The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-01-14


ed single file into the mysterious night,
Rube with the lantern leading. then
the boys. and Uncle JEFF bringing up
the rear AS they reached the crest of
the hill they stood still few moments
while the dogs ranged in front of them.
Directly one of the dogs broke into cry,
Joined by the others shortly.
''Uh. huh Hear dat? Done struck er
trail erreadyr exclaimed Uncle Jeff In
triumph
Hot trail. 100" observed Uncle
RUDE. Wen git dat ole possum in er
mighty few minutes.''
The dogs were making the silent
woods ring with their musical notes as
the two men whooped encouragement.
The trail led directly down the long
slope and into the sweet gum flats near
the creek
maxim fer de swamp" said Uncle
JEFF There was pause in the trailing
cry of the dogs, and the long drawn
out notes gave place to short. excited
yelps.
"Treed. by granny-treed already.
Come on called Rube. striking trot
IN the direction Of the dogs and Yelling
encouragement to them so they would
not desert the quarry and take up an.
other trail.
Dancing about the base Of n tall slim
sweet gum tree were the four dogs
jumping up with forefeet on the trunk
and baying in a frenzy of excitement
Oar he-dar her cried Jeff in joy
peering up in the darkness, way up
in de top. See 'imY'
Tom could merely see an indistinct
blur against the starlight through the
bare branches.
IL guess so. | see somethingr'
Climb or cut?" inquired Uncle Rube.
unslinging his bundle Of splinters and
making two torches. which he lit and
gave the boys to hold. As the fat pine
sputtered and 6ared the light disclosed
two pin points of green light shining
from the dark object
oh yes. doggone yerl Grinnin' at
us, Is yer? Thinks we ain gwine git
yer, does yer? Thinks yer too sharp
fer us, huh? Gimme dat ak, JEFF I'll
have dat tree down fore yo' cd git
ter de fust limb climbin'"
Uncle RUDE swung the ak. and In
two ticks 1t bit out an immense chip
from the tree trunk. Two more ticks
brought another, then another.
Hole dem dawgs, now. JEFF. We
don want no chawed up possum. Dis
tree is trim'lin now; two more ticks
II bring hit DOWN. cautioned Rube.
JEFF slipped the Irvine through the col
lars of the four dogs. They were wild
with excitement, for they knew what
was coming.
Look out folkses; trees a-fallin'w
sang Uncle RUDE, and with a crash the
tall stem fell. Almost at the same
time JEFF was near where the top
struck the ground, scuffling with the
dogs, who had got tangled with his
legs, and he was trying to keep his
balance and handle the lantern at the
same time.
Turn dem dawgs loose-turn 'em
loose, JEFF! My Lawd ha' mussy, eff
we amt let dat ole possum git erway.
Turn 'em loose quick. befo' he en- gil
far off"
well, amt he er slick unr' COM
mented JEFF as he finally got untan-
gled from the cord holding the dogs, |
and they plunged excitedly into the
brush of the treetop, scuffling and sniff |
fling in confusion They lost several
minutes in that way, then broke into
full cry again. trailing up the hill, men
and boys following as best they could. |
Ii was hardly five minutes after they
took the trail the second time. but the |
party had travelled pellmell over quar-.
ter of mile.
Don tell me dat ole possum ain
been hunted befo' dis! painted RUDE
Hes a-makin' time like er deer"
The dogs signaled that they had
freed again
Now we got i'm! ain gwine take
no mo chances-dem dawgs kin have
dey fun en- chaw i'm too, if dey wants. (
don purpose fer no possum ter make
me run merse'f ter DEATH" announced
Uncle jeff
This time the quarry had taken to a
tall blackjack about as large around
as mans leg.
I'm hole de dawgs, INK Jeff-hit's
yo' time ter cut de tree-but sho is
gwine ter let dem puppies in soon's
hit nears de groun'"
"All right, jes' so yer dom let 'em
loose en- let de tree fall ON em. Denis
vallyble dawgs'
Tom and Joe stood holding the
torches so Uncle JEFF could see to
swing the AK Directly came the pre-.
liminary cracking and swaying.
Ready nowr warned Uncle JEFF as
he hit the final lick, and the tree ma
jestically swayed and fell with a thun-
derous crash. A second before it hit
earth RUDE turned the dogs loose, and
they were in the treetop almost before
il had settled from the rebound.
Men and boys ran forward holding
their lights aloft, and puzzled, too, for
there was the liveliest scrap going on
In those interlaced branches and twigs |
they had ever witnessed. The dogs
were snarling and yelping and bark
Ing and biting. There were squeals
and howls and growis, and every min
ute or so a dog would dash out, flap.