Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-10-01
ouAINTED WITH FEAR.

Teddie. IL years old and as brave
as the proverbial lion, was out camp
ing with several Of his young friends
when the conversation turned one
evening on the subject Of fear
I'm afraid Of wild bulls and mad
dogs" declared Fred. sitting close to
the camp fire. .But I don't believe
there's anything else could make me
run. If there is, I've never seen It,
I amt"
well. I'm afraid Of lightning,
earthquakes, and old Satan" admitted
Jim. another young camper who was
usually held above such silly feelings
of fear. "But I'm not much afraid Of
natural things-I amt. OF course,
you have no show when the light
ming or an earthquake gets busy. And
old Satan Is about as dangerous. But
1can't see how anyone can be afraid
Of little things such as wild animals
or-or ghosts, fer instance"
well. that's because you've never
seen a ghost" put in Paul, a red-head.
ed little chap Of cowardly instinct. 1t
was known by all the boys of Paul's
acquaintance that he would run from
a strange dog; and if he heard an owl
boot at night he'd be for getting
home as quickly as his little legs
could carry him, declaring he had
heard a spook in the woods.
Teddie smiled, Strengthened up with
dignity. looked about on the fire
lighted countenances of his comrades
and said with most superior air.
Gee, kids. it must be awful to feel
afraid of any ole thing. I'm not
afdaid of anything-not even Miss
Hardcross. l amt" Miss Hardcross
was Teddie's school teacher and she
ruled her pupils with rod Of iron
"Fact is, may say amt afraid Of
nothin'"
Fred, Jim and Paul looked with adj
miration on Teddie, but Jack a slim
sharp-nosed little chap, who never
had much to say, merely whistled the
tune to the words, ooh. I don't know"
Then grinning from ear to ear, he re-
marked quietly: well, there amt
nothin-except grub-that I'm not
afraid Of I'm afraid of wild bulls,
mad dogs, lightning. earthquakes, old
Satan and Miss Hardcross. An I'm
most afraid of ghosts an spooks. Fact
is, while all you fellers was sleep
in last night l heard the strangest
noise right over the tent. guess it
must a. bin spook in that big tree
right on that limb that hangs over
Ted's head"
Ted. with the agility of cat sprang
by Jack, to the great amusement of
face, he declared he was not afraid of
t,l,k IT, h.
tree; but he just wanted to get out
where he could look up into the tree
and see it if it was there"
ooh, you couldn't see it if it was
half as big as our barn." declared
Paul, hugging close to the tent with
view of creeping under cover should
any unearthly noise be heard from the
now terrible tree "a ghost or spook
never does let itself be seen SO close
by And they nearly always come
out at you when there's no light an
nobody near you to help you if you
cry out for help"
can early this mornin' 1 felt the
ground tremble." declared Jack. the
self-confessed coward. ~ guess we
come pretty near to being destroyed
like San Francisco was. Didn't any
of you fellers feel the shaker"
All shook their heads and Teddie,
the brave, remarked: ri guess it was
just a cowardly feelin' of fear that
made you imagine you felt the ground
shake Didn't you also hear a mad
dog snarl an snap?" And Teddie,
with knowing wink at Fred, Jim and
Paul. looked with pitying glance at
Jack whom he thought most shame
less coward-to confess his fear.
"W'y, nope, didn't hear mad dog
snap nor wild bull roar. Nor neither