The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-28

fright, and rabbits innumerable leaped
across the path in front of them, while
partridges and quail few about in pro-
fusion. Finally the chestnut trees began
to diminish. Oaks and pines there were
III abundance. but they seemed to have
PASSED out of the chestnut belt
We've come too far. Let's go back, :"
said Mason.
NO: it's more likely that the tree is
not among the others" answered Jason,
50 they went on. But they We're so tired.
And so hungry. And so depressed They
had not walked as far in their lives and
their leg muscles swellcd up in resent
ment of the task imposed upon them.
1t must have been close TO g. clock;
certainly the beams of the sun were al
most horizontal when Mason said joy
fully, There it is"'
AT the same instant Jason uttered a
cry of fear for crouching to spring at
them was panther. She had been lying
on the outstretched limb of an oak. TAX
ing an afternoon nap and she had
awakened just in time to see her supper
coming TO her.
Here's luck" thought she, and
Crouched TO spring.
But if the twins were lazy, they were
also plucky. And there We're no boys
on Loudon Hill who were such masters
in the use OF the deadly sling. Both
Toys srrang behind trees and drew out
their sings at the same time. They at
ways carried n rocketful Of bullets, and
they lost no time i'll loading UP.
There was the tree, just laden so
that it bent and creaked with the wei ht
of nuts, all Of them hanging by their
feathcry tails to- the stem. and not a
sign of 4 burr on them. 1t evidently
needed but tap on the trunk of the
tree TO iberatc them all And, better
vet, a.well defined wagon path led from
the tree out TO the high road some
miles distant to he sure, yet still easily
within reach Of their house.
But there was the panther still crouch
ing and waiting for the boys to step
from behind the trunks. l tell you that
such plucky little fellows deserved 10
succeed. and as far rs the panther was
concerned they did. They watched their
Chance and just as she closed her eyes,
thinking she must have dreamed that she
saw two little boys and wishing TO dream
again. they slung their shots and the two
bullets joined forces and penetrated her
brain and she fell off that branch as
dead as 4 door nail or even n window
nail
And as soon as she fell every nut on
the tree dropped to the earth. Whether
her fall Jared them off, or whether she
was the guardian spirit of the nuts and
at her death they We're at the mercy Of
anyone who chose TO gather them, wall
never be known, bnt there is no doubt
that the boys ran sleefully under the tree
and filled their blue bags in less time
tlan ii takes to say boo to red-headed
woodpecker, and you know how little
time that takes.
Mason always carried Il ball Of very
fine thread in his pocket and he took
it out and tied one end of it to the tree
and then they started for home. unwind
ing it as they, went. so that they could
find their way back. Just as they got
half way home the ball gave out.
Bp curious chance Jason always
carried ball of very fine thread in his
pocket and he tied his to the end Of the
other and they continued their home
rum and met their father just about
starting to look for them with Ned and
the big wagon.
both together, land we killed panther"
Old Grandpa Mason was standing in
the gateway That's just what An.
derson Sanderson did the time he got
the nuts I've heard my father tell of
it time and again. You're smart boys"
The barrels were soon put on tho
wagon and Mr.. Mason whipped UP Old
Ned and following the thread, they
Mrs. Mason had thrown a few apples
and a loaf Of bread into the wagon, as
She thought the boys might be hungry
She had not worried, as sh" had guess
ed what they were doing The twins ate
the food rs if it had been Thanksgiving
dinner.
1t didn't take Mr.. Mason long, with
the help Of coal shovel, to fill seven
barrels with the nuts. He left the pan,
ther. because Mrs. Mason hated cats OF
all kinds.
On the way home they met Kneeland
Nrceland, and when he saw the seven
barrels Of burrless nuts he congratulated
ihem. although my eight barrels are
burrless now and l haven't a pricker 10
show for it, it's great chestnut year"
The twins did not say that they had
secured any prickers themselves. They
We're really too tired TO say anything.
That evening their mother boiled and
roasted a lot of the nuts and they We're
very good no better than ordinary nuts,
but excellent, nevertheless. But, strange
TO say, the boys did not care to eat any.
They may have been too tired to eat or
they may have thought that such hard
earned nuts deserved a better fate, but
whatever the reason, the nuts went beg
ging as far as Mason and Jason We're
concerned, and so. after Il few days,
they were all shipped out west to q tooth
less minister. to whom box of goodies
was expressed every fall by the mission
airy society
1t would be pleasant to be able to say
that the boys We're cured of their lazy
ways, but, as a matter of fact, they
still coast TO school and skate to grand
mas rs of DID, so the lesson of the burr
less nuts was lost on them.
Out of the Mouths of Babes.
\ small north side miss aged t. was