Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-19

=
ed. He raked the ashes and Goals over
them, and picking up the three pairs Of
feet he stuck them In the top of the pile,
where they appeared just as they had be-
fore he had taken the geese out to eat
them.
Now. cousin VIII find them just as he
left them. wonder If It is necessary to
let him know that have been here. What
can dor"
Suddenly an idea came to him He gath
cred up some Of the cold ashes and sprin-
killed. them on spot not far from the fire.
On this spot he danced around in a little
circle, leaving in the ashes some very plain
tracks.
Cousin will be very sure to see that;
and when he does. he will know at once
who 1t was that came to see him while
he was asleep"
He fixed everything to his satisfaction and
started off down the hill toward the river.
! Upon the HILL under the creaking branch
es, Cousin Coon suddenly woke with a
start.
well, guess that I have taken a longer
nap than intended he said. as he slowly
arose and stretched himself However,
1t is well enough. since there Is a good
supper waiting for me, and am sure that
1t is well cooked by this time"
He briskly trotted over to the fire. Flo
reached out with both hands to catch hold
OF the feet of one Of the geese, intending
to lift it out. He lifted with some force
and took q tumble backward, holding in
his hands the two feet $50
why. how is this?'' he said: my supper
must have cooked too long,"
He reached over and took the other feet
out one at a tilne and the expression on
his face heightened with each succeeding
one. He picked up stick and scraped
away the ashes and could hardly believe
his eyes when he found only the pile of
half-picked bones.
This is the work of some good-for- moth
Ing lazy thief" he said, land l would just
like to find out who the fellow is. o. the
beggarl 1t must have been that sneaking
old fox. | suppose that he thought that
he was only getting even with me for the
fishing scrape which got him into
20 you. up there"' he called to the
branches above him. "Why did you not
waken me as told you to dor
He was angrtly calling to them, and at
the same time busily picking the remnants
of the supper that Old Fox had left. The
to awaken him and done the best that they
could.
II am sure that you could have done so
mad you wanted. and you needn't be keep
for 1t only makes me angrier than ever
to hear it; and II you don't stop 1t, when
get through picking these scraps which
that rascally beggar has left me, I'll come
up there and see II there isn't a way to
make you stop your troublesome racket"
The poor fellow carefully picked and
cracked all of the bones that the old fox
had left him, which in a. great measure
wounded feelings by any means.
After he had eaten everything that could
be eaten he began looking around to see II
he could find traces of the thief who had
gotten the best part of his supper He
soon found the spot of ashes a little way
of from the fire. He wondered how they
came there. On looking at them he saw at
once the tracks of the fox, and again his
anger was reused to still more furious
pitch.
"Oh II I can but find him I'll pounce on
him wherever 1t may be, and he will al
ways remember the fine supper that he
| had after I get through with him. Yes.
and you lazy limbs UP there, I think that
III come up and stop your racket, too"
He quickly started up the tree thinking
| that he would take some Of his spite and
anger out on the poor, creaking branches
He reached the fork of the tree where the
heavy branch was swinging. With both
OF his hands he seized 1t, intending to toss
| 1t down to the ground. He was SO angry
that he did not see that there was a pos
sible danger of getting himself caught be-
tween the tree and the swinging limb. Be-
fore he knew 1t he slipped, and one of his
hands was caught and pinched tightly, caus-
Ing him the most dreadful pain Poor
Cousin Coon was certainly having a very
hard time of 1t and getting perhaps a little
more punishment than he deserved After
painfully struggling for some time he sue
ceeded in getting his poor hand out and in
crawling slowly down from the tree He
could hardly keep from crying out with
the pain. and lmped away and curled him
self up to sleep again II his wounded hand
would allow Him to do So