The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-05


He relieved Uncle Joe. Who dropped
down in the shade, painting s1f5
The. big fish, began to show signs Of
firing. The struggles grew more feeble,
the PUSHES less frequent. With a wheezy
shout of triumph. Uncle Billy swung 1t
to land, and II u sk
"Jurppin' Jehosaphat! Billy! Billy! oh,
my!"i
Uncle Joe was down onlthe grass roll
s'Wha-what's the matter, Joe, air you
sck?" anXiously. qucried Uncle Billy.
ooh, nuthin's the matter, Billy" an
swered Uncle Joe, when at last he rose
Ito q sitting posture. "only your bass
amt q bass. It's moth but adratted
garI' r. Fl ii ttSS5 ~ IT XII T
with a look Of disgust Uncle Billy dis
patched the shark OF inland waters. and
the "pardners' ate their dinner.
After Inner they sat in the shade and
grew rem niscent, Bygone sports. sleigh
ing. nlcnics, shows,s,the young folks OF
two generations ago. Were brought to life
again. Sometimes their voices rang with
almost boylsh laughter. Sometimes their
eyes grew misty wIthftears, and over all
the glorious sky Of thegJnne Sabbath, and
through all the voice Of the water falling
over tho "rinle," up stream. t5
52HBill,s shores I live, there's a redbird's
nest in that ellum. shew! h
81 wish I was sixty years younger.
How TX like to look In that nest and SEQ
Ii redbrds' eggs look like theysllsed to
when we was boys. Your to be a
say to climbin' up an gettin' me an egg
or two?"
Me climb at my age."
why, yes. I'm only a year older'n
you Billy, but You are a dozen times
moro soople than | be- I've watched
your back as you go down the street,
an you step as spry as a boy Of 90"
Uncle Billy was not proof against this
flattery.
IF I he'd a rail an you'd boost me a
lttle-I might try"
Uncle Joe found rail, put ono end
against the tree and gave Uncle Billy
the required boost"
He reached the lower limbs in safety,
and in short time had secured the eggs,
Which he dropped one by one into Uncle
Joe's handkerchief" Then he started TO
get down. When he reached the lower
limbs the rail was gone.
Say. Joe, put back that rail-"
II guess you'd better stay up there.
Billy, where you kin keep cool. It's aw-
full hot down here
Please. Joe! Don't act a fool. Please
put up tho rail. Please dol"
"Oh. l dunno, Billy guess III have
to leave you now, It's Citing late any
how. an l don't want to be out in tho
night all" and Joe started as Ito leave
Joe! Joe! Come back, Joe! Como
back! Please!ns
mo, Billy. Guess I'd better git back
air. What you spose Brother Meccham
Will say when he hears you've been
fshin'-an' Robin poor little innocent
birds nests? Think of Ill. you, at your
AEGEAN on Sunday, tooH' And then JOG
was gone.
Humiliation and rage were tumultuous
In the soul OF Uncle Billy.
With q bravery born of desperation, lio
"cooned'' out along the limb, 1t swayed
under his weight but he knew an elm
limb would not break, Lower and lower
II swayed under him until lie felt safe
in dropping to the ground. when he
touched ground and convinced himself
he was free from hurt a, mighty resolve
entered his heart. II he could only lay
hands on Joe what n. settlement there
would bel
Just then Uncle Joe emerged from be-
hind n tree In n paroxysm OF laughter.
You came own-haw--haw--ha Jest
like OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES like a coon."
and he bent almost double In an ecstasy
Of mrth,
"I'll coon You. you miserable old white
fUtdheu ENpIbDHltsHH ftUu lHcI--tHS lMO
old boys had their last boy fight.
r When the battle was over Uncle Joe'5
shirt collar was minus q bottonhole, his
sleeve was torn, and he was expectorat-
ing mouthfuls OF sand and grass that had
been forced into II by the irate William.
For Uncle Billy himself, he had a
scratched face, from which the blood
oozed In little sweat-like drops But for
once in his life he had whipped Ills
"pardner" made him eat dirt, and say
"enough,"
rben-they both agreed that it was all
in fun.
billy, amt you afford your pap'll lick
You fer goin' to the river on Sundayf'
Uncle Billy responded with a feeble,
mirthless laugh, and then his old face
took on look of Infinite yearning.
Out Of the gathering shadows arose the
old log farmhouse with Its roof Of clap
boards. Leaning upon tho fpellpgH front
gate was his father-IH father ms he had
been in middle life five-andrslxty years
ago,
He saw himself a barefoot boy, in home
spun trousers coming up the wood s
path that led from the fishing hole, He
could hear the swish Of the beech sprolt