New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-30
TOMMY'S ADVENTURE
WHAT \ FOX SQUIRREL. SAID To
SMALL BOY WHO WENT A-NUTrISG.

SMALL BOZ W O W EN- A-NUTrING.
I've heard Tommy tell the story over and over
again. and if I've never got the hang OF it exact
~ it is his fault, and not mine, for he never told
IL twice in the same way Not that he i no,
truthful. but the whole thing was SO strange tbat
1 don't blame him for not remembering how IL
all happened / think I would better tell it 10 Won
Just ne told il the last time / heard him and
as he had then had "a good long time 70 think n
over perhaps that version of the story is the cor
Tommy is very fond of hickory nuts and he has
a box up in the attic that will hold three or four
bushels of them. Regularly every autumn he goes
out 10 the woods the little town where he
lives. and gathers enough to I'LL his box and then
all winter long he has treat that you city bows
know nothing about. for every country boy will
tell YOU that your almonds and your flberts and
your are not 10 be compared with the
beloved hickory nuts
Well, day this fall Tommy threw his bag
across Old SorreI's back and then himself on
top OF the bag and rode on TO The woods having
in mind certain tree that Just loaded down
with nuts There had been sharp frost that
Inornins and Tommy thought that the ground
under the would be covered with nuts that had
dropped from their shells
He Gid find a good many. but not enough to fill
his bag and, having gathered all that had fallen
he began To throw sticks up into the tree 10 knock
down more The woods seemed be unusually
qHtet that morning. and every time stick went
crashing through the branches it made so much
noise that Tommy would stop and look all around
him; II made him half afraid, although he knew
that he was making the noise himself
the NTH stick that he threw made more noise
than all the others put together, he thought and
as It fel! back 70 the ground there was such A
rattle chatter all through the woods as he had
never before heard in all his life At the time
Old SoTrel. who was tied 10 a swinging limb A
hundred feet away. gave Wild snort of fright and
breaking loose. hoisted his tail as q danger signal
and ran home as fast as his legs could carry him
Then. ali at once. Tommy what was the
matter. and more frightened boy you couIdn',
have found in seven counties. All around him a.
far he could see. the woods We're full OF soufr-
rels-not In the trees. but the ground-and thew
were Closing in him in a great circle with not
the slightest sign OF gap through which he might
escape And they all waving their bushy tails
and scOdiug and chatteriug like little furies-and
all the time drawing in closer and closer 10 Tommy
and getting madden and madden as they came
There were at least ten million of them. ha saws
and every one OF them looked as II it wanted only
half chance To- get at Tommy's face and tear his
eyes out!
nv this time they had come So close that Tommy
could see how their wicked little eyes were spark
ling and just he threw up his hands to protect
his face-tor he thought he saw them getting ready
TO spring him-there happened the sJrauzest
thing that he ever saw or heard Of An enormous
old fox squirrel all brOwnish gray on top as vel
low as an orange underneath. and with tail about
two feet long. jumped on q stump. and sitting up
ON his hind legs held OF his paws for silence
Then the ten million squiTrels-Tommy said there
were ten million. Temember-stopped chatterinE.
but they looked just as fierce Poor Tommy
stood there white snow. and just cold for
he trembled that he seemed 10 nave shaken all
the blood OF his body.
SO we've caught YOU AT last cried Old Foxy
YOU TObber-yuu hard hearted robber, Every year
YOU come here and take the nuts that belong t'
us. We wouldn't say word If YOU took d few.
leaving some for US, but YOU strip the tree.
giving 2 thought. How do YOU suppose
going to live through the winter il You rob Or
food? We've kept our paws Off You for three
wears now. and YOU only getting and
more grasping, we have determined 70 put You oUr
OF the way-do you hear To put YOU out ot the
wayi'
And with these words. Old Foxy hurled himself
at Tommy eyes flashing. tail shaking. claws
scratching; and all the ten million other squirrels
followed their leader each trying tc get at Tommy
FIRST
Well. Tommy SAYS it was more than he could
stand. he fell down IN a dead faint. and then
as the story teIers Say-he knew no more,
Tommy gives very vague account az what hap
peUed after he came 20 himself and found that -
was wholly uuhUrt and that q squirrel IN
sight. He insists. however that everything hap
pened just he tells il UP the time he fell m
faint. For my part [ think he dreamed The whole
thing. What do YOU think,