Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1905-01-11

Prince soon reached the cap, and,
holding it well above the water,
turned for the bank The sides were
steep and slippery, but the boy took
firm hold of the dogs collar, and after
struggle hauled him to solid ground
Prince dropped the cap, filling the air
with spray as he shook himself,
wagged his tail, and lolled his tongue
in canine self-satisfaction.
Here is your cap said the boy, as
he held much bedraggled piece OF
millinery gingerly at arms length.
THANK you, boyl" said JESSIE
smiling through tears which were
yelling in her eyes. With little
sigh of relief she noted that the gov
erness was not in sight. Jessie patted
the dog on the head, and with a ro-
guish glance addressed her unknown
companion.
What is your manner" she asked,
with the. direct frankness of twelve
years.
"My name is Burt-John Burt"
my name is Jessie Garden" said
the young lady as she crawled through
the fence unassisted by her new &C.
quaintance. The courtesy expected
by miss of twelve is the same as
that extended by lad of seventeen,
so neither suffered in the others es-
timation.
what we're you trying to do with
that pole?' asked John as they
reached the bridge.
Il was trying to stir up those spi-
derry things down there in the water,
replied Jessie, again grasping the
pole which had remained erect, fast
in the sticky bottom of the creek.
"Oh, how wish l could catch one!"
That's easy" said John Burt, as
he climbed into the wagon. Wait
until hitch this horse and I'll show
you how Want some anyhow; you
can watch me-"
John Burt speedily returned with
some scraps of meat and mysteri-
Gus implement which consisted of a
pole with stout dip net at the end
of it. Jessie regarded the prepare
tions with keen interest The boy
took piece of string from his pocket
and securely fastened a piece of tough
raw beef to it; then he lowered the
meat into the water In his left hand
he held the pole, with the meshes of
the dip net but few inches above the
! surface. Jessie watched with bated
breath and wide opened eyes.
Slowly and carefully John raised
the string AT last the meat showed
red in the murky water of the creek.
AS It came to the surface John thrust
/ the net below. Out Of the swirl oil
water It emerged, laden with the meat
and struggling. writhing crab.
Got himl" said John, as he lifted
the dripping collection over the side
Of the bridge.
isn't he uglyl Look at his legsl
One, two, three. four, i've, six, seven,
eight nine ten, eleven-no, tent
counted one of them twice. Does he
bite?" Jessie lowered over the net
and stretched her fingers towards the
fioundering crab The little beady
eyes glittered, the claws clashed help
lessly.
you bet he can bite! You ge'
near enough and he'll nip you good
and hard" said John as he un
snarled the crab from. the Irvine and
meat. Run over to the wagon and
get the basket. forgot it,
Delighted to be of assistance in SC
famous an undertaking, Jessie ran
swiftly to the wagon and returned
with large wicker basket John had
already dropped the bait in the water
and the crab was crawling along the
bridge. Reaching down, he deity
grabbed the crab and dropped him
into the basket.
For an instant Jessie was speech
less with wonder and admiration al
such bravery.
Boy, let me catch and you poke,
she ventured in a plaintive note. q
never caught crab. Won't you
please-John Burt?"
why, certainly" said John. 'l1
show you how
Jessie left the squirming mass o.
crabs and sprang to Johns side.
Reach down as far as you can,
John directed. That's right. Wher
you feel something pull or jerk, pull
up-slowly, though. or you'll scare
him. Do you feel anything?"
THE line kind of Witches" whis
pered Jessie.
Raise it up slow. Be careful
There's one on, surel Now jam thu
net under him!"
Jessie made a swing with the net
but dipped too low. A huge cral
dropped from the meat, struck th'
edge Of the net and houndered bacl
into the water.