The Caucasian., 1909-08-01


dropped down In the shade painting,
The big fish began to show signs OF
firing. The struggles grew more fee
bic. the rushes less frequent With q
wheezy shott Of triumph Uncle Billy
swung 1t to land, and
"Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! Billy BiliyE
oh. myr'
Uncle Joe was down on the grass
rolling over and over in an ecstasy OF
mirth.
"Wha-what's the matter, Joe2 air
you sIck?" anxiously queried Uncle
Billy.
"Oh, nuthin's the matter, Billy" an
swered Uncle Joe, when at last he rose
to sitting posture. "only your bass
amt a bass. It's nothin' but drafted
garr
With look of disgust Uncle Billy
dispatched the shark of inland waters.
and the ''pardners' ate their dinner.
After dinner they sat In the shade
and grew reminiscent Bygone sports,
sleigbing, plcnics, shows-the young
folks OF two generations ago were
brought to life again. Sometimes their
voices rang with almost boylsh laugh
ter. Sometimes their eyes grew misty
with tears, and over all the glorious
sky Of the June Sabbath and through
all the voice Of the water falling over
the rifle up stream.
"Blll shores live, there's red
birds nest In that ellum. Shew!
wish was sixty years younger. How
I'd like to look in that nest and see IL
redbirds' eggs look like they used to-
when we was boys. You used to be a
mighty good climber, Billy. What say
you to climhin' up an gittin' me an
egg or twor
ME climb at my age"
"Why, yes. I'm only year older n
you, Billy, but you are a dozen times
more soople than l be. I've watched
your back as you go down the street,
an you step as spry as a boy Of
twenty"
Uncle Billy was not proof against
this tiattery.
IF l he'd rail an you'd boost me
a little, l might try"
Uncle Joe found a rail, put one end
against the tree and gave Uncle Billy
the required boost.
He reached the lower limbs In safety
and in short time had secured the.
eggs, which he dropped one by one
into Uncle Joe's Handkerchief" Then
he started to get down. When he
reached the lower limbs the rail was
gone.
"Say, Joe, put back that rail.
II guess you'd better stay up there,
Billy, where you kin keep cool It's
awful hot down here"
please, Joel Don't act fool. Please
put up the rail. Please dor
"oh, dunno, Billy. ! guess I'll hev
| to leave you now It's gittin' late, any
how, an l don't want to be out in the
night air." And Joe started as il to-
| leave
Joe! Joe! Come back, Joel Come.
back! PleaseP'
mo, Billy. Guess I'd better git back
to town an let folks know where you
air. What you s'pose Brother Nee
| cham will say when he hears you've
been fishln--an ronbiu poor little In
nocent birds nests? Think of Il! You,
at your age-an ON Sunday tooH' And
then Joe was gone.
Humiliation and rage were tumul-
tuous in the soul of Uncle Billy.
With bravery born of desperation
he ''cooned'' out along the limb. It
swayed under his weight, but he knew
/ an elm limb would not break. Lower
and lower 1t swayed under him until
he felt safe In dropping TO the ground.
When he touched ground and con-
| vinced himself that he was free from
| hurt a mighty resolve entered his
heart If he could only lay hands on
that Joe, what settlement there
would be!
Just then Uncle Joe emerged from
behind tree iD paroxysm of laugh
ter.
"You came down-haw, haw, haw--
Jest like a-haw, haw, haw-jest like q
coonv' and he bent almost double in
an ecstasy Of mirth.
| "I'll coon you, you miserable old
white headed reprobatew And then
| the Two Oiu DOyS nhu LHeLf lust uOL
fight
When the battle was over, Uncle
Joe's shirt collar was minus button
hole his sleeve was torn. and be was
expectorating mouthfuls Of sand and
grass that had been forced into It by
the Irate william. For Uncle Billy
himself, he had scratched face from
which the blood oozed In little sweat
like drops. But for once III bis life be
had whipped bis 'pardner." made him
eat dirt and say enough
Then-they both agreed that It was
all In fun.
| ~Billy. amt you afeerd your pap'n
lick you fer goin' to the river Oh
SundayT
Uncle Billy responded with feeble.
mirthless laugh, md then his old face
took on look of infinite yearning.
Out of the gathering shadows arose
the old log farmhouse with its roof
of clapboards. Leaning upon the
"paling" front gate was his father