The Cairo bulletin., 1907-04-07
'0URBOYSANDCIRLS
Boundin' Billy's
Fall From Grace.
.e.IeNe

/
! Uncle Rufus came up the drive In
his nsunl style His vehicle was di-
lapidattd bob-sled. One runner
lacked a shoe and d stick Of cord
wood did duty ais seat
unclr Rufus stretched his legs It
a wide angle on the two runners
and he had to look around Bound
In BillT' TO see the road ahead OF
him, for the old horse doomed tall
and stately en- 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 10
his lot to totter peacefully toward
the grave. hand In hand ESQ TO
speak, with Uncle Rufus.
Uncle Rufus had been the body
guard CT the young and handsome
captain, and he was Justly proud Of
his conn ade of the road.
He's a pow'ful peart boss yit,"
Uncle Rufus remarked to Dan and
Tom, WHO stopped to pass the timc
OF day syith him. AN Study! Ho
amt nu sver SHE'D sense | owned
him.
"Dons you think could scare
him. Uscle Rufus?" said Dan,
stroking the thing that "Boundin'
Billy c.sled his name.
Huh, huhl" chuckled Uncle Ru-
fus. "yth-alls mought skeer hiIn.
but yob couldn't make him run
away Ne got TOO much onfidence
in me. Houndin' Billy has. an | got
confldenra In him, has"
II bet we can do II" said Tom.
'Yoh-slIs bettah not try It. Yoh
gwine gil hut Of yoh duz. Ell Bound
In Billy am out sideways VIII he's
hine laig. he gwine TO hit yoh, sho'n
Uncle drove on around TO the back
of the house, hiched his steed, and
went to chopping wood. Dan gave q
little LAUGH.
tom, I've thought OF something.
bet we AN scare that old sawhorseI
OF Uncle Rufus's so he'll never hold
up his head again.
Then ne whispered something In
Toms ear, and they went OF to the
carriage house with their heads to-
gether, ike the bad. irrepressible
boys the1 were.
When Uncle Rufus had finished
his chores for that morning. he IN
hitched Boundin Billy and drove OF
down thu driveway, humming.
!" Ole sf4an thought he'd injuh me,
BY ctttin' own nah apple-tree.
He diln't iniuh me at all.
Kaae had apples all de fall
III IAN. Whoal What you
gwise ~, Billy whoa, say. whoal
prt aIrata Rillv did not whoa.
FOR. froia behind the gate-post there
fs sod hsown shaggy animation two
Ses a1 arimal such az never was
seen begore-a prancIng. Yelling
bundle OF fur
Bognd'n Filig vaye one look. ard
I was oil up with him. He rose
harply IN his hind legs. swerved to
me side and darted past the awful
,east at a speed that wonld have
made racer pause and think Down
he roal he swept, the b0b-sled
Iangline behind and Uncle Rufus
llnging saniically to the reins.
They disappeared In hollow.
,ol Tlore they were. on beyondl
Incle hlfus had dropped the reins
nd was clinging to the runner. The
had slipped off and was
Eft behind.
over a "thank-you--ma'a am" they
aaped. and Uncle Rufus was joIted
II, and was seen digging himself out
I a sn'-w-Bank. Boundin' Billy con-
nued 10 cover the road with long,
Wifi. frightened strides
UnclA Rufus picked himself up
nd started after him. stlll shouting.
Whoa; whoa" in breathless and
leffectlal voice
At last farm hand. who was
lodding along the road. seized
oundir' Billy's flying reins aud led
i'm back to his owner.
The two boys who had followed
cyan 10 feel sorry for their escap-
de. for Uncle Rufus was sobbing.
"Ah ios' nah confidence in himi
done les nah confidence. sho'"
SAY, Uncle Rufus" said Dan.
we're sSfully sorry. l only Just put
he Buffalo robe over me and Jump
4 ont at him. But you said we
,uldH't frighten him to make him
IN AVA"
Cine ly speakin', Marse Dan.
lh-alls couldn't stir him outen his
acks. fh' OATS de trufe. But yoh-
is ske.red him too eyerlastingin'
1w'fnl Tad done los nah conf
nee In Toh. Boundin' Billy"
Hydrogen la balloons.
a.