Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-01-25
Meeting "a Little Savage" y:
From "Just About A Boy"
ny w. .. PhmiOs.

VIZ S. PHILLIPS, In q new book
wv Just About Boys" published
recently by Herbert S. Stone d Co.,
Chicago and New York, calls our
American boys bright, interesting lit
tie savages, who love the woods and
wildS," and 1t is about one of these
little savages" that Mr.. Phillips tells
In his book IN a most entertaining
way. How he met his one particular
boy 10 told in the following first chap
ter of the book:
Once in the time that is now repre-
scented by pictures in the mental gal
lery only, flshed western stream.
1t was pleasant stream, l remem-
Der, that dimpled in little waves where
the gentle south wind kissed the wider
reaches, and there were curious, wavy
shadows under the opposite bank
where the grasses hung down and the
cottonwoods spread their ample
branches to shade the water. Hidden
reefs made ripples in the current, cir
cling eddios behind the powders that
occasionally poked up above the water
furnished resting places for the big
blue channel catfish that took my min
now or frog with savage rush like a
salmon.
The water was cool and clear, and the
fab that lived there were full of fight,
and such good Nating that often wan
dered to this western river and cast
my bait.
True. Il wau mot all of fishing to
fish" In those days, just as 1t is now,
and I mixed my time between fishing
and watching the natural beauties OF
the landscape.
On this particular day In June l had
waded down the stream until the browse
of noontide was In the air. was tired
Of fishing and Of fish, had fought great
blue-black fellows until, for once at
least, wanted no more; so I climbed
out on the shaded point of the little
island In midstream and stretched at
full length along the grass, resting and
content in watching the life saw
around me-
Swallows came lacking along near
the surface Of the river, darling up,
down and crosswise, as they Toasted on
The insect inhabitants Of the air. Fleecy
clouds hoated overhead and disap'
peared IN space like phantom balloons
A sauoy kingAsher flashed up from
somewhere and came to a stop on a
nearby anag, looking for all the world
Nike a part Of the dead wood moment
after he alighted, and forgot all about
him until l heard a splash and knew
instinctively that another small hsf
lacked wisdom, but had found 1t Out
too late.
Bees, the only busy things In sight
tumblsd the yellow heads OF re"
rosin weeds that looked toward TIT
sun. The river people sang with Groom
ing voices 90 underwater song in thu
hurrying rifles, tinkle, bubble, gurglt
II the quiet swirl Of the waters.
A splash up at the head OF the rap
ids where 1.-The big one got away" al
hour before, another splash in the poo
below. and a circle of overwhelming
rings.
A big heron stalked lazily along
sandbar 300 or 400 yards down stream
and the summer air made him as bii
as an ostrich.
A soft patter Of bare feet announced
the arrival of the boy. He had wade'
across to the head Of the island an
then came by land to the lower enc
He saw me and stopped short, hesl
tatingly.
He was all boy, too, about IA or
years old, sturdy, bright-faced, eS
ceedingly homely and clad in stray
hat the worse for wear, flannel shir
wide open at the throat, leather be
with a knife sheath dangling from
and-well, the rest of his costume wa
mostly an expression Of gladness. II
was certainly a picture of health an
Youthful "orneriness" as he stood thei
in the June sunshine, digging one ban
toe into the sand and balancing hin
self with long cane fishpole in an III
easy way, and l made q mental moi
that 1 somehow liked that boy.
Hello, young man! Fishing, al
your"
yep"
Catch anything YETI"
yep"
where are your fsh1"
Got 'em picketed out up at tn hes
O. tn Han. Git any9"
. eyes, 1 have quite q string dow
there" said, pointing toward Il
water, where had secured my fish:
The boy, walking down, dropped b
.flshpole and examined my string wi
- a critical eye. Got some good one
;. amt yeh2"
! Eyes, pretty fair, 1 think, for he
a days casting"
~ got bout that many, and I've on
bin out bout two hours. Run out
bait n come down here for minnies.'
= saw no net or other contrivance I
securing minnows, so I asked; "HC
do you catch your bait9
"Se,ne EN-" laconically.
.. "Where's your metz"
~ cover yonder," jerking his thumb
OF the direction of dense clump Of "
lows. Got 'er cached sost can
- It when 1 want it. Say, gee! that's
RI. dandy pole yeh got, amt 1t, n uh re
at tool" he remarked, casting an admir-
glance at the old Lakewood rod II
- leaned against the bushes.
", Eyes, that old rod is good one;
ii, very handsome, but 1t has stood
J. test. and 1 know what 1t will do"
Gee, wish 1 had uh pole like tn
. Must be fun to see ole Balaam go W
W all that line; men uh little Rastus
& make 'er bend, too, / reckon" he add
refectively.
- did not then understand that
ell boy had boyish name OF his own
gar the people of the wilderness, but
erward learned that "Balaam" me