The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-02-12
Pan-A Red Squirrel.

Fan was a Saucy, CnalLer!nS Eeu
squirrel who lived in the crotch Of a
great oak tree in Florida. He came
to us when he was nothing more than
dull-red furry ball. He was too
young to care very much that he had
been taken away from the warm nest
in the oak tree and brought to the
brand new squirrel house to live all by
himself Besides the ride in the warm
overcoat pocket had made him drowsy.
So when he was placed in the new
house he blinked sleepily and curled
himself up and forgot everything.
In the morning it was different, he
couldn't find any playmates, and he
felt lonely until he spied some hazel
nuts on the bottom of the cage.
Pan Sas to be a new pet for Sam,
the little lame boy of the household
Sam was awake bright and early and
when he came down stairs he found
his new playfellow sitting on his
launches cracking hazelnuts.
Tom had put only few on the
bottom of the cage, and when Pan ate
these all up he got some more, put
them in his pocket and holding it in
front, opened the cage door. Pan was
not long in finding out where these
nuts were,-he looked at Tom keenly
as much as to say, Can l trust you?
Will you hurt me?" then he was down
into his pocket.
Soon Pan was allowed to run all over
the house, but his spirit of fun and
mischief often got him into trouble.
Once he was found pulling to pieces q
fine hair mattress; again he chewed
great holes in the backs of Toms new
shoes.
Whau he was full grown the house
became too small for him, he spent
most of his day out of doors. Toms
father owned logging camp about a
mile from the house, and when the
team set off for the days work Pan
would always accompany. them. In
deed, he became regular postman, a
red ribbon was tied about his neck and
to this wire fastened messages which
he carried from the camp to the house
and back again. Between times he
scolded the red squirrels which came
about the house.
Pan knew a person was coming long
before he was in sight He would sit
up listening with those keen little ears
pricked forward, and the wonderful
instinct of the wild creatures never
played him false. the gate would click
and the person, whose step Pan had
heard several seconds before, would
come strolling up the path.
Quite by chance Pan tasted eggnog
and ever after he was greedy for it.
When a bowl of it was placed before
him, he forgot his good manners COM
pletely. He ate every bit of it-then
fearing some might be wasted he
would rub his paw around inside of the
dish then lick the last morsel of sweet
ness from his paw.
He lived with us five years and only
once during this time did he lose his
temper.
Tom had a garden patch all his own
and he was out there cutting some
cabbage plants. Pan was sitting on
top of post chattering as fast and
hard as he could. Suddenly, as Tom
was about to cut cabbage, Pan sprang
onto his arm and gave it sharp nip.
Tom could not understand such
show of passion in his pet and raped
him sharply with the handle of his
knife. AS he stopped to pick up the
cabbage he saw why Pan had been so
cross-he had hidden several nuts un-
der it.
Pan thought his winter store of nuts
was no longer safe there, so he set to
work and dug UP every nut he had
buried in the garden-about two dozen
in all, carried them across the road
and buried them in the woods where
nobody would disturb them.
One day new man was working
at the camp. Pan ran along the log he
was chopping and was about to jump
onto the mans shoulders when he hit
the squirrel with his AK and Pan tum-
bled to the ground, sad little heap.
He was not killed. but so badly hurt
he could not recover, so he was taken
home and given something which
stopped the pain and put him to sleep.
Boston Fashion World.