The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-07-08

Abiiah watched his former chum until
he learned where Jonas deposited his
booty.
Then a smile Of satisfaction stole
over the freckled face of Abijah VII
liaIns. He lad determined to apprOpri-
ate the nuts on account of his lost
furS
Next night he left the house as if 10
go coon hunting.
1t happened that Hiram Acton. Tn
Gle Hosea Swale and Joe Chute sal
lied out the same evening TO hunt
coons on Sixpence hill Chute was
French Canadian. They had lantern.
a gun and two dogs. BY 8 O'Clock they
had started a coon.
suddenly the barking Of one of their
hounds seemed high above them. 1t
rang out ful, and musical. When the
dog ceased the echoes went calling To
and fro among the lodges and family
falling away till silence again ruled
the night The three coon hunters
STOPPED running and began to talk.
"Fel!ers." said Hiram. wiping the
perSpiration from his brow with the
back Of his hand. we've lost him"
What makes you think So?' painted
Uncle Hosea.
Think 50: Why, I'm teIlin' on We
know it. The ragin' beast q prey has
took sanctuary in the bars den. Ye
might jest as well try to ket, h pond
sinner in n steel trap as expect 10 find
a coon that gifts into the bars dem
~ told ye didn't l." snarled Uncle
Hosea "'twan't no use in comm off
here arter coons? They alters manage
TO git into that pesky hole. Let's 20
hum"
WAL. | amt goin' back now" said
Chute resolutely. Il got my mout'
mad up for dat coon. n l tell my wO-
man l fetch one coon home to him.
Ny woman-she's de hes cook
''She won't cook no coon that amt
ketched. | guess" said Acton.
Il tole YOU" exclaimed Chute, up
in Canaday smoke out coons in place
lax dat. Take some dead leaf n
strike match. n dat coon she come
out pooty mighty quick, ya-as"
Chute, We might Jest as well try 10
drive coon ont O HoOsac tunnel by
lightin' match at one end ont" said
Acton.
But Uncle Hosea Swale seemed to
think the plan worth trying, and pres
emily Chute was sent to light a fire at
the upper opening. while the others
stayed at the nearer entrance with the
dogs. Chute was instructed to SmOth-
or the fire with leaves and brush, 50
that its draft would be downward and
through the cave and out of the lower
entrance.
His companions heard the cracking
of the brush as Chute went through
/ it. Then ali was silent save the moan
ing Of wind in the treetops overhead.
The solemnity Of the night became al
most oppressive.
ITS kinder fun'ral-like here. amt
it. ActonE" said Uncle Hosea in a low
tone.
Kinder. I wisht that Frenchman d
hurry up
y don't s'pose' Uncle Hosea went
on, that anybody ever explored this
here cavef'
'Whatd anybody want to explore it
for"
WAL, curiosity, maybe. Ye remem-
Der ole Sam Mash. don't ye?'
Him that bruk his leg loggin' for
Henry Brasset: He said he heerd it
crack in three places. He was so
scared that he insisted on bein' brung
home on an OK sled When they got
him halfway home he jumped of'n
the sled an went back after his dinner
pail Yes, l remember ole Sam
Mash"
WAL, he was a curtis sort Of a
critter. He'd tell the most singular
stories. He ulster tell sometimes bout
explorin' this here bars den. He
skart hisself SO tellin' it one night
over to Benefits huskin' that he
didn't darse TO 20 hum alone"
what did he see in there?" asked
Acton, lighting his pipe and leaning
back against a bowlder.
At this point Chute came back to re-
port that the smudge was burning
finely. He sat down. and Uncle Hosea
went on with his story
WAL. highs | kin rec'lect it, ole
Mash said he got here n crawled in
with knife in his teeth. leavin' his
gun outside. He follcred a kinder cir
cOoitus crack for nigh forty feet n
then come to place so small I he
couldn't git through IT, So he held his
lantern front Of him n looked In.
IN, b golly, he see a big chamber
like hollered Out'n the stun, N in the
middle ont, on the floor. sOt a human
skull GRIMM at him with a shin bone
between the teeth.
"Ole Mash said the skull kinder
laffed and most scared the life out Of
him. and he didn't know how quick he
come away"
Hiram laughed nervously. Chute
turned up the wick of the lantern
without laughing at all. The three
huddled together before the great
black hole and talked fearfully Of
spooks and apparitions.
Their "reminiscences were Of old
tales handed down in New England
households from ancestors who lived
in a wilderness peopled with thou
sand terrors. No one but Chute owned
10 n belief I'm evil SpiritS but tho Cana