The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-05-16
OURBOYSANDGIR GIRLS
Boundin' Billy's
Fall From Grace

Uncle Rufus came up the drive in
his usual style. His vehicle was a dl-
lapidated bob-sled. One runner
lacked a shoe and stick of cord
wood did duty as a seat.
Uncle Rufus stretched his legs at
wide angle on the two runners
and he had to look around Bound
in Billy. to see the road ahead of
him, for the old horse loomed tall
and stately on his stiff legs.
"Boundin' Billy" received his
name "foh de Wah," when he was
young and handsome and graceful
He had carried young and hand
some captain through many battles,
and in his old age 1t had fallen to
his lot to totter peacefully toward
the grave, hand in hand $50 to
speak) with Uncle Rufus.
Uncle Rufus had been the body
guard of the young and handsome
captain, and he was justly proud of
his comrade OF the road.
He's a pow'ful peart hoss yit,"
Uncle Rufus remarked to Dan and
Tom, who stopped to pass the time
of day with him AN stlddy! He
amt nuvver SHE'D sense | owned
him"
Don't you think l could scare
him, Uncle Rufus?" said Dan,
stroking the thing that "Boundin
Billy" called his name.
Huh, huh!" chuckled Uncle Ru-
fus. "Yoh-alls mought skeer him,
but yoh couldn't make him run
away. He got too much onfidence
In me. Boundin' Billy has, an | got
confidence In him, has"
Il bet we can do it," said Tom.
"Yoh-alls bettah not try it. Yoh
gwine git hurt ef yoh duz. Ef Bound
IN Billy lam out sideways wifi he's
hine laig, he gwine to hit yoh, sho'."
Uncle drove on around to the back
OF the house, hiched his steed, and
went to chopping wood. Dan gave u
little laugh.
Tom, I've thought of something.
l bet We can scare that old sawhorse
OF Uncle Rufus's so he'll never hold
up his head again"
Then he whispered something In
Toms ear, and they went off to the
carriage house with their heads to-
gether, like the bad, lrrepressible
boys they We're.
When Uncle Rufus had finished
his chores for that morning, he un-
hitched Boundin' Billy and drove OFF
down the driveway, humming:
Ole Satan thought he'd injuh mo,
BY cuttin' own nah apple-tree.
He didn't injuh me at all,
Kase | had apples all de fall
Hi dah! Whoa What you
gwine do, Billy. Whoa, l say, whoal
But Boundin' Billy did not whoa,
for, from behind the gate-post there
leaped brown shaggy animal on two
legs-an animal such as never was
seen before--a prancing. yelling
bundle of fur.
Boundin' Billy gave one look. and
1t was all up with him. He rose
sharply on his hind legs, swerved to
one side and darted past the awful
beast at a speed that would have
made racer pause and think. Down
the road he swept. the bob-sled
dangling behind and Uncle Rufus
clinging frantically to the reins.
They disappeared In a hollow.
No! There they were. on beyond!
Uncle Rufus had dropped the reins
and was clinging to the runner. The
cord-wood had slipped of and was
left behind.
Over a "thank-you-ma'am am" they
leaped, and Uncle Rufus was jolted
off, and was seen digging himself out
Of snow-bank. Boundin' Billy con-
tinued to cover the road with long,
swift, frightened strides.
Uncle Rufus picked himself up
and started after him, still shouting,
whoa! whoa!" in breathless and
Intellectual voice.
At last farm hand, who was
plodding along the road. seized
Boundin' Billys flying reins and led
him back to his owner.
The two boys who had followed
began to feel sorry for their escap-
ade. for Uncle Rufus was sobblng.
''Ah los nah confidence in him!
| done los nah confidence, sho'."
Say. Uncle Rufus" said Dan,
we're awfully sorry. | only just put
the Buffalo robe over me and jump
ed out at him. But you said we
couldn't frighten him to make him
run away"
"Ginerly speakin'. Marse Dan.
yoh-alls couldn't stir him outen his
tracks, an dat's de trufe. But yoh-
alls skeered him too everlastingin'
pow'ful had. ! done los NAH cona-
dence in yoh, Boundin' Billy"