St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-09-23

the very edge Of the bank. Il happened
to be the same tree that l was hiding
in. and as soon as they were gone
scrambled down and began my din
ner. While was eating 1 heard thu
faintest rustic among the bushes ans
there stood wolf. 1t was the uncle
of the wolf that you know. I've knowr
the whole family for years. l thinl
he was the very leanest, hungriest
looking wolf ever saw, and he seemed
perfectly delighted when he caught
sight of that dead deer hanging from
the tree. But it was too high for him
Ry raising himself on his hind legs HI
| could just touch it with his forepaw.
and set it swinging. but that was all.
Don't you wish you could? sale
1. and l spat at him and told him to &c
a piece of birch bark to stand on"
The Kittens eyes sparkled.
81 wish I'd been there" said he.
"Be STILL" said his mother, and b.
subsided again.
"'Just you wait said the wolf. ant
off he went at the top of his speed.
knew what he was after, and | ate a!
fast as could. He would be back be
fore long with the whole pack and
! might have to take to the tree agaiI
| to get out of their wa. But they mus
have been farther away than l hat
thought. for it was nearly an hour be
fore / saw them coming, and by thai
time they were too late.
Had YOU eaten it all?" asked tht
Kitten. eagerly.
Goodness. no." said his mother
| ''You don't suppose ! could eat whole
| deer, do you? Now. if you interrupt mt
again I'll give you another whipping
The wolf hadn't been gone but littl'
while before I noticed that the deer'i
carcass was hanging lower. The kno
which held it to the branch was slowl!
slipping. Probably the wolf himself
had started it when he set the carcas.
swinging. l hung on and ate as lons
as / dared, and then l climbed up t.
my crotch again. A gust of wind came
along and the tree began to sway bacl
and forth. The knot slipped more ant
more. ard at last it gave way entirely
andtthe carcass fell to the ground. Il
rolled over and over down the hill ans
tumbled into the lake with q grea
splash.
"Well. sat still in the tree and wait
I'D to sec what the wolves would do. 4
little longer and heard the rustic ant
paater of their feet, and then they came
| in sight-15 or 20 of them. They wer.
not much more than skin and bones
and they looked as if they hadn't eater
anything fora week. But they though
that they were going to have grant
feast now.- Their mouths were oper
land their tongues We're hanging ou
:and you should have seen their eye:
.glisten."
| The Kittens own eyes were big ant
round and he was listening with all hi
hears.
I .'The Wolf. who had been there be
fore, our yolf's tmele. came first. lead
ling the pack, but when he reached th'
+ foot of the tree and saw that the deeI
Twas gone he stopped short and stoot
Eperfectly still. His head and tai
dropped and he seemed to shriyel VI
and grow smaller. For minute ther.
wasn't a sound he gave howl
and in all my life l never heard another
how, like that. # was fear and shame
land despair. j. was the end of every
thing for him. for he knew that in an
Eother minute the pack would set on hin
l.. 4, IN
THAT man cried when he was caught il
1.-THE bear trap the other day.
Yes, the Kitten remembered, and i
tmadc him shGdder even now.
F ..saNell. it was worse than that. I
made me tremhlc so that almost fel
out Of the tree. and hid my face in m,
paws. and held on with all my might
I'm sorry for the Chipmunk when yo,
had hold Of him. if he felt the way tha
wolf did"
I The Kitten looked guilty. They boil
I glanced toward the hole and caught |
glimpse of the Chipmunk's nose ant
the top of his head. He had been listen
ing. too; but he disappeared as quick a:
Ea wink when he saw that they wer'
looking at him.
.What became of the wolf?' asked
the Kitten. Ibid they kill kim?"
NO." said the Lynx. THE whole
pack gave howl of disappointment ant
rage. and when looked down agair
/ they were all ready to spring upon him
but just then came another rifle shot
/ the lone wolf dropped dead. and all tn.
rest scattered and ran for their lives
The two hunters. stepped out OF thu
bushes. and L heard one of them say;
We'll. / never saw anything like thai
before Neither did T. said the other
and don't want to see anything like
it again. or hear it, either. Ibelievs
I'll have nightmare for week. The,
skinned the wolf and pulled the deat
kdeer out of the water. and in a few min
Eutes they were gone.
+ well. learned two lessons that day
| Oqc was not to boast until l was sure.
"And what, was the other?" asked
Ethe kitten. for his mother had stopped
talking.
/ Il don't like to kill things as we'll ii
I did when was Young" said she
-rathcf.hesifatingly. as If sht
Twas ha1f a.hawed of It. haze to do il
ssometiafes to get enough fofs u:anf
,Schr brothers and sisters to eat. but
don't enjoy ii the way used to-"
"Do you think you'll remember?' shs
asked. after a minute.
"les. ma'am." said the Kitten, very
meekG.
..Iou'H be careful about boasting aft
er this?'
''Yes, ma am"
|; And you won't touch the Chipmunk
or anyone else who belongs to the Back
woods club?'
]. NO. ma am"
Then run along home. It's almost
time for supper. Ill come in minute.
The Kitten scampered away through
the woods. and the old Lynx followed
more slowly. The Chipmunk came out