The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-11-16

two quarts. She was a girl who dotted
on chestnuts and hadn't had any for
three years, so it was easy to tell what
she would do on finding the ground
covered with them. She sat down and
began to shuck and eat. She turned
her back to the wind, Struggled the
old gray shawl closer and began to
eat and eat and eat. She hunted for
the very biggest and latest and didn't
mind the squirrel chattering and scold-
ing on the limbs above.
She knew he was there to get his
share, and she had half formed Idea
that when she got through eating she
would throw clubs and give him
scare. Had she been familiar with
squirrel lore she would have under
stood him during the first five min
utes to be saying:
'Well. upon my soul this Is cheeky
of you. Haven't you been to break
fast? Have you got to lay in a store
or starve through the winter? Go to.
girl. and give us squirrels show"
Pretty soon she noticed that his
chatter had changed, but she didn't
look mp nor try to interpret 1t. What
he was saying was:
"a young man! A young man! A
young man is coming this way!''
OF course Miss Dolly would have
scrambled up to look for the young
man and make out whether he was tall
or short. light or dark. handsome or
homely. Not getting the alarm. she
continued to devour fat chestnuts.
Hes got a gun. He's got a gun!
He's got a gun Oh his shoulder. ex-
claimed the squirrel as he hid behind
a limb and peeped ont with one eye.
They ought to have been plain to the
girl as Greek. but she never even
missed a bite. 1t couldn't be charged
that she was thinking Of man. young
or old, and so in an absentminded
state.
"And he's going to pepper meme
mel" shouted the squirrel as he disap-
peared into hollow limb.
This time Miss Dolly family compre-
hended and looked up. Flash-bang-
scream! She scrambled up and down
again with a moan and was too over
come to hear the squirrel shrieking
out:
''He's shot a girl! He's shot a girl!
He's missed me and shot grip
"What is it? What have | done?
What's happened r. cried the voice of
man bending over her. and Miss Dolly
shrank away and looked up to see a
young man. with a gun in his hand. at
her side. Her hand was clasped TO her
chin. and blood was oozing from under
her fingers.
I'll have wounded your gasped the
young man as he turned pale.
Eyes, you have! You have tried to
kill mev'
"Oh. no, no, no! shot at a squirrel
in the tree. l give you my word shot
at squirrel"
"But | was sitting on the ground
| here"
"Yes. but one of the shots must have
struck a knot and been DETECTED.
am sorry, so sorry. l can't tell you
how sorry am. May see the
wound? Perhaps the shot only glanc-
ed off,"
"And perhaps shall carry horri-
Bile scar there all my lifeY' she re-
| piled. with stamp Of her foot. You
| are a nice man to be given charge OF
a gun. How many other folks have
you killed or wounded this morningT
go for him, Dolly; go for him?
chartered the squirrel. He tried to
kill us, and don't you let him talk
about any detected shot"
$50 sorry, you know; so sorry!' the
young man kept stammering. Il
wouldn't have shot you for SIS. Hon
est wouldn't. Is it bad wound? Is
it painful? Do you think it is NOR
tali''
81 fear it is" replied Miss Dolly as
a spirit of mischief dubbed up. Yes;
it may be fatal, and don't know what
excuse you can urge before a coroner's
Jury. You will be declared my muir
| derer."
"He will! He will! Whoop! He
willy' chartered the squirrel.
$50 sorry. so sorry!' said the con-
fused and upset young man. Il can't
call an ambulance here. you know,
and-and don't see any doctors signs
around. Can l help you home. and
then-then"-
'1 think l have the strength to walk
home. but you may run to the village
and tell Dr. Smith that you have shot
me and ask him to come. Tell him It's
probably a mortal wound. Tell MIN
that it's Miss Dolly Meserve you tried
to kill. Better throw away that gun or
you'll be shooting the doctor"
Eyes, yes; surely will. Yes; I'll get
DR.. Smith. So sorry, you know. do
you think you can reach home without
help? Yes, certainly" And be was
gone.
It was true that some Of the bird shot
with which the gun had been loaded
J had struck something and been dehect