The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-11-04

I Portable lounging place
All things now being in readiness,
they began to arrange for their first
dog feast The mothers of the Kids,
being wise women, humored the pre-
tentions of the Kids, SO long as they
wore innocent, for, aside from the fact
that they entertained and kept the
youths from mischief, it also enabled
the mothers to know where they could
be found. So there was baking and
fixing in more than one home. The
kids were jubilant, for their first dog
feast promised to be a grand success;
and they planned to follow it up with
a big head hunt. Head hunting was to
be their principal sport
The day before the first dog feast the
Kids were all kept at home all day
doing chores. They didn't rebel, be-
cause their mothers were doing so
much for them in the way Of cooking
The mothers were preparing a regular
picnic dinner, and meant to surprise
the Kids by dropping in on them and
helping at the dog feast, so the moth
ers were as busy as could be. This is
why Mrs. Scoles did not miss Billy
Blue Eyes until nearly o'clock, or
until supper was ready. Then she
remembered that she had not seen
him for two hours.
Where is that baby?" she asked
Every room in the house was search
ed, every nook and corner of the yard
and barn was examined, without re-
suit. Clarence hurried to neighbor
after neighbor, only to find that he
had not been there.
Like as not he has followed that
Italian with the hand-organ and mon.
| key" said Mrs. Brown. Clarence went
out in search of those worthless.
When Mr.. Scoles returned from his
work he at once suspected that the
gypsies camped at the end Of the town
had stolen the child. Hearing this,
Mrs. Scoles went into Mysteries, but
he left her under the care of a neigh
Dor and went in search of the marshal.
The two proceeded to the gypsy camp
and searched it thoroughly, and
though the frightened wanderers de-
clared they had seen nothing Of the
poor chavie," the marshal thought
best to arrest one Of the men, and
hold him as a sort of hostage in case
they had taken and hid the little one.
He also telegraphed the particulars of
the kidnapping to the marshals of the
nearby towns, 50 they might be on
the lookout for stray child. The en-
tire village joined in the search. The
Scoles' yard was full of sympathetic
women.
Clarence remained away long time
on the search. Not knowing where to
look, his feet bore him where his
thoughts were most-to the Moro vii
lage He declares he was there be-
fore he realized it. But finding him.
self there, he thought there could be
no harm in peeping in; it wouldn't
take long. He got down on all tours
and entered the cave house. Suddenly
his hand touched body, and his eyes
becoming accumtomed to the darkness,
he saw it was Billy Blue Eyes! He
jumped up and ran outside and whoop-
ed for joy, "The lost is found" He
shouted as only a boy could shout.
Then he entered the cave and took the
still sleeping boy in his arms and
started for the house, talking and
laughing and fairly dancing for JOY.
The noise and confusion partly arous-
ed Blue Eyes.
Give me another piece of dog" he
said, and slept again.
Everybody laughed at this, and in
explanation that followed the whole
village learned Of the proposed dog
feast.
About 10 the next day the mothers
of the Kids gathered with them at the
lake house to prepare the dog feast.
Billy Blue Eyes was dressed in gaily-
colored garments to resemble little
woman. The Kids were in all man
ner of fantastic attires and were
armed in ways that were marvellous
in their promiscuity. The mothers
spread a cloth on the floor Of the lake
house, and, unpacking many baskets,
set forth menu that, to the boys,
seemed marvellous. On great dish
in the center were served big links Of
bologna, intended to represent the dog
feast The Kids put boards across the
stream, so that when they stood on
them the floor of the lake house served
as table.
Just as they were getting ready to
eat there was a tremendous roar Of
drums and squeak of flies, and the
Kids saw nearly the entire town enter
ing Walnut Grove in procession, bear
ing the baskets Of eatables. At the