Shawn of Skarrow   By: James Tandy Ellis (1868-1942)

SHAWN OF SKARROW

SHAWN OF SKARROW

BY JAMES TANDY ELLIS

Author of "Sprigs O' Mint," "Kentucky Stories," "Awhile in the Mountains," etc.

[Illustration]

THE C. M. CLARK PUBLISHING CO. BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

COPYRIGHT, 1911,

THE C. M. CLARK PUBLISHING CO., BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Frontispiece Shawn and Coaly Page "You'll be a great fisherman, some day, Shawn" 24 Burney begin to take out the shells 36 "De Prodegale Son" 52 "I'll give you ten dollars to set us over" 62 "You and the doctor got your birds" 82 They were nearing the last hundred yard flag 90 "W'y, Jedge, you know my name" 106 The Cabin of the American fell with a crash 126 Lallite ran up to Shawn, giving him both her hands 139

[Illustration: Shawn and Coaly.]

SHAWN OF SKARROW

CHAPTER I

"Oh Shawn!"

It was a shrill voice calling from the bank above the river.

"You can holler till dark, but I ain't goin' to answer you while a blue channel cat is nibblin' at this line."

Through the short and chubby fingers a stout sea grass line was running out to the accumulated driftwood in the eddy below the wharf boat. Suddenly there came a spasmodic jerk of the line.

"He bluffed that time."

The front finger tapped the line, as an expert telegraph operator taps his key.

"He's coming back for that crawfish tail now." The line went taut. The freckled arms executed a series of lightning like movements and the catfish lay on the shore, a five pounder, beating the sands with his flashing tail.

"Oh Shawn!"

"I'm a comin' now; come on, Coaly." The little brown dog wagged his tail and got up from his resting place in the sand. They went up the hill toward the little frame building on the bank.

The boy's mother met him at the door. She was a frail looking woman, upon whose face was a sorrowful and melancholy expression.

"Shawn, Mrs. Alden has sent for you, and wants you to come up to the big house; get on your cottonade pants and wash your face and comb your hair, and when you go up there, don't scratch your shins together, and don't forget to say yes mam ."

It was a matter of but a few moments for Shawn to array himself in his best clothes. As he turned to go, his mother wearily took his face between her hands and kissed him on the lips. The black eyes beamed tenderly upon her, and over the sun tanned features flashed a smile of cheerfulness and love.

"Take that fish to Mrs. Alden, Shawn."

"It's for you, mammy."

"No, take it to her."

Shawn climbed the hill and went up through the alley, going around to the side entrance of the Alden home. There was something about the great house which always filled him with a spirit of awe, and as he glanced over toward the long garden and orchard, there came into his heart a yearning such as he had never known before.