North Carolina Newspapers

TIIE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER i Jlilll if How Joe I HEN Jo Russell awoke the sweet notes of a wood-thrush sounded a welcome to the light of dawn as It slowly penetrated the shadowed reaches of the flooded swamp. The boy sat up suddenly in the canoe, a prey to bitter regret. He recalled that on the day before June 17. 13 the news bad come to his uncle's frontier farm In south western Georgia that a large band of marauding Creek Indians, on their way from Alabama to Join the Sem inole In Florida, had established themselves temporarily on an island In the great Chlckasawhatchee swamp; that, besides murdering mt eral families of scattered settlers, they had captured his cousin Mary while she was riding alone, a negro slave having seen them carry her Into the swamp; that the settlers were not strong enough to march to the rescue without awaiting help; and that John Merry, a young neighbor, had de termined to go Into the swamp alone at dead of night, sneak into the sleep ing Indian encampment, and try to find the girl and bring her away. Worst of all, Joe remembered that he himseif had slipped out and fol lowed the bold young man; that his aid was reluctantly accepted, and hat when he was left to watch the canoe he had failed in his trust, fall ing asleep at last and drifting away with the current. Joe almost wept as he realized what he had done. If Mary had been able to slip out from among the sleeping squaws in answer to John Merry's familiar whistle, they had already ran for the canoe only to And It gone, and were now wandering the island shore where the Indians would soon get them both! The agitated boy Judged from In dication's that the canoe had not drifted far before U came to rest 4a a growth of rushes on the border of the creek. The island shore was still In view and a narrow tongue of Und extended into the swamp to a point not more than fifty yards away. He might still be of service If it was not too late. Before Joe had decided what to do a fallen branch broke harshly on the quiet shore, and he saw his Cousin Mary and John Merry run pan'tr Into an open and halt, Mary then hurrying on and John lingering as If to listen for sounds of pursuit. The delighted boy opened his mouth to rail to them softly, but checked him self. For Mary had hai-dly disappeared in the brush on the farther side of the- open when, with yells of triumph, eight or ten armed Creek warriors, naked to the waist. leaped into view from different sides, and John was surrounded. Though surprised and entrapped, the young white man brought his rifle to his shoulder, fired. CHUCKIE 4 dEyARMER HUCKLEBERRY Am an Industrious and thrifty Yl farmer who believed that he Jr could get rich on his farm If he made use of all the odds and ends that most farmers overlook. He. ' therefore, made many changes and one change affected his dog Chuck. . Chuck was a faithful animal, and for years he had served as watchdog and helped with the cows and ducks, and often did duty in the fields, when the crows got too bold. But now Farmer Huckleberry invented a kind of treadmill and attached it to his churn, then he had Chuckle churn for half, an hour every day. There were two younger dogs on the farm. Celtie and Chilly, who churned too, but they were thoughtless, young fel lows and couldn't be relied on to do any serious work like tending cows , and driving off crows. So when Chuckle saw that he would hare to churn every day. he became very sulky and Indignant . "It isn't because the work la too hard." he complained to Celtic. "It's . because It isn't fair. I certainly do enough work, I do! Why. 1 know plenty of dogs who don't have to work at alL Nobody expects a hand's turn from them. And here I am! I have to slave away and scarcely hare any time to hunt or enjoy myself. I say Q Qur puzzle Comer ZOO FIZZLE. Id:- AS?, "TCTevnrneTFenT" SO full Of the many animals he had creature you can imagine Here is Its picture: it Is composed rod caa tell what heasu aad LUJ to Outwitted the Indians f and one of the Indians dropped. Then i he wielded his weapon like a flail and succeeded in knocking down two , more before the others, seemingly ' wishing 10 reserve him for a more cruel death, were able to seize and bear him to the ground. At this moment, glancing aside, the boy spectator saw Mary running among the trei-s pursued by two In dians. She rushed out on the narrow point of land, not perceiving in her fright and has'e that she was entering a trap. But her pursuers quickly took note of this, and now being sure of their game, stopped, turned and even went back a little way to watch the struggle comg on in the open. After making their captive secure with cords of twisted deer bide, the Indians stood round him in a circle and reviled him, several of them beat ing htm over the head with their ramrods. It was while this was go ing on that Joe. lying behind the screen of rushes, conceived a daring plan, after noting that he needed to cross only a few feet of open water In order to double the point of land on which Mary was hidden and pass out Mary Ran Out On The Narrow Point ' It isn't fair, and I've got a goad mind to run away!" Well, one fine night when the moon ' was shining round and bright Chuck i made up his mind. "I'm going- to. run away and live with the woods people who are free I and hare nobody bossing them around and making theu churn." he said. ; "Of course. I'm sorry to leave the Old Man. He's been decent to me, he has, never a cross word or a kick or a jblow In five years! Still lately he hasn't been acting fair." j So away ran Chuckle with many a i backward look at the old farm house : that had been his home for so long. I He arrived in the woods soon and kept on running until he was a great way off, then he rested beside a stream, drank some water and curled np to sleep, j Early next morning when the sun ! was barely up. he waa awakened by 'a bustle and rustle. Little fat wad I dling creatures ran here and there, ' some stood around a tree gnawing industriously, some were floating logs ; down the stream, some were gnawing i down branches. ' Chuckle got Bp and went to where i two large, fat creatures sat gnawing a I tree. "Who aro m and whit am nn ! doing, if I may make so bold?" he Ne tn that be dreamed of "he uterest f elv-n animal an.! birds. See If -?-,!, .i ,.. r cremrc. of the line of the Indians' vision. Without loss of time Joe guardedly worked the canoe out of the flags, skimmed over the open water and glided around the point without noise and apparently without attract ing attention. Fortunately he was not obliged to land. Crouched in the bushes only a few feet from the wa ter's edge, Mary saw him at once and waved her hand. Beckoning to her, the boy paddled up to a projecting fallen tree, and she was quick to walk out on this, bent double, and step down into the canoe. About three minutes later the girl's two pursuers, after witnessing the dragging away of the white captive, advanced down the point of land, beating the bush as they came. When they reached the log where the girl had embarked, a puzzled look on their faces, they suddenly ducked out of sight, evidently scenting danger. Joe and Mary noted all this, watching, breathless, from behind a , bush-grown tussock not far away, j After waiting In silence for an hour, they quietly worked the canoe i through rushes and other obstructing Of Land Pursued By Two Indians. Inquired politely. "We're beavers, big, fat animals. Paddlewhisk and ' replied one of the "My name Is Mr. my friend Is Mr. Plumpkins." "Pleased to meet you," said Chuck, with his best bow. "I never met any beavers before. What are you doing with these trees? Is it a game?" "Game!" cried the beaver who said he was Mr. Paddlewhisk. "Mercy me! We haven't time for games." "My hat and buttons," cried the beaver who was called Mr. Plumpkins. "1 should say not!" "Well then, what's all this for?" in quired Chuck. "We're building a dam," replied Mr. Paddlewhisk. "What for?" asked Chuckle. "Because," answered the beaver, "we build our homes of Sticks and mud and stones and make the doors under the water. In winter the water freezes and If we didn't have the dam to make the water deeper here, you see, our doors would be frozen shut." "Oh, yes, of course!" replied Chuckie. "I-er-l'm out of a situation Just now and I mean to live here abouts, could you give me a job and let me stay with you?" "I'm afraid not." replied both beavers together. "You being as you are, a dog. you don't know how to build, besides you're likely lazy." "No, I'm not lazy." replied Chuck, "but Its quite true 1 don't know how to build. I've always had a good "BOOK-LOVERS PUZZLE." Place the following seven letter j words, one under the other, the primal? will spell the title of a famous book the finals the name of the gifted author. 1. Judicious. 2. To accuse, J. A va,ln fancy. 4. One who weaves by hand. 6. A liquor made of apples, sugar and ale. 6. To humor. 7. An ever-green tree. 8. Relations. . An ancient city, famous as the scene of a great disaster. 10. A hermit. 11. A small enclosed field. 12. A girl's name. 13. To forbear. 14. Grave. HYDRA-HEADED WORDS. . I am a word of four letters, mean ing "actual." Change my head, and And "a kind of meat." Change my head, and find "to con firm." Change "my head, and find "ener getic pursuit." Change my head, and find "a part." i Change my head, and find "pros perity." Anfrer. -BOOK LOT ERR' PUZZLE" Primal I "Pirku kk Pap'r''; Final "Charleti Dirkent." 1. Politic. 2. Impeach. 3. Chimera. 4.. Knitter. 5. U'assoil. I Indulge. 7. ypre4n. 8. Kindred. '.Pompeii. 10. Ascie. 11. Paddock. fEttelle. 13. Refrain. 14. Seriout. 13. HYDRA-HEADED WORP8 Real; Veal; Sml: Zeal; Deal; Weal. hit (eon). Goat (horn). Elephant (tutk). Dvrk head and neck). Por tupine (quill). Lion front pair). C'tml (hump) . Pigeon tring) . Hortt thr.id VM ffos (tail). J growth towar'k tls 'open channel of i the creek. Deeply grieved at the fate 1 of her brave rescuer, Mary wapted to linger In the neighborhood in the hope that he might escape and that they might aid him. But. boy as he was. Joe knew that the girl must be hur ried toward safety with ,all speed. They discussed the matter in whis pers. "Our men will march in and save him," the boy urged, although he feared that John Merry could not survive that long and was full of grief at his own failure to have the canoe ready at the proper time. As they entered the open creek, Joe determined and Mary still insisting, the discussion was Interrupted by a significant sound. Looking toward the island shore, they saw that two Indians had leaped Into the water and were swimming toward them. At this both bent to their paddles until they were well started with the cur rent, then Joe picked up the rifle, faced about and took aim. The first shot went wild, but at the second report the foremost swimmer struggled violently, sank, then rose and battled feebly back toward the shore, aided by his comrade who also seemed to regard retreat as wise. Joe was ao elated that he almost wished there were other pursuing foes to shoot at Though both he and his cousin felt confident that the Indians had no boats with which to chase them, they nevertheless made all haste down the creek toward the open country. The flfteen-year-old boy and thirteen-year-old girl made a record equal 4o that of two men, lit erally slaving at the paddles, and be fore nightfall they reached a place of safety. "I've brought her back!" the boy cried proudly to their friends. But his desire to boast was prompt ly checked as he remembered how he had fallen asleep at his post; and he knew no rest until the news came a week later that the collected whites had routed the Indians and saved brave John Merry alive. Why You TAKEN FROM AN OLD FABLE. HEX all the world was new, and the plants and flowers quite fresh and green, there were two brothers who played together happily, as gay as the day was long. Now these brothers had very funny names 1 shan't tell them to you for you would hurt your pretty mouths trying to say them over. One of these brothers was big and round and his bright hair stood out in long rays from his head. In the morning when he Jumped out of bed his face was always clean and rosy and pink, but in the evening before he went to sleep you could see him flushed and hot and red and oh, so much bigger you never did see any one grow so quickly. Have you guessed who he was? kennel provided. I ran away because I had to churn." "Too bad," said Mr. Paddlewhisk, although he did not know what churning was. "You didn't have time to make a living, I suppose." "What do you mean by that?" asked Chuckie. "I mean. And food," replied the beaver. "That's our trouble. What with damming and building and plas tering and harvesting for winter, and times so hard, sometimes we have to go hungry. The squirrels were telling me only the other day that they were having a hard time on account of the storm that shook down so many nuts before they were ripe. It's a mercy w.e don't have to churn too, or we'd "liime," t rk-d .Mr. laddl-whlk. all starve!" I "Oh ; 1-er, um!" stammered Chuckie, beginning to feel ashamed.; "Is that so! Well, good day!" "We're not grumbling, you know," said the beaver, wiping the gnawdust I 6. from his whiskers, "for if we work 9.rhard and save, we'll get through all ! right." h "I hope so." said Chuckle, meekly, as he walked away. i Off he trotted through the woods idling there! Chipmunks and squir rels darted from ground to tree, har vesting nuts, ants climbed great little hills, their feet full of parcels, spiders were spinning hnrd H, she la auch a trial with her clothes!" sighed little Jane as she propped Dolly upright on the end-joint of a pookrack and looked at Mary, her little friend, for sympathy. "Yes indeed." agreed Mary, seeing the game they were going to play and quickly falling In with It "My Martha just wears out her clothea so fast and as for shoes, why, mercy me, she runs through a pair before you could say Jack Robinson!" "Don't you think that is a pretty petticoat Dolly Is wearing?" asked Jane. "And doesn't it fit her well?" Mary nodded assent. "1 have Just a stitch or two more to take on this dress," Jane continued, "and then we can try it on Dolly and see if It fits. Now there there now we'll try It on." So the dress was let down into place over Dolly's flaxen curls just as Jane I had often seen the Dressmaker try a new dress on her while Mamma stood by and watched critically. "Dolly!" cried Jane. "Stand still! Stop that fidgeting! How can I ever tell If It flU you If you insist upon squirming and twisting about that way!" "My little Martha does the very same thing," sighed Mary. "And she is such a trial to me. Why, I have such a time trying to see If a new dress Is even all jaround." Jane nodded fend reached for her tape-measure. She measured the dis- tance from the floor to the bottom of the dress, first In front, then on the side and then in back. Now, of course, being only a doll, Dolly didn't really move at all; but then when you are playing "mothers" you have to pretend all sorts of things, you know. And both Jane and Mary were certain that Dolly Just 0' Can't Spe the Sun At Night The other brother was paler and smaller, and his round face was al- ways yellow and bright. Sometimes i"? 8 th,n that hls face ooked liiiiuueu ii&q ouvei uivscvul, miu then his mother would feed him up until he'd be almost as fat as his brother, Stin. There! I've given his name away! Yes, Moon was the pale yellow broth er, and many were the good times they had together In the sky. One day Sun said: "Come on. let's have some fun." "What'll we do?" asked Moon. "I feel Just like racing. What do you say to a run?" "Pooh! Pooh," sneered Sun, "you're o weak you couldn't begin to catch up with me." "Just try it," answered Moon; and they did! "Oh, well," Chuckle said. "I guess I'd better be going back. If I hurry I'll get there In time to churn." Off he sped and arrived at the farm panting hard. There stood the churn beside the summer kitchen, and Into the treadmill sprang Chuckie. "Hold on. there. Old Man!" cried Farmer Huckleberry. "Get off that churn! You're all out of breach and you ain't had no breakfast as I knows of. No churning for you today, no, sir!" But It took both hands to drag Chuckle from the churn. After that they had to watch the dog to keep him from working too hard, and final ly Farmer Huckleberry forbade his "Mercy Me! Wr liavcn'l Tlnto tW Games." I churning any more. "That dog's too useful 'round the faruOs&Tu the Farmer, "and he's glt ting old t'eUte and Chilly can work that cwurn thelrselves." "I wish the Oovernor'd let me ; chum," complained Chuckle to Celtie i a few days afterwards. "It Isn't fair. Here I am! I've got a good kennel and all the food I can eat and nothing to worry me, and he won't let me earn my keep. If It wasn't that I'm - tone of the Qvroo.-.i'd -rua away, I would, and live with the wood people, who know-what work la And Celtie. though he thought It very' strange, said nothing, but scratched his ear knowingly. Sewing for Dolly fidgeted and squirmed and twisted In most shameful fashion. And once, when Mary was pinning up the skirt in one place Dolly twist ed so suddenly that the pin stuck Mary in her chubby little finger and made It bleed. Then, to cap the climax just when both little girls I beg pardon, both little Mothers, I should have said had everything fixed just so. why Dolly had to go and fall over! Of course. It wasn't her fault for the end of the bookruck slipped. But neither Jane nor Mary considered that at all. And they pretended to be very much provoked. Dolly lay still, on the floor, with her pretty new dress trailing around her and her toes pointed skyward. "Oh!" cried Jane, presently. "I be lieve she's fainted! The, poor, dear child!" "Oh!" echoed Mary. "I believe she has! Quick, Jane, a glass of water!" j So Jane rushed for the water and j brought it back and pretended to give 1 T nl t v a ririnlr nf it Anil nruanllv! Dolly recovered and opened her big blue eyes and asked: "Where am 1?' j And then they picked her up and put j her In her crib and said nice things to her and told her how they didn't I realize they had kept her standing so i long while.they fitted the dress on her. j Then, when Dolly was quite her J old self again and didn't feel a bit j dizzy or wobbly In the knees, they I had a tea party to celebrate Dolly's recovery. i Jane brought out her very best I china (which was real china), and her nicest cake and tea (which weren't real at all), and they gave Dolly all the cake she wanted to eat (which wasn't so much as a single crumb), and all the tea she could drink (which wouldn't have filled a thimble), and they had Just the love- , Away Sun sped across the sky, with I Moon following after. And what do j you think? No matter how fast Sun ; ran Moon always followed not far be. umu, r many Dun Slopped exnaUSieu. "Well anyhow." he said, "you didn't catch me." "You couldn't even follow so close after me," said Moon, "If I started first." At that Sun laughed so hard that he became more dazzling than ever. "Go on and we'll see," he said. Then the Moon started off. and Sun came after, but would yon believe It Sun was so far behind that you couldn't see him In the sky at the same time with Moon at all! And that Is why you never see the Sun In the sky at night, but some times, if you look, you can see the Moon following the Sun by day. Polly in the Kitchen . OW, the way In which that par rot came into the kitchen Is a ylong story; but as little Ellen understood It, Polly belonged to the sister of Bridget, the cook, and Bridget had been asked to keep Polly for the day while her sister was mov ing. The parrot, of course, was securely fastened In its cage; so neither Bridget nor Bridget's sister believed It could barm anyone by being allowed to re main in the kitchen until the sister could come for it later In the evening. But then, you see, both of them were reckoning without little Ellen, Bridget took Ellen Into the kitchen and showed her Polly. "Now yes yes moind, me little lady," she said, "thot yes kape yure flngees away frum th' parrot. 'Tis a sharp beak she has, an' 'twould nip yure finger off! Off, yis, clane as a whistle!" So Ellen promised to just look and not touch. She admired the brilliant plumage of the parrot, and she gazed in awe at Its sharp, cruel-looking beak and Its long, vicious talons. "Do yes moind," said Bridget, "that she can ask for a cracker? Listen. Polly do yez want a cracker? 8hpake, ye beast, If ye do!" And, to Ellen's amazement, Polly straightway answered oh. It was Just as plain as though Ellen had said it herself, thought Ellen "Polly wanna cracker!" "Now," said Bridget, "git her wan from th' cracker-box. Ellen, but moind thot yez take anly wan!" So fcllen went to the cracker-box, got a CrWfter and,, with Bridget di recting, held the cracker up to the cage so that Polly could poke her sharp beak out between the bars and tear off pieces ,f the cracker which she proceeded to eat evidently with much relish, all the while making was Just lots of fun! Gravely, Polly consumed every bit of the cracker and then, satisfied there was no more, hopped back to her perch. Ellen wished she had another cracker to feed to Polly and even thought of stealing quietly into the closet and taking one from the cracker-box; but concluded that Bridget would most certainly hear her do so. But presently this became tiresome; and Ellen noticed the dish of drink ing water for Polly down on the floor of the cage. Gracious, how dirty It was! And there, was so little water in it! And surely after having eat err) that dry cracker Polly must be very, very thirsty! Clearly, Ellen should remove that dish, wash It and fill it with -nice, clear cold water for Polly. But how was she to get the dish? Bridget had told her not to put her fingers hear the bars Ellen remembered that but Rrldffat had nnt ald a wnrd hiin : not opening the door to the rage, reaching In and removing the dish. No, of courseshe hadn't! Moreover, with P1ly .way up it her perch It would be Impossible for her Heat party Imaginable. ' ..'- Then, after a while, Mary said she must hurry home to see how her owa little Martha had been getting on la her absence. So they said: "Good afternoon" and "Do come and aee mo Just like grown-ups do. So, you see. It was a most enjoyable afternoon. I Have Just A Stitch Or Two More To Take. XShe Land of Picture Books IN the Are t And Land of Picture Boob open road and shady nooks. sandy places by the sea. And fairy rings 'Death spreading tree. There is a world of girls and boys. There are many tools and toys; Something new. whene'er one looks In the Land of Picture Books. Curious children gather there From over seas and eeiywhete. And dress so queer and strangely play; But I know everything they say. Beasts and birds one never sees Upon our lawns or in our trees Throng the sight whene'er one looks In the Land of Picture Books. to fly down and alp one's fingers) be fore the dish could bo grasped and removed and the door abut again ao reasoned Ellen. And so, too, Ellen acted. She seized the door, opened it quickly and thrust her hand Inside the cage. Polly squawked something frightful and in stantly .flew to the floor of her cage with a most disconcerting- flutter of her big wings. Ellen lost her pres ence of mind for she Imagined that Polly had already nipped off her fin ger, and maybe her whole arm and drew back her hand. And right then and there the damage waa done! Instantly Polly waa oat the door and reposing on the top of the cage. And. to tell the truth. Polly had no idea of nipping. Ellen's hand. "Go back! Get back in your eager cried Ellen. "Ton hear me! Go back!" But Polly regarded her gravely for a moment, ruffled her feathers and then stated blandly: "Polly-wanna-cracker!" Just then Bridget came Into the room. Bridget started to speak, stopped, caught her breath, .and then well, truly she did speak? She yelled at Polly and. seizing hex broom, she chased after the poor frightened par rot who. by this time, was flying about the room giving vent to shrill cries. Goodness knows what would have happened had not Bridget's sister come upon the scene Just then. And Bridget's sister promptly as sumed control. She made Bridget pot aside her broom and then she scat tered some of Polly's favorite food upon the floor of the cage. And pros ently Pony flew in to get It. "Sure, yea kin catch more flies wit sugar than wit vinegar!" said Bridget's sister, as she closed the door of the c'- A" P"- she added, j"Bu' ?' in , k.wT bont'B' ftnw! poll parrut's cages! Thot Oi don't!" Carfc! Get Bark la Tew Cage!" rrtrd Eltrw.