The record-union., 1899-07-16

springs an pon's an dream you're
some'rs else, go ahead an do It, But
don't ak me ter do it. kaze of you does
you'll have a great tale to tell Miss
Rachel an she'll gi' nanny de wink,
an mamy'H gi' me frailin. Well,
I'll take de frailin'; I'd rather be beat
ter death on top er do groun' dan ter
git fiew'd off wild in a bubble, er
drowned in dat der Fimblethinger
country
The children faithfully promised that
no matter what happened or what they
did, they wouldn't ask Drusilla to join
them, and they wouldn't complain
about her to their mother. This
seemed to lift heavy load from Dru-
sillas mind. She breathed freely and
became even cheerful
The journey TO Mr.. Bob's house was
in all respects a repetition of the for
mer one-Johnny Bapter driving the
two-seated spring wagon and singing
blithely, and, when they arrived at
their destination, Miss Elviry was
standing at the door with a smile of
welcome. Little Billy Biscuit had
grown considerably. He had larger
ideas. too. He was no longer calf in
pen, but saddle horse tied to the
fence, a chair turned on its side an
swering all the purposes of fence in
this case. The bride was a length or
two of basting thread, and though 1t
seemed to be frail substitute for a,
halter, it must have been strong, for it
served to hold this reStive horse, which
was making tremendous efforts to gain
its freedom, paving the ground and
kicking out its heels at a terrible rate.
The earnestness of Little Billy Bish-
cult was comical to see, and Sweetest
Susan thought it was the finest spec
tacle she had ever witnessed. She want
ed to hug the child then and there, but
Miss Elviry shook her head. -.
'"Twould upset him for the rest Of
the day." she explained EFF you want
to please him just say, Whoa, there!'
Eff you git on wi him you've got to
believe in his make-believe. You
wouldn't believe it. honey, but that
child amt half as much trouble as a
grown person. Why. when you want
him to be still all you've got to do is to
say he's a boss. A hoss he'll be tell
you come an unloose him.
The children entered at once into the
spirit of the affair. At a word Sweet
est Susan and Buster John became
horses and Drusilla was a mule. The
change was effected as suddenly as the
genii in the Arabian Nights" could
have accomplished it, No waving of
wands nor Incarnation was necessary
This drama of the horses was all very
we'll for a little while; but the older
children being used to more variety,
soon grew tired of it, and it was not
| long before they succeeded in coaXing
Little Billy Biscuit out of doors. Just
as they went into the yard Miss Elviry
suddenly remembered that she had
forgotten to feed the hen with the
young chickens that had just been
taken off,; so she mixed up some
cornmeal and water in a tin pan and
began to call the hens.
The call was answered from over
head in the most unexpected manner.
A crow, .cawing and croaking, began
to circle around Miss Elviry's head,
and presently lit in the pan of dough.
"Oh, get away from here!" Miss Ell
viry cried impatiently. You're alters
stickin' yourself where you amt
wanted"
She pushed the crow from the pan,
but he flew back with many croaks.
and not until Miss Elviry had given
him a good share of dough did he
| cease his fiutterings. She dropped a
| wad of the food on the ground, and
this the crow proceeded to devour,
/ talking to himself all the while. Miss
Elviry went to another part of the
yard hunting for the young chickens,
but the children stood still and watched
the crow.
'Ain't I done toll you dey wuz cum
jer people?" whispered Drusilla. why,
you can't git in a mile er no crow
less'n you been rubbin'i agin deze folks.
Now min what l tell you; dis crow
sho' is Satan; you may follow after
i'm eff you wanter, but I amt gwine-
ter bulge out'n my tracks,
| Little Billy Biscuit, however, was on
very good terms with the crow. He
sat on the ground by the bird and
with small twig touched him occa
sionally on the legs. The crow saw
the movement every time, but in
variably he would raise the leg that
had been touched, stretch out the toes
on the foot and examine them, utter
| ing a croaky grumble all the time.
The solemn way in which he went
about this was very amusing to the
children. Buster John laughed so
loudly that the crow stopped and
looked at him sidewise, speaking for
| the first time so the children could
| understand him.
"Cackity! What's all the fuss
about?" Then he went on eating the
| dough.
What is your name?" asked Buster
John.
"Cawky- -ikey uk- ek-ik ak!'
"Well, Cawky, where did you come
FROM"
Anywhere around here, ik-ek.''
Miss Elviry came up at this moment,
and, without knowing it, interrupted
the conversation.
lone year the crows built in that
pine thicket down yam. He must "a
fell from the nest, for one day found
him stretched out on the ground more
dead than alive. 1 fetched him home
and nursed him till he could take keer
of hisself. He goes off. an comes back,
an he's tanner than airy chicken on
the place. He pays for his keep, too,
for he's our crowtrap. I'll tell you
about it before you 60"
''Kuk- -akity; how quick she talks!
What did you say?"
THAT you are her crow-trap," said
Sweetest Susan.
"Ak-trap, trap-ak!" chuckled Cawky.
| What is a trap?"
Something that catches things"
explained Buster John.
OH oh r. L