Evening star., 1955-05-10

Polly Crockett cooked her head on one side TO
listen Six-year-old Johnny Crockett was playing
on the cabin floor with his little brother Will.
Johnny looked up.
do you hear him, Map" he asked eagerly.
"No," his mother replied But your pa will
come soon. It's time started us some supper"
Taking bucket from the shelf, she went to get
water from the we'll AS she started back across
the clearing with her bucket brimfu she looked at
the cabin and smiled.
What snug, tight little home Davy had built
for his family here in the wilderness of Southern
Tennessee! How fine it looked with blue smoke
doWS shining in the sum-
Pumpkins and yellow gourds ripening in
the corn patch the log barn FireWood was piled
neatly at the side of the cabin. Raccoon skins were
stretched on the outside walls to dry.
Some day soon Davy would take those skins to
the little settlement of Winchester, 10 miles to the
north. There he would trade them for flour, sugar
salt, coffee and maybe some gimcracks for himself
and the two little boys.
"There couldn't be better husband in all the
world than Davy Crockett" Polly thought proudly
as she pushed open the cabin door.
"Pa's never coming" Johnny complained
But at that very moment shrill clear whistle
sounded in the woods nearby Johnny was off across
the clearing like shot out OF gun.
"Pa!" he cried 'Pa did you get bear?"
Davy Crockett laughed. "Not this time" ," he said
"But got us three deer, and panther near as big
as an OK, and good fat turkey. .....
He led his two pack horses across the clearing
and stopped them in front of the cabin. Polly had
come to the door to meet her husband, with little
Willy clinging to her skirts
do you reckon you can scare up enough supper
to feed five hungry men?" Davy asked.
"Five!" Polly gasped in surprise.
Davv grinned Zone of them's me-" he said
"The other four hunters I ran into, up near
Bucks Hill. told them to come along over here
when they'd got their deer skinned, and we'd try
some cande-snuftng."
"Then I'd better hustle" Polly exclaimed
Bv the time the meal was ready, the hunters
had arrived. They sat down at the puncheon table
Everyone was hungry at first that there was little
talking. Finally tall Andy Morgan pushed back his
empty plate and stood up.
"You cook as good as your husband can shoot,
ma am he said to Polly did Davy tell you how he
got that big panther today?"
"I know how he got i'll" Johnny piped up. "Just
the way he got the last one" -t.
.'HoW was that, bub?" drawled Sol Jones.
"He Just grabbed it by the tail % Johnny declared
soberly, land swung it round and round, till 1t lost
its breath and died"
The men all laughed at this, and big Mike Bell
roughed up Johnnys hair.
II reckon there isn't anything your pa can't do"
he said. He turned to Sol Jones. did you tell
Crockett what you heard in Winchester last week
about the Creek Indans?" he asked.
"There amt much to tell yet" Sol drawled
putting out little cloud of smoke. "Old Chief
Tecumseh's been trying to stir them Creeks up
40
them to put on their war paint and"
"And maybe he won't!" lDavy broke in, with a
quick glance toward Polly. "Anyhow the Creeks
live good piece south from here"
He pushed his chair back from the table and
stood up, for he did not want any more talk about
Indians now. Not with Polly and the two little boys
beginning to look scared.
He reached for the candle which stood on the
chimney shelf. How about this one, Polly?" he
asked. "Can use it for snuffing?"
Polly nodded. She wanted to ask Sol some ques-
tions. But Davy didn't give her chance Taking
down his rifle, he told the men to come along Then
he stepped outside.
It was a lovely September evening. Though the
light fading rapidly, it still possible to see
So Davy fastened the tip of foxs tail to tree at
the far side of the clearing.
The men loaded their rifles Standing near the
cabin door, they tried, after another to hit the
little piece of fur, Johnny sat on the STEP watching
them eagerly.
you'd have to have cats eyes to see that mark
now," Andy Morgan exclaimed at last Lets have
try at the candle, Crockett"
"Not yet" Davy said I've got one more chance
a-coming to shoot at that thing
He took careful aim and fired.
~oo Nr,vv Tro~Lo++ D;~+,,roe