Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04

KNEW anu COuIu lII1lldle the IiottS III thc
birds and the cries of the beasts. He could
tell when spring was approaching sum-
mer departing by the arrival or departure
of certain birds, or the preparations made
by certain animals. He could tell time by
looking at the and was learned in
weather signs. He had other information,
besides, of a lesser but more practical sort,
for he knew the whereabouts of a shellbark
hickory, the only one for miles around, and
had located a persimmon tree whose crop
never failed and whose fruit was described
as "monst'ous'' for size. He knew how to
make a running moose, and could lasso
fleeing calf with the ease born of long prac-
tice. He was an authority on jackknives.
and could carve peach-stone baskets, make
sings and whistles and manufacture bows
and arrows. He was well up in marbles
give for an ally" and how many allies
for d CLASSY" and if he played "for
keeps was pretty sure to do all the keep
ing.
"Jackstraws'' and humble the peg
were also among his lighter accomplish
ments, but the one which exalted him most
in the eyes of the children was his skill as
a bareback rider. AS he rode a big horse
to water, sitting sidewise, whooping and
digging his naked feet into the animal to
urge him to greater speed their admiration
was unbounded. Yet this was not the end
of his resources. for he could take you to
wonderful grapevine swing, in which you
could swing perilously out over the edge of
q
fully until you landed on terra firma again;
or he could pilot you to an old peach tree
which exuded enough gum to supply a
dozen children; or he could take you to
place where Indian arrOwheads were still
to be found; and added to all this, he knew
a; spot in the garden where the youthful
fishermen could always find worms for bait.
He was important and happy as he mar
Shaled his little company down to the bank
of the dark, sluggish river that, like some
noiselessly gliding snake, wound in and
-out beneath the expresses and the pines'
He chose safe spot for the children near
a shallow, and baited hooks all around,
and then, removing himself short dis
lance, sat immovable pole in hand and
bait in mouth, waiting for a bite with all
the patient Impotence of the born angler.
His little companions found too much to
look at and wonder about and talk over to
make a success at fishing, and they sadly
interfered with his sport; but after awhile
they tired of waiting for bite and wan
dered up and down the bank in search of
shells and bright pebbles and all the other
treasures which generous rivers lay out
upon their banks within reach of small
hands. Then they wandered little way
into the bushes in search of woodland
treasures, and at last, growing tired. they
rested beneath a tree, while little Kit laid
his head in Janeys lap and fell fast asleep.
Here Aunt 'Phrony found them when she
came to say that dinner was ready.
"Whar dat boy Wiyum?" she asked;
''f1shin' yit, I'll be boun'! Jes' let him git a
pole in his ham an he nuver know eff he's
wake er sleep er full er empty. Wfyumi
You WIyum! KANT you arnser me, er is
1 gotter come dar an stomp all over your!
However. she was not forced to admin
lister correction in that comprehensive form,
for just then Wfyum gave an excited
whoop, as though to announce something
important, and on hurrying down they
found him in the act of securing good
sized mud-turtle. Aunt 'Phrony lent her
aid, in as great state of excitement as
Wiyum himself, whom she advised to be
very careful or he might lose his turtle,
for ''mud-turkles, she said, were mighty
slickry an onsut'n, an lessen you keeps
sharp eye on 'em dey may git way FUN
you, same ez dat trickfsh oil Mstah Mud
turkle git way fun de creeturs time
wen dey thought dey sho'-'nuff had i'm.
trash toge'rr an come long home dis ve'y
minnt, mebbe I'll tell you dat tale ez we
go long
The treasures so disrespectfully referred
to as trash" were caught up in great
haste and the hOmeward procession formed,
Wfyum leading the way, PROUDLY bearing
the mud-turtle.
"Well. ez 1 wuz sayin'," the old woman
went on, "Mistah Mud-turtle he wuz a
mighty slickry man, an he bin up ter mo-
tricks dan you kin shake stick at, an
he git right onpop'louS wild de creeturs. He
knowed dey wuz sort er layin' fer i'm, an
ev'ry now an den he'd come up FUN de
bottom er de river an ketch 'em on de
49,. IT,. 49,, l., a. a;r - 80, -, -
Denlme iaies up IN de ar at EN- an o-ve
Gown via d gre SPLASH s , S.sse d II ne q
com up az III, uhileL , ue slaouer Nv p,s
my pau, an lay Jeo peio" oe .op CT ue
wafer VIA ms SHOUT on. Yer eit ue ar,
watchln oe creeluIs MnaI wuI idyil Ter
MN; w en- oey wan . i9oh DOR. ne cHinp up
on ue log az M, an 81 oey showed Signs eI
mekln snatch at ih' GOWN ne go wiz
anu TT spiash. -
one time aey ketched I'm wen ne pm
nao MIS-, uan ut 4, peio an uey
go. ~ III 10 49, .,,aai, - rIn,n -, -!
- 81, SpSah ~ pa. ,,, 49,
~. ue urut o =; We uoht si a. yu i, nois fope
a.. nov you - sotie yer ue piuiip cen Nv
, ~ an we hai pay gu. ~ ny We