The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-04-16

master rather roughly handled, took
share in it, and biting one of the partie
engaged was quickly set upon ant
knocked over the side OF the boat, and
falling Just in front of the paddle
wheel was struck by it, and instantl,
K He'd.
Bill did not discover the loss of thu
dog until the steamer had arrived a
Mobile; and it was to that place thar
he had originally determined to go
His astonishment and sorrow at the
loss of his fathers favorite dog were
very great, and it moreover necessitate6
all the strategy Bill was possessed of to
bring his original plans to anything
like successful ending.
He had originally intended to take
the dog with him to Mobile, and on
returning to his home to declare to his
father that he had been misinformed,
tEat the school was humbug and the
pretended teachers knaves and he well
knew that so great was his fathers dis
like for anything Yankee that he would
escape without any very severe cross
examination. The killing of the dog
had upset all Bills reckoning, and he
was compelled to frame a new story,
which, as the sequel will show, he sue
cessfully did.
After remaining for about week at
Mobile and having pretty nearly ex-
hausted his cash in hand, Bill started
for home. His father met him at the
landing and asked him many questions
concerning Jerry's chances of learning
to talk. Bill declared that there was
no doubt of his ability to learn, that he
had seen many dogs not halt as know
ing as Jerry who could talk quite well
and the result was that the old gentle
man was much elated with the idea of
possessing such wonderful being as a
dog that could talk.
Before the end of the two months,
which Bill had declared would be suf-
tcient to give Jerry decent education,
Mr.. Thompson had become quite i'm
patient to hear concerning Jerry's pro-
gress, and Bill had written several let
ters by his fathers orders to ascertain
how the dog was 'getting along, but
strange as it seemed, no reply was re-
ceived to aay of them and at last Bill
was ordered to get ready and go down
and see about Jerry, and bring him
home, if only for a visit
Bill again went down the river on the
same steamer by which he went on his
previous trip, and with very much the
same results so far as his own conduct
was concerned, until be returned home.
This time his father did not meet him
at the landing, to Bills great relief, but
soberly waited for him at the house.
The old gentleman's disappointment
can better be imagined than described,
rrbnr, pI11 - Il
for he had not the slightest doubt that
his favorite dog, fully informed on sub
jects in general, would soon delight his
ears with hearty "good evening" in
place of his accustomed familiar bark.
"Bill," said his father, where's
Jerry?"
Bill made no reply.
g / say, Bill, where's Jerry?
"Jerry's dead, father"
'Dead"
eyes, dead"
How did he dep"
'I killed him." coolly replied Bill.
lyon killed him! You killed
Jerry?"
6" Yes, father, 1 killed him."
You rascal -"
Clear nae, father" interrupted Bill.
g Let me tell my story, and then if you
think 1 did wrong you can abuse me
and do and say what you like"
81 went down to the school," con-
tinued Bill, "and I was there all
through the examination. Jerry could
talk as well as 1 can They said he
was the smartest dog they ever saw
We came down aboard the steamer, and
Jerry sat up in a chair, and as the
ladies whom he had seen before came
one by one Tito the cabin Jerry would
say good morning, Mrs. Smith, or
good morning, Mrs. JONES' and he
looked as stately as judge.
Well, father, at last we got started
away from the lending. Perhaps we
had got half mile away, and the ladies
were looking out of tae windows, and
Jerry was still sitting in his chair, when
all of a sudden he turns round to me
and says Bill, how are you, my boy?"
l says, I'm all right
"' How's the old man p says he.
"'All right, replied
'How's the old w0mau?' says Jerry.
CHOW, father, 1 didn't like to hear
him speak as he did about you, and
when he called you the old man, /
couldn't stand it very well, but when
he spoke that way about mother I
couldn't bear it at all still 1 didn't
want any fuss, because you thought SO
much of him, so didn't say anything
only to say she was well.
"Just then he looked around, and
speaking right lond, says he Bill,
does the old man hing and kiss the cook
as much as he used TOP I didn't reply,
and he kept on 4: Bill, says he. I've
seen the old man kiss the cook, Louise,
1 mean, more than fifty times, and I'll
tell the old woman when 1 get home.
Won't she give it to the old mani
Father, couldn't stand it. It was
right before the ladies. l got up and I
took jerry by the throat, aud says 1,
You lying dog, I'll choke you to death.
This comes of your cursed Yankee edu-
cation. l might have known they'd
teach you to slander your friends
Well, father, the william tried to
bite me. l had him by the throat and
i don't know what I was going to do
with him, l was so enraged, but / car
ried him out on the deck, when he tried
to bite me worse than ever. l went to
kick him, and somehow was too an
CRY to Iecollect just hOw-he either
jumped overheard, or I threw him over
board, and the wheel struck him and
killed him.
Now, father, have done. If you
blame me must bear it, but really
was glad he was dead when l came to
myself, for thought what trouble he
would make with his lies"
The old gentleman was pale as a
ghost.
"Bill, said be, "you did right.
ought to have known that he'd lie if he
could talk. Bill, here's a hundred dol
lars. Don't go and get drunk on this
money now, but Bill, don't you say any
thing about this you have told. Jerry
was a mighty smart dog, but somehow"
he added in an undertone, &" 1 always
had an idea that dog was watching me!''
-NetrOpolit1n.