
playing. and thinking of the nice
breakfast they were to have, they
heard all at once the 'possum calling
cut that hard work and exposure had
oeen too much for him, and that he was
gether.
OF course they had to call back to
him that they were sorry, and Of course
they were sorry in one way, and then
each of them lay down to see which
would be the first to be starved out.
The 'possum had a little the best of it
at first, because he had brought in
enough the night before to last him for
q hf7f
he soon ate it all up, and before long
was just as hungry as either the coon
or the crow, and maybe hungrier
Every day they all grew emptier and
emptier, Sometimes the crow would get
up and slip to the door to see if the
'possum or the coon We're not starting
out for food. Sometimes the 'possum
would peep out to see if the coon and
the crow were not going. Sometimes
the coon would look out to see if the
crow and the 'possum hadn't started
Once they all saw each other, and
jumped back like a flash
That night the 'possum decided that
he couldn't stand it any longer. He was
so thin that his skin hung on him like
a bag. and he hardly had strength
enough to curl his tail So he made a
stairs, and out the door at the bottom
of the tree to find a good supper just for
himself. A little after dark, when he
thought the others were asleep, he got
up softly and dressed himself and took
his shoes in his hand.
OH" said D. L. DO 'possums wear
shoes?"
They did then: anyhow, this 'possum
did, and he was afraid to put them on,
for fear he would wakeuD the crow and
the coon going down stairs
Well, he slipped down softly, and was
just about half way to the door when
Diff! he ran right against something
in the dark
But 1 thought you said once pos
sums could see in the dark?" interrupted
D l., sitting up straight.
They can in just common dark, but
this, you see. was hollow tree dark,
which is the very darkest there is. So
he couldn't see wink and down he
came and down came the other thing,
too. till pretty soon-biff! they struck
something else, and down all three
things came over and over, rattlety-clat-
ter. to the bottom of the stairs, right on
cut of the door into the moonlight and
what do you suppose was there besides
Mr.. Postum?
I know" said d. L. eagerly. The
Coon and the Old Black Crow?''
Exactly Both Of them dressed and
looking foolish and half starved, and
each with his shoes in his hand. They
had all slipped down softly to get some
thing to eat, because they were 50 hum
CRY, and. of course, when they looked at
each other standing there thew all knew
very we'll that none of them had been
sick. except the coon a little right at
first.
After they had looked at each other for