Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-24

count of himself, and next in any other way
that might be devised. So far as Mr.. Coon
was concerned, he was perfectly willing to
accommodate the children. He was never
bad tempered unless he saw cat or dog
and such of these as were about the house
and yard soon learned to give him a wide
berth. for his claws and teeth were sharp
and he was born fighter.
In Joe MaxwelPs rough notes, Mr.. Coon
began thus:
IF 1 had to tell my tale from the talk
think, as you talk your talk, I'd talk no
talk of this thing" AS this would be hard
TO follow. 1t has been rendered into free
translation from first to last.
IF l had to learn my language out of
books. as you do yours" said Mr.. Coon,
leaning back in corner of the playroom,
and rubbing his face and nose with both
hands. Il wouldn't have much to say about
myself, for | wouldn't know how to say il.
My home was in the hollow limb of a tree
and l can remember how nice it was to
sleep in that soft, warm place. There were
four others besides me, and We used TO
sleep close together till our nanny came
home. We were always awake when she
came, for we could hear her climbing the
tree. and then. if it was not raining, she'd
sit on the outside, and dry her feet and
clothes with her tongue. Sometimes we'd
get impatient and begin to cry, and once
one Of the others went to the door: the slap
he got made him squeal. and none of US
ever bothered our nanny any more by
going to the door. But, my! How hungry
and angry | used to get while nanny sat
out there cleaning her feet and drying her
clothes. But she always took her own time,
and then, when she came in, what a scram-
BILE there for the right teat. Mine was
the middle one, but | always had to claw
and be clawed before l could get it,. We
Were all ravenous, and l never did get as
much food | wanted at one time till /
came here. l think our kind are born hum
CRY. and kept hungry that we may be able
to escape from those that follow us.
The first thing l really remember was
once when / heard bird chirping and whis-
Ting right at our very door. L trembled
and shook all over. The others were asleep,
and 1 was glad of it. Shaking and trem-
bling, l crept to the door, and there,
right at me, was a bird with long bill,
which he was pokng under the bark Shiv-
ering and shaking, jumped on him. but
came near falling to the ground. He was
stronger than he seemed to be- and he
had claws, too. He clinched me with these
and beat me over the head with his wings,
but l didn't mind that. l didn't mind any
thing. l shook no longer. | felt my hair
rising on my back. / heard myself growl.
l didn't know why, but l was furious. ]
crushed the bird in my teeth until his
wings ceased to move; but / was still angry.
l had tasted blood; / had made my first
Kill. If one of the others had come out
just then think he would have been sorry.
But they We're all frightened by the noise
and were hudded in the farthest corner.
Then, when l no longer angry, but
proud | went to the door. carrying the bird
in my teeth They smeit the blood and
FuSneQ at me, ana tnen there was night
Why. you were fighting your own BROTH
ers and sisters" said Sweetest Susan, Sc
Verely.
SO would you, if you were of my kind, -
replied Mr.. Coon. There was a fight
but they all got piece of the bird. After
that We were changed. 1t seemed as if
we had been asleep all the time and some
thing had suddenly awakened US. Then
nanny came home. She shifted around
and smelt the blood and saw the feathers.
| She nosed under us as We lay and rooted us
| out of the way, but she found nothin' more
| than feathers. Well, l decarer she cried.
| Who's been bringing you bird?'
| Is that what you call a bird?' asked
| one of the others, and when she said ii
| was they all squalled out, oh, NANNY
| nanny, fetch us some morel Nanny,
| fetch US some moren
| But she kept on asking, Who brought
| this one? Who brought this one? l said
| nothing, but the others looked at me and
| said was the one that brought the bird.
| Where did you get it?' nanny asked
| I told her l had grabbed the bird, and
| though she said nothing she seemed to be
| pleased, and / noticed that she cornbed
| my hair with her tongue a great deal longet
| than she ever did before. After that She
| began 10 bring us birds and frogs. and once
| she brought us a big fish, and that was
| fine" "'-
Frogs" cried Drusira. "You hear DAFT
| Frogs" N'''
Not the kind that live on land" explain.
ed Mr.. Coon, making a wry face, but the
| KIND that hide on the bank of the creek and
| Jump in when they hear you coming. You
| nave TO take many long and hard lessons
before you can catch oh0. Fish are easisl