Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-22
Burke Tlmson's Friend.

less to say anything more about the dog
cried Farmer rimson 10 his boy, who stood
sobbing, with his face to the wall.
Never mind, Burke" whispered his
mother; you shall have drum, when
sell the sage and summer-savory."
4" ] don't want drum, nor anything else,
only Rouser. | do love a dog so, mother"
sobbed the boy.
81 cant help what you love" cried his
father. " | made rule, long ago, that /
4 wouldn't have anything around me that
couldn't either be eaten or made use Of on
the farm. It's waste of food to feed a dog,
and haven't got fur enough ahead in life
to keep fancy creturs. Dry up your tears,
and 60 out and feed your hogs Crying
when you're fourteen years old !"
Poor Burke lie dried up his tears, aud
took up the hated swill-pail. His mother
followed him to the shed, laid her hand ten
derly OH his curly head, and said
" Take Rouser back to the doctor tonight,
and ask him not to give him to anybody else
for week Perhaps can coax father to
keep him"
No, mother, you can't Nobody ever
coaxed him TO do anything In his life !"
sobbed Burke. adding bitterly, 81 wish |
was dead My life isn't worth living
feeding hogs and driving oxen, and hoeing
potatoes all the time. | want something
that loves me, and-and- Rouser does love
me sol III give him half of every meal, If
father'll let me keep him. But he won't"
After Burke had fed the hogs, he went
into the rude barn aud lay down beside
Rouser, whom his father had chained there
till he could send him back to town. lie
put his arm around the dog, who seemed to
understand that he was in trouble, and tried
to soothe him by many endearing caresses.
Burke felt so wounded, and at the same
time so angry with his father, that if he had
needed his wrong impulse he would have
run of, and become vagrant with Rouser.
Indeed, he stopped sobbing, whistlcd " Old
Dog Tray" and wondered if boy, who, at
fourteen, was doing a mans work, could ever
screw mp his courage to the pitch Of begging
a supper and lodging
But he remembered that when he was
away for a few days once, his mother had to
split the wood and bring it in from the pile,
aud he said, aloud
No, Rouser, whatever else you and do,
we won't be mean towards III ask the
doctor to keep you for me until I'm twenty
one-thats only seven years-and then I'll
buy twenty dogs, aud you shall be head Of
| them all. I'll 60 over to the village after
dark, and ask the doctor, and You shall have
| all my supper tonight. don't want to eat,
/ il cant have you. Fathers calling mer
George Timson was a sober, honest man,
who had cleared up good tract of govern
ment land out West" and built large
aud comfortable log-house and barn, and
pecuniarily stood as well as any of his few
neighbors but he was rough in his ways,
and very decided. though sensible, and at
times a tenderhearted man.
In the village, three miles away, was
young doctor, who lived in a good house
drove fast horse, autl kept several fine dogs
I He was great favorite in the region, partc
ularly among the young people. He was
the very soul of kindness and good nature,
and cared great deal more for the interests
of his neighbors than for the little fees they
paid him.
II was into the ear Of this friend that
Burke poured his sorrow that night, strok-
ing Rouser's silky head while he talked.
Leave the dog with me tonight, and
will make it all right, Burke, my dear fell
low. You shall have that dog as sure as he
is a dog I'll let your father off from a big
bill if he'll board my dog. I'll take it out in
dogs-meat."
And the kind-hearted fellow laughed till
down-hearted Burke had TO laugh, too.
After pleasant call the boy set off on his
homeward walk, whistng, and feeling far
happier than if farm had been given him.
lie had trudged on a mile or more, and en-
tered a piece of thick woods which com
pletely shut out the lingering rays of day
light, when he heard rustling and cracking
among the underbrush.
In moment he heard quick, sharp bark,
and Rouser rushed up to him. He hugged
and stroked his friend, although there was
some heayiness at his heart when he thought
Of presenting himself at home again, with
the dog at his heels. But, as il was too dark
to return to the village this was his only
COURSE
"What, you've brought that pest back
again 7" cried Mr. Timson, as Burke en-
tered the kitchen where the family were at
supper.
"Do let me tell you about it before you
scold me, father" said the boy.
His explanation was satisfactory but his
father said
I'm willin' to bet my head no other man
would keep that dog but that scapegrace of
a doctor. And now III tell you what profit
, able animal he is. have just found a
big white hen dead, and lying on the ma.
nure-heap and the old rooster found dead
in the gully. So | counted the whole lot on
the roost and there's thirteen missing
That's pretty costly work, feeding dog on
the chickens we meant 10 turn into flour and
meal ~
> Rouser never touched chicken in hi,
life The doctor trained him not to anC
you know he wouldn't eat the one that th'
, strange dog killed. said Burke.
Don't argue with me Hes ate thirteel
I fowls since the day before yesterday an'
if there's another one missing in the morn
= ing, I'll blow his brains ont -
He's the doctors dog now, father,
Burke yentured to say, Doctors cominl
" over tomorrow"
? Well, I'll give the doctor piece of m!
I. mind, too il he don't keep his nuisances of
! my farm - said Timson, very bravely.
T" Better wait till your lame leg gets lit
tie stronger, father" said Mrs. Timson
= smiling.
!, Timson smiled, too, at the thought O
making an enemy of the only doctor in Al
:, area of twenty miles and the subject wa
y dropped for that night.
: Burke shared his supper hungry a h
! was from his long walk, with Rouser, an
= put the dog TO bed in a shed which COZ
nected the house with the barn. Then
: crept off to his own little room in the unfr
ished loft.
!, The mother, sitting before the blazin
a logs. tried " TO coax father over" in the ma
q ter of Rouser; but as Burke had prophesie,
her entreaties were in vain. Every argumeu
she advanced was met with the stern fac
a that he couldn't afford TO feed other folk
n dogs on poultry" and he added the thres
!. that II another fowl was missing in tn
! morning, he would certainly kill the dog.
- Well, the fire had been covered up, an
the house had been as still as the grave fo
4 four long hours. II dreams come, as So
4 omon says they do, through the multitud
q of business, Farmer Timson was weighin
! in visions-his porkers and counting hi
q hens the mother was soothing her chi
A drens little griefs and covering them fror
the cold and Burke, who had been passin
through his first real grief, was caressin
Rouser and telling him TO wait patientl
J, till he should be twenty-one-only seye
~ short years
u All of sudden the family We're rouse
o from slunber and brought together into Tn
s kitchen by the most hideous howls, bark
= and screams, proceeding from the shed an
r the yard. At first Mr.. Timson, hearing wha
u he fanced TO be the cries OF child, declare
that villain, Rouser, had stolen some neigl
boris baby, and was eating 1t up, and ths
= no himself would, likes not, be hung for tn
l. murder.