"Nothing will ever satisfy him except he sees those kit foxes with his own eyes," asserted Steve, almost indignantly, "handles them with his own paws, and asks every little critter whether he really belongs to Obed Grimes.

"I jest stood like a dumb critter the minnit I got in," said Marty.

"Yer see," continued he, talking in a low tone of voice, "antelope's the most curious critters in the world, 'ceptin' women.

"Been out to shake hands with these clever critters," he said.

"Some crazy critter just out of the asylum, I'll bet," said Mrs. Douglas, walking back to the house with her pennyroyal tea.

I didn't gain a foot on ther critter.

I find that there have been some queer decisions handed down by the courts, showin' that the law does recognize the fact that a dog is different from other four-footed critters.

"I hate the very sight o' them air pesky critters," he explained half apologetically.

They're awful curious critters, them antelopes is.

When a hurted critter gits good an' strong he gen'ally turns it loose ag'in; but ef it stays puny, why he reg'lar 'dopts it an' names it Jones.

" "A pretty critter to be," Mrs. Markham had said to the kind neighbor who had returned from Camden and was giving her the particulars in full of Ethelyn's misdoings.

We'se poor, miserable critters,wurms o' the dust,that's what we be.

"Ain't you the two that was lost, or stolen by that gypsy critter?" "We certainly are," said Dolly and Bessie, in one breath.

I must hab dis one at any price!, Old Killall be good-natured a month, when he sees dis handsome critter; but if he don't use her up in less dan dat time, he'll do what he neber done afore!

The fact of the matter is, that the race-horse, the faro tiger, and the poker kitty have bigger appetites than any healthy critter has a right to have; and after you've fed a tapeworm, there's mighty little left for you.

Wal, he was the homeliest critter I ever seen.

" [Illustration: WALT MASON] LIONS AND ANTS Once a hunter met a lion near the hungry critter's lair, and the way that lion mauled him was decidedly unfair; but the hunter never whimpered when the surgeons, with their thread, sewed up forty-seven gashes in his mutilated head; and he showed the scars in triumph, and they gave him pleasant fame, and he always blessed the lion that had camped upon his frame.

" And in dark and direful language muttered threats of coming harm To the "idle, shif'less critter" from his father's good right arm.

It was hard on poor old Madam though, never to take any leave of her; but all her life has been hard for that matter, poor innocent old critter.

"Ain't he the most languageous critter!" had been Sharon's words.

You don't mean to say that folks talk about us like that!" "Slander is a dretful long-legged critter," amended Miss Abigail, smiling and sighing in the same breath.

Mebbe we can git some news of the boys from him, though we shan't ef he ain't a mind to tell, for Injuns is mighty clus-mouthed critters.

Do you think THEODORE TILTON, ED STUDWELL, STEVE GRISWOLD, FRED DUGLIS, and SOOSAN B. ANTHONY would make as good Presidents of the U.S. as a man would? Is your wife one of them strong-minded critters, who believes that husbands had orter stay home and nuss the baby while she goes out and plays baseball?

Mebbe we can git some news of the boys from him, though we shan't ef he ain't a mind to tell, for Injuns is mighty clus-mouthed critters.

So I trudged on after the obstinate "critter," and if there ever was a government mule that deserved and received a good round cursing it was that one.