Smyrna times., 1912-10-23
By M. QUAD

1t was just like the hoot of a woman
lost in the woods. and it was ringin'
in my ears when the ole woman sits
up in bed and calls out:
'''Zeb White. what on airth was that.
and what ar yo' doing sittin' up thar
like knot on a log?'
"'l didn't hear nuthin' more'n an
owl hOotin',' says /.
Then why don't yo' go out and
keep him company
II didn't say nuthin' to that. and pur-
ty soon she fell back and went to sleep
again. Mebbe fifteen minits had pass
ed when the cry come ag'in and sent
shiver over me and brought the ole
woman out of bed.
"'Befo' the Lawd. but what kin it
beT she gasped.
"a woman hootin' for help sez l.
att can't be. No woman would be
hOOtin' around yere this time o. night
"'Then it may be an OWL
Then you may be fuley
"Her callin' me a fule riled me up.
and. though | was purity sartin that it
was the scream Of a wildcat. deter
mined not to Civ in.
"'Shoo! It's one o. them Davis gals
| lost In the woods!
"'Then you don't know sugar from
sand! Listen to that! Does that sound
Hike the boot OF a womanT
"'Jest exactly. I'll bet my ole gun
agin a coonskin that it's apwoman. I'll
open the doah so she kin see the light
and then call to her,
"'Zeb White. I'm teIlin' yo' it's a
wildcat and not a woman. II yO'
hadn't almost got to be a fule yO'd
know by the sound No woman ever
| yeowled that way, no matter how
skeert she was. What yo' gwine to
dOT
"'Open the doah. OF co'se.'
"'Waal, II yo' open that doah sum-
body's gwine to git clawed and bit.
and yo' take my word fur it.
THAT riled me sum mo-. and was
bound to open that doah or bust l
could even h'ar the critter prowlin'
around. but | want gwine to let the
ole woman bluff me down. 1 riz up
and was listenin', when she sez:
"'This yere cat is arter meat fur
shore!
That yere woman Is Iookin' fur
our cabin, yo' mean, and yere goes to
let her In
with that ! crossed over and open
ed the back doah. and as | did so the
ole woman made a dive fur the bed
1 ond l-fvaroI nm hor hood I had f,1St
swung the doah back and opened my
mouth to boot when sumthin' knocked
me clean across the cabin and uttered
awful scream. 1t was a sure
enough wildcat. and a mighty big one
at that He fust jumped on the bed
and scratched at the clothes. but as
got up he turned and tackled me.
was took so sudden that the erittel
had all the advantage at fust. bu
bimeby | got hold of stool and sOrtel
held my own. He kept me mighty
busy, but ! saw the ole woman sittin
up In bed arter a bit and heard be-
say:
"'Zeb White. If that's one o. then
Davis gals. then she's powerful.
changed about since last Sunday. Wh.
don't yo' ask her to take her bOnni
of and stay all nightT
but | hain't akin no help frOn
you,' says |. though ! figured that
couldn't last ten minits mo.
Never knowed the Davis girl wa
so smart befo'.'
"'You hain't got all the peartnes
around yere
"Just how long that font lasted
can't say. bnt | finally driv the critic
outdoahs and got the doah shet, an
then | fell down and tainted ava
and didn't know nuthin' mo- fur a
hour. | don't rightly remember ho'
many bites aud scratches l got. but
was laid up for six weeks and had
tuf time of It."
MRS. White didn't have anythin
more to say. did she-anything mor
about your taking the wildcats screal
for the boot OF womanT was aske'
Il 'Sartinly she didr' he replied. g ''BoI
the fust words | heard arter cum
= was:
Z Say. Zeb White. yo'd better loo
= out fur that Davis gal arter this! She
: bit and clawed you till I've got
= make a poultice as big as barrel
< kiver the hurts.'"
2 "And what did you say in replyr'
Z ''Nuthin'-nuthin' tall I'd 1e
z bluffed myself and got the worst Of
Z and so | shet up Yes. shet up and i
2 her grin and chuckle and poke fun
Z me- Yes. | knowed when was licks
z and | lay thar and cried and didr
: hev nuEhln' to say nuthin' tall