The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-21

that trade when he wasn't bigger than
Buster Johns two fists; and by constant
practice, he had developed Ii into fine
art. The shyest and wariest birds could
light within an inch of his nose and never
see him; could light there. but they never
flew away any more. Old Molly Cotton
tail, all eyes and ears, could sit nj her cozy
home, and never know that old ScaT-Face
was in the neighborhood until she felt his
cruel teeth. And even the wood rat whose
keen eyes fairly glistened with cunning,
hardly dared to shake straw in all that
field for fear of being pounced upon.
Well, then, how could the children hope
to catch a glimpse of this wild and cum
ming creature? Aaron was the one to solve
the problem for them, and to Aaron they
went. He tanned the White Pig for them,
and had made them familiar with the
Black Stallion-that fierce creature whose
neigh was sufficient to stampede the whole
plantation. If Aaron could do these things
he could also bring them to Old Scar-Face,
the red fox. So, to Aaron they went, with
many explanations and pleadings. Mention
of the old fox caused Aaron TO reflect lit
tie over the past. He had known old Scar
Face when a puppy" a statement that
caused the children to laugh.
There is war between the reds and grays,
as the Son of Ben Ali explained, a war
that began many years ago over some
family matter Fox to fox, the reds can
whip lue SIdySi duu luiS TACT HIS DeColic
so well established that the grays always
get out of the way when they cam 1t
happened one day when Scar-Face was
puppy" as Aaron said, with big legs and
a very wobbly body, he met a big gray in
the woods. Some instinct CIR other caused
the red to rush at the gray, and that was
the cause of the reds scar. The gray
would have run away If he could, but
Scar-Face caught him by the flank and
held on like a bull-terrier, while the gray,
frightened and hurt. gnawed away on
Scar-Faces head until the top of 1t was
bare of hide and hair.
1t was then that the Son of Ben All
CHANGED to pass, and tho gray, with
scream of fear, tore away leaving some
of his pelt between Scar-Face's teeth. At
ter some trouble, Aaron explained to the.
red that he was no enemy having himself
been a hunted animal at one time He
"doctored" the torn head the best he could.
but the wound left mark, bare place
fringed with white hair.
Aaron was very much Interested in the
proposed fox hunt. and asked many ques-
lions about it. Finally he promised the
children that, If they would remind him OF
1t the next afternoon, he would go with
them to the sedge field and try to find old
Scar-Face. He counted on his fingers.
and made out the age of the red to be
nearly eight years, and concluded that II
the dogs were good and swift they ought
to be able TO run MIN GOWN III apouI 0i5he
hours.
.If twas me, remarked the Son of Ben
Ali. "Id find out the. day the dogs come,
and then I'd pack my wallet and take my
walking stick, and move into the middle or
the big swamp. But he won't do 1t. he
don't like the swamp; too much, water,
maybe or maybe too much coon. Ell give
him fair warming"
The next afternoon being fair and.
pleasant the children were trotting TO
Aaron's heels full hour before he was
ready to go. If he had to go to the horse
lot they trotted after him; If to the car
rage house. it was the same thing. Oc
cupied with so many duties, he sometimes
forgot his half-pIayful promises, and so,
when the youngsters were in earnest about
ANYTHING they had habit of trotting at
his heels until, in sheer self-defense, he
was compelled to carry out their wishes
as far as he could. Toward the middle of
the afternoon he announced himself ready,
and, with Buster John and Sweetest SUI
san jumping and skipping at his side, and
Druslla more soberly bringing up the rear,
he went to the field where old Scar-Face
was said to have his home. Before the
broom sedge took it, the field had been
used as a pasture for the cows, but 1t was
now pastured only in the early spring,
when the tender shoots of the sedge are
putting out This was why bars took the
place of a gate. Two of the bars were al
ready down. and 1t was an easy matter for
the Son of Ben Ali to stoop and pass UNI
der the topmost bar. The children follow
ing promptly, he paused to arrange the en-
trance so that no stray cattle from neigh
boring plantations might wander in.