Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-12

xvinter evenings when friends would come
in and the fires IN the center of the long
lodges would burn brightly, lighting up the
dark corners and making the weird shad-
ows OF the inmates to chase each otner
grotesquely on the smoke-darkened walls
as one bright blaze after another would
spring up from the hickory and ashen fires
Later these accounts continued to furnish
the theme of the winter evening gossip, I'M
til long efterward they were woven into
ii series of stories which the older people
would relate to the children and grand
children of the lodges. Such a thing, how
ever. was never done until that time of the
year came when the great sun had started
on his long journey toward the southland
and the evenings began to grow longer
II the restless boys and girls ever asked
for stories during the warmer season of
the year they were sharply told:
NO the snakes will catch you II you
listen to stories in the summertime"
Some of the stories that especially de
lighted a family Of children or which |
was q member whenever we could prevail
on a very dear old aunt who lived with us
much OF the time to tell them were those
that related many Of the doings of Old Fox
and his cousin, the coon Between these
two there was constant vigilance on the
part of each, lest one should get ahead OF
the other in their FRANKS and tricks. l
will relate one as nearly as l can, as fol-
lows:
one crisp and frosty winter morning Old
Fox was rather late in getting up and
starting out to see what all the people
were doing and what was going on in the
world generally. He found himself by and
hy walking along the river bank contented-
" singing. AS he rounded the point of
hNl he met his Cousin Coon, who was puff
fng along with a fine string of crawffsA
over his shoulder.
Good morning, cousil." said the coon
What is that you are singing about TINS
late in the morning? II you have had your
breakfast II Ia all right for you TO be
singing such a gay tune. but if you haven't
you had better cut your song snort or II
will bring you bad luck"
Good morning to you, Cousin Coon L
was just making up new song to sing al
the next council fire and hadn't tnouRnt
about the bad luck 1t might bring, but tell
me- where did you get your fine string OF
crawdsh? Ah-e-e. but those are fine ones.
You seem always TO be most lucky hun
ter
"Oh. that's because you never find me
singing along the road before | have had
my breakfast and as for these, l picked
them up down on the river. II was as
easy, say you can do 1t easier than did,
since Your tail is even bushier than mine
mo remarks. please, about our taiis
Cousin Coon. but just tell me how you did
tt"
.'Wen. II you want TO try It I'll tell you
tust how 1 did It, though I will say to you
first that it takes lot of patience and
waiting"
"In promise to use the patience II you
will 20 ahead and tell me about II. Can't
and to be OF and try it
Pointing in the direction from which he
had come, Cousin Coon said
gust down around the high bank there
you Will find q place where there are many
air holes IN the ice. Go down there,
choose one OF the holes near the bank
where the water is not too deep, sit down
by II and let your bushy tail go down into
the water and stay there. BY and by the
crawfish viii come along and get their
pinchers tangled up in the fur and when
II begins to feel heavy you must give a
quick spring into the air and there you
have them scattered all over the ice around
the hole You must quickly gather them up
before they have chance to get back into
the water. 1t IL really the best plan for
fishing that have tried for long time
ooh. yes sure that Is easy--and is that
the way you got yousT'
ITO be sure. Go and try II yourself. I
am about TO freeze here In this wind tell
ing you about II. See that you sit still
long enough. and then leap high when you
jump"
Having finished. the coon started on his
way to his house TO enjoy his choice din
ner. He chuckled to himself as he thought
OF Old Fox sitting down on the frozen
river IN the sharp. icy wind waiting for the
era Wish to get entangied IN his brush. or