Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-11-07
OUR UGLY DOG.
BY CLARA +. GUERNSEY,

, WIFI HIS ldllellldllOllS'
The captain went out to see what
manner Of dog this might be, for we
well knew that it was neither of oul
own, seeing that Fluff, the maltese
terrier, was curled up on the sofa, and
= Ban, the Newfoundland, was lying on
the RUG,
An exclamation from the captain
summoned us to the piazza and there.
for the first time, we saw "our ugly
dog"
lie was thin to starvation-point he
was dirty, and dragged, and disconso-
late, to the last degree which dog ma
ture can endure; and apparently he
had made up his mind that all hope
was gone, and he had taken his place
on our door-Steps to sing his own de-
spairing dirge.
No sooner, however, did he behold
the whole family about him, than he
lifted himself on his bind-legs and be-
gan to beg, howIing mournfully all the
time.
''In the name of Goodness" said the
captain, give the creature something
to eat !!
Of course, something was produced +;
and, when the stanger had in some de-
gree satisfied his hunger, he testified
in every way which a dog could, his
intense thankfillness.
"Of course, we cant keep him, said
the captain. at would be too much
to have another dog | dare say he'll
trot off when he has rested a little"
OF course, the ugly dog did not trot
of, and, though we declared every day
that we could not have him, almost
equally, Of course, he became a mem
Der Of the family. He was a knowing
creature, and could fetch and carry, as
we | as beg.
No one in the place knew anything
about the creature, and guessed that
he had srayed away from a travelling
caravan, which had passed through the
place few days before.
In week "the ugly dog had be
come favorile with all, from the mas
ter of the house down to the cat and
three kittens, who contracted a habit
Of sitting upon him, a liberty which he
seemed in no wise to resent.
A few days after he came, | heard
that an old lr.end of ours was visiting
at relations in Galoosa, place about
fourteen miles from the littla village of
Maysville, where our lot had been cast
for the last few years. | was anxious
to see Mrs. St. Glare, and to hear news
of our friends in New York, but there
seemed to be difficulty i'll getting to
Galoosa.
One Of our horses happened to be
lame, and the other, though peaceable
enough in double harness, wa; apt TO
be skittish and ill-conducted when driv
en- alone 1t was quite impossible for
the captain to leave his business at
that time, and it seemed that, unless /
could borrow or hire horse the visit
must be given up.
Now. it was not easy to get hold of
q horse in Maysville. There were, to
be sure, three or four teams belonging
to our saw-milI, but they were all en-
gagged three deep in their legitimate
business, and, as it happened, all the
other horses in the place were either
busy Or sick. | reluctantly resigned my
self to staying at home.
Just then, however, our friend Mr..
Calvin Bruce, man somewhat given
to horses, came home from Detroit,
and, hearing Of my necessity, he at
once placed at my disposal what he
called "a pair of colts" There was
no trouble in finding driver.
At that time, Dick Monroe and his
sister Diana were staying with us on
a visit. Dick, at seventeen, considered
that he knew all that was to be known
about horses, and would have under
taken to drive the chariot of the sun
with as much confidence as Ph@ton
himself
Calvin decribed the colts as gentle
enough, only pretty spunky," and aver
red that ''it was easy enough to man
age them, if fellow will only let them
have their own way"
The captain demumed a little at let
ting Diana and myself 90 off behind
the colts with no more experienced
guardian than Dick, at which distrust
OF his powers Master Dicks dignity
was a good deal hurt but then | flat
tered myself that l too could drive
little, and was very anxious to see
Mrs. St. Glare, and to be short, of
course we went. Diana and | were
ready for some time before Dick made
his appearance with the horses Diana,
at sixteen, was a tall, slim, gray eyed,
black-haired girl, very much of a child
in some things, and very much of a
woman in others.
Dick was also tall and slim and
handsome, and he and Diana were the
best of friends. Dick was more full
of himself and more self conscious than
his sister. He was clever at his school
work, stood at the head of all his class
es, and expected in another year to go
to college.
1t struck me when Dick did finally
come that he was in a remarkable hur-
ry to start, and fastened us away with
out leaving me time to say those more
last word. which house-keepers are so
apt to bestow on their cabinet minis
tiers when they set out on a Journey.