Tom's Revolver

The pnrlor of the farm-house np ntnong the Maino mouutains had enough touches of quiet good taste about it to make us wonder at sight of a comraon f our-ounce glass bottle which occupied a conspicuous place on the corner what not; further honored by a worsted mat under it and a small bouquet of driod grasses stuck into its ruouth. "Yes, that's mothers whim- she will have it there," said the oldest daughter. who was a teacher, now home for the long Miuiiun . u t t time two or threeof u3-city residente - were fortúnate enongh to find acIhad taken up and was cxamining the b ttle, with a view to finding out if it. had about it any unseen beauties or virtues vrhieh might seom to entitle it to auoh distinction. But no- it was surely nothing more thau just such a one as might be served to vou ai any drug store, tilled with anything in the drug liuo, trom nnpretending camphor to the mo.-t carefully elaborated prese ription. "She calis it Tom's revolver," romarked anothermember of the family; whereupon I set it down with a suddennesa which made Tom laugh. "O, there isn't anything about it now!" he said. I've told mot her lots of times I'd spend every cent I've got, and her the handsomestvase down to Pinoville, ifshe'd Iet me smash that old bottle against the stone wall, but she won't." "Teil me tvhat there has been about it," I urgcd. "Thcrc's a story, isn't there?" Tom was a big boy - just at the "gawkv age," bis sister hi oonKilon tially informed me- but was neither v.ncouth nor ill-mannered, as too many farmers' boys think it the thing to be al that ratlier indefinite period of life. So, without more than a reasonablo amount of coaxing and encouraging irom the others, and the modest disclaimers proper from a boy who figures as his own hero in his own story, Tom began: "It was in early spring - "Yes, indeed," bvoke ia nis mother, with a shake of the head. "ïhree days after that dreadful fall fatlier had from the hay-loi't. Such a sight as his arm I never did see! S wollen" - "Friday, the twenty-eighth day of last March, four year1 put in father. 'And the doctor," went on Tom, had been here and left prescriptions for soiuething fatherd got to have just as quick as we could get 'em. And he thought- the doctor- that if we could get over to Pineville it would be better, for they didn't have very fresh drugs llnwn üm ot tho Cornors "So I made up my raind I"d go orer the liïlls - it saves nearly half tbo way, onlv four miles going and fonr back. rd'have to walk, but I didn't mind that. for I knew it would bo about as hard to go round on horseback, for thereM been a thaw, and the lower roads were so slumpy folks could hardly get through at all. "I had'u't got more than half-way over when I met 'Squire Plummer, all round, and says he to me: ' 'Tom, I've lost Old lilacky, suro s you live!' "And says I: . "I want to know, Squire. 'And says he: "Yes, indeed, Torn. She s boen "one three days. She's tho best covv I had- blooded stock coat me a sight o nioney, and I'm oflering three dollars to any one'll find her.' "I told him I couldn't go out of my way on account of father, but I'd keep a sliarp lookout wheraver I did go; and vou'd better believe 1 did, for I d a been Had enough to get that much ronrev for so little work. But I got jnto town without seeing anything of her I sat down by the drugman s counter to rest a bit while he was putting up the stuff, think.ng how ld chance niy route going back, and praps I'd strike her yet. "The man brought two bottles and set one down whiie he waswrapping up the other. 1 took it up and took out th"Takecare there,1 be says; 'don7t you smell that!' " Whv not?' says L " 'Yoii'd be sorry if you did, said he. Twould knock you down quicker n H We" Stoten me itw iwf.illvstrong kind of ammoma that tv' used forTlrawing blisters WoW do it in less timethan you d take to teil aboit itmost. Theo I asked him if it was any km to iellinr salts. and told him how ld ,t hol lof mother's smelling .altó m f h unbekuown to her, Tong ago w i Jó i was a little shaver, and had $Z the biggest kind of a use it wts tho first chance I d ever haa ar, .YffiK smell it, but starled ior horra víth Oíd Blacky and father on my mind- Old Blaeky, to sey f 1 couldn't find hor and get tliat three dollars, and father, because I wanted to get back as quick as I could. "It seenicul tougher going back over the hiÜ3 than it had coming - I suppose becaune. I was a litilc tirod. Soinctimes the way was ttufoagh pastured lots; but mostly it was over fallow (i-'uind. bushy and stumpy, aml p!oat of rocks, but not iuany "trees. ïhere wasn't any roadway. "I hadn"t pot üoiw to tho suratnit when I saw somet iing t'iat made me stop short- something behind rooks and bushes, down in a kind oflittle hollow. Thero were no loares on the bushes, you know; so 1 could see something througli them that looked like black hair. "I went a llttle ncarer and lookod a little harder, and then off with my cap and swung it round, and siuij; out: " 'Hunah for that three dollars 'o yours, Sqolra riummer!' ïhen I called: 'Co' boss, co' boss, co' Loss'. Come, Blackey, come;' " "But the old thinj; wouldn't stir. I picked up some little btous and shled 'em at her to huriy her up. I didn't want to lo-e time, but I liil to drive her home witb me for fesr fome one el o mightget ahe:ul of rue if 1 lefl her and then caras baük. I hollerecl to her and kept on throwing; but still sUt "Then I EnoogSt I u1 Vliua nmn .... sidc of the hollow sbe was in and pet iiuMvi uf iivt : J j-;" out. i triöd rolling down a lot of stones and gravel first, almost over her head, to 'si-o f that wouldn't start her; but it didn'i. So I begau sliding myself down. "But just then 1 beard a growl- suoh a growl as no mortal cow ever mado yet, I know. And therè began such a seratühing of gravel and sucli a sorabbling up that bank, mixed vip with growls all tho time, that I scrambled myself up pretty livoly and started and run, I teil you. "When ï got a little piece ofl", I looked back, and just, getting to the top of the bank was Old Blacky; but it wasn't a black cow. It was a black bear, sure's you live!" Tora paused a moment to enjoy the little ripploof astonishment and di.smay which came in just here. "You'd belter believe I ran. But it ra hard work- un hill. and rourh, too. W LU5 Iiaiu. v vjl rw ujj 11111, iliu iwuiii uuI tumbled over logs and I jumped throuo'h bushes, and he trotting af ter me alT tho time, mad, I suppo-se, with thepumrneling and stirring up I'd given liini, Jfrowllui; liko a yaun tbvunlurstorm all tho while. "Soon I began to feel how tired my walk had made me, and to wonder how it would bo with me if I pot elear tired out before the bear did, i semed very likcly. "Vhen I knew I couldn't hold out mnch longer I made for a tree and elimbed up it quicker'n I ever clim' a tree before or since. "Then I tried to catch ray breath and think a bit. I was glad to be out of reach of the bear; but I wondered how long he might keep me up that tree before any one came to look for me, and I thought of father wanting tho medicine, and if you'U believe me, 1 thought, too, about that blamed old cowand the three dollars I wasn't to get for finding her. "I?ut it don't take long to think, you know, for I'd thought all that before he got to the foot of the tree, and it was a mighty little while, too: and whon he did get there, he walked 'round it, and smelled a little, and tlie first thing I knew, he was ulawiug aj t the bark, anü cllmbing up after me, fierce. "Then I began to think harder than ever. I'd read of a boy who wa3 up a tree, with a bear after him, and he clim' out on sorae weak limbs, where the baar had sense enough to know he oouWn't go, and he kept the poor little chap there, growling at him (I mean the boy), till some one came and shot him (shot the bear, I mean.) Uut this wasn't that kind of a tree. The limbs were stubby, and I knew the bear could go 'most as far as I could. "1 looked down to see what chance I'd have if I swunsr myself down, and got a new start of him: but the tree was a lall one, and it was all stony under the branch where I was. If I should get a sprain or a hurt, it would be all up with me. So my only chanco was to keep out of his way the best I could. I put my hand into my pocket to get out my knife, for I wasn't going to let him get the better of me without atussfe. "Then, what do you guess I ielt? and what do you guess I thought? Why, I feit that bottleof ammonia and r i.„., .i. f tht tinifi in church. And I thouo-lit oí that urne in cuuruu. "" cracky! if I could help laughins: right out, as I thought if I could only get ít on that bear as I'd got it on niyseli ago. If all that man said wa true, peVhaps 'twould send him kitin' down as good as if he'd been shot. I poured a lot of it on my handkerchief 'most all there was, looking out to keen a little back for father, till more could be sent for. I triod to keep from irettin" a smell of it rayself, but the wind whiiled some of it into my face, and do the best I could, it handled mo so í carne niighty öear dropping. "I held the handkerchief tight m my hand, and reached it down just as hc poked his ugly niuz-.le lip between the ower branches. Hegave a big sniff, as he saw it coming, thinkiug, I s pose. lie'd eot me snre; and the noxt moment I was" rubbing it like fury against his mouth and nose and into his oyes. "He wave a mostawful snort, and let eo amï went crashing down on th.i Itonea and bushes. 1 thought for a moment he was dcad, but hü wasn t. He scrabbled himself np, and went snarliny and tumbling. over and over, down-rilll like all possessed. "I didn't wait to see liow far he went, thouh, for I dropped out of that tree and put out of that neighborhood most is lively as the bear had. After a while I took it easier, for I reasoned he wouldn'tbe likelyto track me, after the dose I'd given him. That s all. -'Wam't it a good revolver, now. asked Tom's mother, regarding the bottle with aflectionate interest. "4ndyou didn't find the cow, after 11" I asked, after expressions of apj proval of his coolness had been ex'.Nodbuf-Tom'3 eye3 twinkkd.I told Sam Plnmmer, 'Squire mer's boy, what Td seen, and where I'd soen it, and he went after it with bis gun, :ind finished what the ammonia liad left; and Tom aaid 'twas no more'n fair 1 should have a share of it, so he gave mo the skin, and I sold it for twelve dollars. So it paid better'n if it had been Old Blaoky, you see." utvouia you qo it over again lor as tnuch, if j'ou had a chance?" "N-n-o!" shaking his head. I don't believe I would, if 1 could help