The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1865-04-06

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now" said one, lit would be sorry bust
ness for U.s..
eve must tell Pat not to begin Just
yet, fer | wouldn't be clught for forty
Christmas dinners"
! At this moment tremendous thrashing
sound was made inside followed almost
instantly by a series of pig squeals that
might have been heard Il mile. The Col
onel stopped in surprise and looked to-
ward the shanty, and each mans hair
stood up in horror.
The Coionel's coming, You confound-
ed fool" yelled one of the frightened and
indignant mess, thrusting his head into
the room where poor Pat was himself un-
dergoing the agonies Of q fright brought
about by wretched blunder
In taking the pig out Of the box after
first securing him by the snout, so that he
could make no noise, Pat had left him slip
from his hands, and the frightened ami
nal had commenced running about the
room, with his would-bc slayer at his heels
Finding board loose on one side of the
shanty, Mr.. Pig had attempted to 90
through and try his fortune IN another
quarter, and Mr. Flannigan, being contra
ry minded, had attempted to prevent it
For time it was a sort Of draw game be-
tween the two Pig had forced his head
and half his body through the aperture
and in that position Pat had caught him
by the hind legs and endeavorcd to pull
him back. The loose board was accom-
modating enough one way, but not the
other. 1t would let Pie go through easy
enough, bat il wouldn't let Pat pull him
back The harder he tugged the tighter
1t closed on poor Piggy's sides-Pat jerk
ed and cursed, and the Pig struggled and
squealed. Such squeals too the very
owner of the pig, living anywhere within
mile, might have heard it.
Pat was resolved, however, not to be
cheated Of his Chistmas dinner. By letting
the brute 90; and when he heard the aw-
tUl announcement that the Colonel was
coming he grew desperate, the pcrspira-
and giving the board tremendous kick
outward. and ierting The pig inward At
ihe same time he fell backward and rolled
over OF The iiocr, with tie still shriel,ing
animal tight in his grasp. TO spring TO
his feet. ling the pig into the box, cover
him With Blankets. and shut down the lid :,
was the word OF only few seconds; and
when. minute or 50 later the excited
Colonel food in the doorway, ne behold
Mr. Patrick !'lannigan seated very quicty
and Genurely il . f,r corner, husily en-
gagged in polishing the barrel Of his mus
ket.
We'll, SIR exclaimed the Colonel, in
a qaich, angry, imperous tone
All. GOOD eTening to yer honor - re-
turned Pat, in Ike coolest aad most polite
manner possible; accompanied with the
usual military salute. "WiIl yc walk in
and take 2 safe. s;r?'
What was that noise ] hear,: :'' de
manded the Colonel, advancing into the
room and looking searchingly around.
"And did yc hear a noise, r." inquired
Pat with an interested and innocent look.
''Come, none of your jokes on me- you
know | did !" cried the Colonel, angrily
1T was pig. SIR
".arrah, now. it's like heard the same
thing. said Pat; lit did sound like a
pig"
And it appeared to be in here - con-
tinucd the Colonel
and by the same token, it appeared to
meself to be outside ~ returned Pat,
speaking the literal truth, for the head Of
the pig had unfortunately been outside at
the very moment Of doing his loudest yell
ing.
Whats IN here?" pur> ued the Colonel,
taking two or three long, quick strides,
and lifting .he cover Of the very box in
which the cause Of so much disturbance
was concealed.
BY this time crowd Of loiterers had
began to collect at the shanty, and the
room was half filed with curious and ca
ger listeners.
"Them's blankets, SIR replied Pat,
with an innocent look, as he glanced into
he box and saw the PIG was not in sight
The Colonel angrily slammed down the
lid of the box, and wheeled on his heel to
depart but the noise started poor piggy
again and he gave fearful 'woo-oefh'
"Hallo! exclaimed the Colonel, reope-
ing the box and whirling out the blann-
kcts. "What's this ?" he cried, seizing Pat
by the arm, and pointing to the trembling
porker.
"I.'s pig, sir" replied Pat looking as
If he considered himself called upon to
find sagacious solution of some zoologi
cal mystery.
at looks like pig, does it?'' said the
Colonel, with suppressed passion.
alt does, sir y
'Perhaps it is pig"
1 'I should't wonder, sir"
!. 'In fact 1 kne'O it is pig!"
$50 do |, sir y
, There was a suppressed litter amons
the SPECTATORS. and the Colonel was ready
to explode with anger.
How came it in here 2" pursued th'
excited officer
"Ah. troth, and how should / know
: thai, sr?" replied Pat, scratching his era
: mum; "some pigs has mighty strange way
: of poking their noses INTO places where
thew re not wanted sir y
This was considered by the crowd