Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-04-15

KNOW, ana got sight or this one
and fired, and-and-"
"And broke his leg--and set your
dog on him-and then came whoop-
ing like a savagel Why don't you
shoot down children? What had
this poor rabbit ever done to you?
Poor little frightened, wounded
thing How brave Of you and your
dogp
"But men do shoot rabbits" he
said as he stood bareheaded in the
cold wind and shuffled his feet I'M
easily.
Not real men---only savages !"
wasthe reply. Real men shoot wild
beasts or they don't shoot at all.
Sir, you are bad and cruel-hearted
man, and you ought to be ashamed
Of YOURSELF
LET me say, Miss-Miss-that 1
am very, very sorry" he said as he
came a step nearer. 81 had never
looked at rabbit hunting in this
light before. l thought a fellow
could kill rabbit any time or any
where"
"But he can't-not when Pm
around! And you didn't kill it
you only tortured it and then set
Jour dog on to fnishw
"Will you please let me see how
badly it is hurt? Its blood is drip
ping on your cloak. May I take it
from youp"
eyes, you may, and you come
back to the house with me and help
me doctor itp'
The rabbit was tenderly trans
ferred and they started back. With
gun on his shoulder, an abashed
dog following at his heels, with q
broken-legged rabbit in his arms
and queer sort of girl walking be-
side him-queer but nice-how was
Gerald Swift to introduce himself
He simply didn't, and as for Miss
Lottie she didn't seem to think OF
anything but the rabbit. He was q
poor thing. He was an innocent
thing. He was helpless thing. He
trusted i'll man, and then man shot
him and broke his leg and set dog
on him!
In due time the Good Samaritan,
the embarrassed young man, the
shame-faced dog and the innocent
rabbit, arrived in the kitchen of the
Parnell house.
Aunt Linda held up her hands at
the sight and exclaimed to herself:
"Lawd! Lawd but it has come
Took that rabbits foot along in hel
mitten and found beau in half ar
hour! And faint no old man OF
crutches, either, but a mighty pear
young fellow, and he's dom more
! blushin' than she am ~
Yes, one of the rabbits hind legs
had been broken by the shot. There
was an earnest medical consultation
at once, and then five or six leaden
pellets were picked out Of the flesh.
Miss Lottie held the patient while
Mr.. Swift did the picking.
There were salves and liniments
and Aunt Linda; splints were pre-
pared and bound on, and at last
poor Bunny rested on a cotton bat
ting bed in a box and seemed in a
fair way to live to a good old age.
1t was then that Mr.. Swift took his
departure. and he had been gone
ten minutes when Miss Lottie sud
denly exclaimed:
"Bless me, but l don't know who
he is, or he who l amp
Don't you worry a bit bout that,
honey" replied Aunt Linda. "That
rabbit am here. He's a sick rabbit.
He'll be all Of four weeks gettin'
well, and that young man am comm
here most every day to inquire bout
his health. Next time he comes
he'll tell you his name and get
yours, and after that"
"After that-what?" asked Miss
Lottie.
"Why you stupid child Didn't
l give you a rabbits foot when you
went out? What's a rabbits foot
for? Don't it catch a husband
Hasn't it the same as catched that
young man for you? Hu! never
knoWed such a stunid vouno IaJy 90