Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-18

az last, LOT LUe llFSL LlIue III HIS llLLle
seven years-and hadn't he always
known just how it would be, because
mother used to go camping with hel
mother and father every summer, be
ginning at two, and here he was seven
and hadn't she told him just how
sweet the fir bough bed would smell
: under his head when he went to sleep
But though he had tried and tried tt
pretend it all, he never could begin
to pretend SO sweet smell as this.
The night before, he and mother haG
cut the boughs themselves, with his
own new camp Ratchet, and had piled
up high, springy bed. With some
thick blankets over it, no one ever
had had so comfy bed; and he had
tumbled into his fragrant nest, and
that was all he knew till just now
when he opened his eyes and saw the
tent roof instead of his own ceiling
and smelled the sweet fir boughs.
He looked across the tent. Mother
and daddy had gone; and was it fire
he heard cracking outside, and daddy
whistling? That must be bacon he
! smelled!
Out he fled, in fever of impotence
just as the corner of the tent flap was
lifted up and mother peeped cautious
ly in. He was about to shout good
morning when she put her finger on
her lip, and. crossing quickly to him
drew him to the tent door, whispering
Keep quiet, and see that cunning,
cunning chipmunk out there on the
log where we put our wash basin and
pail of water last night. He doesn't
/ I'm hot f0 olya of hot oh ~,
basin, does he? See how he whisks
his tail, and tries to find out what is
on his log-and yet he doesn't dare
touch it."
ooh, mother, isn't he funny? See
him now! He sat right up and folded
his hands on his stomach, and chat
tered to himself about it," chuckled
Joseph, gleefully, under his breath.
That was Josephs first glimpse of
Skipjack, as he promptly named his
little chipmunk friend.
We'll be very friendly and quiet
with him." advised mother, land per-
haps he may grow friendly with U.S."
So in few days, when the camp
provisions needed replenishing, and
daddy had to tramp to the nearest
little mountain town to get more.
Joseph begged, "You won't forget
plenty of peanuts for Skipjack, will
you, daddy"
Daddy promised, and brought such
a big bag that even Joseph was salts
fled.
Lets put two or three out on the
wash basin log, and then he'll be
pleased and come again, and we'll
watch for him and give him some more
every time and see if we can't get him
tame"
Sure enough, Skipjack, who seemed
overwhelmed with curiosity in regard
to the wash basin and soap dishes
that now decorated his own favorite
log, soon Experimentation it be
a peanut?
He cooked his little shiny black eye
at it, whisked his tail very fast, sat
on his little hind legs and looked
again, finally seized one peanut, STUFF.
fed it in his cheek, gave flying leap
to the ground. another flying leap up
the trunk of the nearest pine tree,
raced to the topmost branches, in spir-
ais round the trunk, down again, in
the same excitement, and finally scam
pered off and popped down into one
of his many convenient holes.
Joseph and mother and daddy,
watching, but concealed behind some
bushes, were convulsed with merri-
ment. After that, Joseph kept the
old wash basin log spread as a tempt
ing feast, till frisky little Skipjack lost
all fear of the basins, pals and soap
boxes, and scampered over them all,
and didn't mind even if they clattered
little. At first, the least clatter was
enough to send him tearing off the log
and up the highest tree.
One day Daddy brought fresh sup
ply from town, and Joseph. finding an
empty lard pail with cover. put the
peanuts in that, and banged the cover
on tight.
"Now they are safe, even if he gets
very friendly" he remarked, land III
put the pail in my corner of the tent"
Next morning, when he went to get
some nuts, being reminded by Skip
jack, who sat out in the sunshine on
the wash basin log, chattering impa-
tiently, he found the cover off and
the pail empty.
Skipjack's peanuts" called Joseph.
But who could have taken every single
peanut, and right in the tent, too?
There wasn't anybody who could pos.
sible have opened the pail except
mother or daddy or himself Then
his eyes opened very wide and he
gasped:
Mother! Daddy! You don't sup
pose Skipjack took them himself, do
you? He has little hands, you know
but he couldn't, could he; and he
wouldn't dare walk right over me when
was asleep, to get them, would he?"
Daddy gave low, ruminative
whistle. "The scamp! I wonder if he
did! But if he has made off with a
whole pailful Of peanuts he certainly
has no business to sit up on that log
now and claim to be starving! Listen
to his gatherings if he had been
starved month! I'll tell you, Joseph,
I'm going into Edgewood again today,
and III bring another supply of ra-
lions for Mr.. Skipjack, and we'll spy
on HIM"
Joseph was all impotence till daddy
came back. He had his lard pail ready