Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-08

&xy in the teapot while I was sleeping. AS soon as the rain had passed he stood listening awhile and shortly opened his knife and made a little clearing in the corn by cutting a few hills.
 We've got to do it." he said, Ger we can't take any comfort, an the man tor me I could have all the corn I wanted"
 Did you see him. Uncle Eb? I re, member asking.
 Yes" he answered, whiting in the dark: T saw him when I went out for the water, an it was he tor me they were after us."
 He took look at the sky after awhile and, remarking that he guessed they couldn't see his smoke now, be gan to kindle the fire. AS it burned up he stuck two crotches and hung his teapot on a stick that lay in them SC it took the heat of the flame, as I had seen him do in the morning. Our grot to in the corn was shortly as cheerful . as any room in palace, and our fire sent its light into the long aisles that opened opposite, and nobody could see the warm glow of it but ourselves.
 Well hey our supper" said Uncle ED as he opened paper and spread out the eggs and bread and butter and crackers. "We'll jest hev our supper. an by an by when every ones abed we'll make tracks in the dirt, I can tell ye."
 Our supper over. Uncle ED let me look at his tobacco box, shiny thing of German silver that always seemed to snap out a quick farewell to me be fore it dived into his pocket. He was very cheerful and communicative and joked good deal as we lay there wait. ing in the firelight. got some fur. ther acquaintance with the swift. learn. ing. among other things, that it had no appetite for the pure in heart.
 "Why not?" inquired.
 "Well," said Uncle Eb. tits like this- the 'meaner the boy .he sweeter the meat"
 He sang an old song as he sat by tho fire, with a whistled interlude between lines, and the swing of it even now carries me back to that far day in the fields. I lay with my head in his lap while he was singing.
 l went asleep after awhile in spite of all right in the middle of a story. The droning voice of Uncle Eb and the feel of his hand upon my forehead call ed me back, blinking. once or twice. but not for long. The fire was gone down to few embers when Uncle Eb woke me and the grotto was lit only by a sprinkle of moonlight from above.
 Mos 12 o'clock" he whispered. Better be Off.''
 The basket was on his back, and he was all ready. followed him through the long aisle of corn. clinging to the tail of his coat. The golden lantern of the moon hung near the zenith. and when we came out in the open we could see into the far fields climbed into my basket at the wall. and as Uncle Eb carried me over the brook, stopping on a fiat rock midway to take a drink. I could see the sky in the water. and it seemed as if misstep would have tumbled me into the moon.
 Hear the crickets holler." said Uncle Eb as he followed the bank up into the open pasture.
 What makes 'enl holler:' asked.
 "Oh. they're jes' filin' their saws an thinkin'. Mebbe telIin' O what's hap pened 'em. Been hard day fer them little folks. Terrible flood in their country. Every one on 'em lied t git up steeple quick $ he could CT be drownded. They hev their troubles an they talk bout 'em too
 What do they file their saws for:" I inquired.
 Well. ye know" said he. where they live the timber's thick an they hev hard work clearin f mek a home.-
 I was getting too sleepy for further talk. He made his way from field to field. stopping sometimes to look off at the distant mountains and then at the sky or to whack the dry stalks of mul- len with his cane. remember he let down some bars after long walk and stepped into a smooth roadway. He stood resting a little while. his basket on the top bar. and then the moon that 1 had been watching went down behind the broad rim of his hat and l fell into utter forgetsulness. My eyes opened on a lovely scene at daylight. Uncle Eb mad laid me on a messy knoll in a bit of timber and through an opening right in front of us could see a broad level of shining water. and the great green mountain on the farther shore seemed to be up to it's belly in the sea.
 Hello there- said Uncle Eh. Here we are at Lake Champlain-
 I could hear the fire cracking and smell the o1or of sleeping tea
 -Ye fcpped round like fish in thet basket said Uncle Eb. Guess ye must "a been dreamin' O bears. Jump cd so ye scairt me Didn't know but I had a wircat on my shoulders
 Uncle Eb had taken a fish line out of his pocket and was tying it to . rude pole that he had cut and trimmed with his jackknife.
 i've found some dswfish bere.- he said. '-an' I'm goin' t try fer . bite = fhe p,1nk 6 mr1Q fheR