The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-02

scaresses to which Sweetest Susan subjected
It, Even Drusllla was delighted with the
flying squirrel and wanted to hold 1T in her
apron, being afraid to touch it with her
hands.
He's mighty putty" she said; but tell
70 now, he got long tushes in dem little
jaws. Eff you don't blieve me you kin des
look an see"
Buster John and Sweetest Susan were too
much interested in the beauties of the little
creature to expose any of its ugly features,
even If it had any. They had never seen
flying squirrel before. There were many
of this species on the place, but they were
so shy and elusive that the children caught
only feeting glimpses of them between sum
set and dark. They could sec something
dark fit before their eyes, swooping from
some tall tree nearly to the ground, then
circling upward to another tree; they could
hear a chirping curiously like that OF
sparrow, and the flying squirrel would be
gone-if it could be said to have come.
Therefore the little fellow in hand was
twice precious. for the sake of its
beauty, and once for the sake of its rarity.
81 don't see how anybody ever cotch one
un um'' remarked Druslla. You see en-
fp!-an, deyer gone!'
How did you catch him. Aunt Minervy
ANN" asked Sweetest Susan
81 amt got time ter tell you right dis
minnit," replied Aunt Minervy Ann. "Ili
go tell de niggers on de place goodby, an
den I'll come back, an eff you amt fin out
fer yo'se'f, I'll up an tell you-kaze I hear
a heap err talk 'mong my color how A'on
done larnt you all how ter talk wild de cree
turs. / amt never b'lieved 1t myself; but
if you all tell me how I cotch i'm after I
come back frum de quarters, den I'll know
it's so. Dey's sumpin in me dat tells me
right pne-blank dat eff folks can't talk wild
de creatures it's der own fault an yit,
when you come ter think bout It hard an
strong it don't look natchual."
Aunt Minervy Ann went her way for the
time being and Sweetest Susan, holding the
flying squirrel against her rosy face, said:
"Your name is Fit. Remember that,
please. Now Fit, you must tell us some
thing about yourself and how you happen
ed to let Aunt Minervy Ann catch you"
"Who is that talking?" chirped the fly
ing squirrel. "I'm awfully sleepy. This is
my time for sleeping. What is Fit?
"Flit is your name, I'd have you to
know" replied Sweetest Susan, land l
want you to tell us about yourself"
"Well give me some water" said Fit
(his words sounded like the notes of the
song sparrow, and don't keep me awake
too long. didn't have any sleep yesterday,
and haven't slept any today
"You should be good and sleep at night,
Sweetest Susan declared.
81 can't sleep when / am hungry, and
when the shine ball goes down l have TO
wake and hunt for food. I'm swfully sleepy
now and hungry, too"
.'Whar dat box er scaly-barks you all
had?" inquired Drusilla. EFF you'll git
some I'll go crack um.'
"What are scaly-barks?" asked Fit.
"Small HICKORY nuts, replied Sweetest
Susan.
Istantly Fit was wide awake, making
chattering noise such small bird might
make. 'That is the very thing want.
make haste make haste. he CRIED
Drusilla was soon cracking the scaly
banks, and in few moments Fit was SIT
ting on his hind legs in Sweetest Susans
hand. eating the "goody." as the children
called it, as fast as Buster John could pick
it out with an old shoemaker's awl. The
little creature was very dainty about 1t,
too. If the meat of the scaly bark happen
ed to be the least spoiled or wormeaten, he
promptly rejected it, and called for better