The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1903-11-11
: zED. WHITES STORY.
The old Postum Hunter Tells a
Tale of Wild Cat.

Speaking about wild cats and
women," said old Zsb White, as We
sat in front of his cabin one even
ing. "I've got few words to say.
That is I can't skassly say which
of 'em kin rile man the worat."
Just what do you mean?" 1
asked.
wall, mebbe / kin make you
understand better by telling let
tie story Up to about ten years
ago thar used to be heaps of wild
cats on this yere mounting. and
now and then they would come
ekulkihg about the cabin of nights
and CRY outqin a way to make yo'r
hair stand up.
One afternoon 1 cum home from
town to find my ole woman in the
sulkS. She used to get that way
now and then. and it sllus ended in
row. When she began to jaw 1
began to whistle, but after half an
hour I got mad I'd agone out and
slept in the woods, only it was
gwins to be dark and rainy night
She.sulked and sulked. and when
it oame time to go to bed 1 sot rite
yere. and never minded the time.
She didn't offer to make up, and
30 1 was sitting yere when mid
night cum. She was asleep and
so-was I-Rhen thar cum a CRY from
out doahs. 1t wuz jest like the
hoot of q woman lost in the woods,
and it was ringing in my ears when
the ole woman sit up in bed and
calls out:
"Zeb White, what on airth wes
that, and what are you doing sit
ting up thar like knot on a logP"
81 didn't hear nothing more'n an
owl hooting," says 1.
"Then why didn't you go out an
keep him company"
I didn't say nuthing to that, and
pretty soon she fell back and went
to sleep again. Mebbe fifteen min
its had passed when the cry come
again and sent a shiver over me
and brought the old woman out of
bed.
Before the Lawd, but what kin
it bef" she gasped.
"a woman hooting for help" "
seq I.
ait can't be. No woman would
be hooting around here this time
of night"
Then it may be an owl"
"Then you may be fule."
Her calling me fule riled me up.
and, though I was purity sartin
that it was the scream of wild
cat. I determined not togive in.
Purity soon we got it agin, and it
was higher the house. The beast
was prowling around and that
scream made a chill creep up my
bsck.
"It's one of them wild cats, and
he's hungry fur meat" says the ole
woman as she begins to turn pale.
"Jes' hear him scream"
"Shool Its one of them Davis
gals lost in the woods. Reckon
she was out arter chestnuts and got
turned around"
"Then you don't know sugar
from sand. Listen to that. Does
that sound like the boot of a wo-
man3"
Jest exactly. Ill bet my old
gun agin a coon skin that its 9
woman. I'll open the doah so she
kin see the light and then call her
Powerful dark night for a woman
to be stomping around in the woods
by herself"
"Zeb White. I'm telling you it,
wild cat and not a woman. L
you hadn't almost got to be ful'
yo'd know by the sound. No wo
man ever yeowled that way, Mt
matter how skeert she was. Wha
you gwine to doP"
"Open. the doah, of co'se."
"Wali, if you open that doal
sumbody's gwine to git olawed ant
bit, and you take my word for it.
That ,riled me sum more. and
was bound to open the doah o
bust. could h'ar the critic
prowling around but you see.
wasn't gwine to let the ole womal