The Washburn leader., 1916-08-04
THE TALE OF
A BOBC:AT
b. M QUAD
b. M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Friends and naybuurs." began old
Joe Grimm as he took seat on a
eracker barrel at the crossroads store,
"you all know that up to five vars ago
lived over in Joe Davis county. I
had squat over thar by the big Blue
Gum swamp. Thar was forty acres Of
land in the squat, and it was mighty
pore land. 1t was all could do to raise
nunf con and taters fur me and the
ole woman. If it hadn't been that the
Blue Gum was full of varmints that
could trap in the winter and sell their
furs I reckon we should have starved
out.
Zone winter. for some reason or
other, most of the varmints left the
swamp, and it was mighty poor trap
PIN. got just enough fur to keep us
goin', and as consequence when
spring and summer cum along we was
powerful hard up and like to 60 hun
cry in another month.
Zone night arter the ole woman had
given me three or four hints about
laziness We went to bed feelin' that
Providence was to blame for it all.
Along about midnight she nodged me
awake and said:
"'Joe, have got bright idea. It's
fur you to go in the swamp tomorrer
and set deadfall to catch bobcat
If you kin ketch big bObcat mebbe
you kin sell him at Mud Flats or the
Bend to some one fur pet. He orter
bring at least $5.'
1T was worth thinkin' about" said
Joe, "and next day reckoned it might
pay to try it. 1 went out and set
deadfall, and while I was doin' it
bouncin' big bobcat ran up tree clus
beside me and gin a screech that riz
my ha'r up.
THAT night about IL o'clock we was
awoke by the durndest screamin' and
screechin' that man ever heard of.
1t come from a bobcat who had med
died with that deadfall.
1--WE got her Gagged, and next mawn-
in set out for the town of Mud
Flats. I went thar kase thar was two
or three rich men in the place who
might buy the cat and kase thar was
to be lecshun thar that day.
Eight miles below Mud Flats was
Walnut Bend, a town of about 1,5O0
people, without any mud in front of it.
The Benders wanted the county seat
moved over thar, and after lot Of
hard feelin's about it it was agreed to
hold lecshun. 1t was to be held
in Mud Flats, and that is what brung
about 25O Benders over thar the day
l drove in with the cat. hadn't driv
inter the town yit when met old Jim
Darby in the road. Arter he had nod
ded to me and took look at the cage
Z he says:
"'What ye got thar, Joe?
"'A big bobcat,' says.
"'What ye goin' to do with himT
"'Sell him If kim
"Ole Jim steps aroun' to the back Of
the wagon and peeks in and the cat
gives q scream and spits in his face.
With that, old Jim backs up and walks
the road few feet. When he Gums
back to me he says:
"'Joe, these Mud Flatters are a tricky
lot. They have formed in line in
front Of the polls and are goin' to
vote so slow that us Benders won't
stand no show to git the county seat
wonders
"'What ye wonderin' about, JimY
says l.
"I think we might make use o. that
cat-I think so. If he was turned
loose down by the votin' place what
would he do?'
"'Why, he would bite and claw un-
til you could smell sulphur
81 reckon he would, Joe. What
want of him is to drive these Flatters
away from the poles and gin my men
La chance to hold the land. If you
think he kin do this there is $40 in it
fur you
81 want jest four times that. jim
says 1, SEEM my advantage.
"Jim sticks fur awhile. strokin' his
red chin whiskers. and he finally Gums
to my terms. He tells me what to do
las he passes up the money and starts
back to the town and gives his men
the wink, and they all draws off to an
lold barn farther down the street. Then
drives in and stand up in my wagon
and shouts out that l have big bob
cat for sale. The street was full of
men, but no one minds me. l shouts
out that l will take IS fur the var
mint. Then lowers the price to 81
land $3-and 81, and arter about ten
minutes of this hollerin' gifts the sig
nal from Jim. and pretends to git
mighty mad. and yells out:
of nobody will buy this bob Of me
then am goin' to turn him loose and
let him find his way back to his lovin'
home in Blue Gum!'
"What did took the crowd by sur
prise. turned to the cage and tore
Of a couple of Stats, and the cat cum
out like bullet. He clawed my cap
OF as he cum and then bit the ole mule
on his way to the ground. and fiend
was let loose in Mud Flats.
HE broke up that votin' line in
thirty seconds, and he drove men
inter stores and shops and houses.
Lawd. but he was a fury! He was as
mad as aiY h'ara r01lo6 inter one .