The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-04-21
CoIcy BARKING at the Hole.

TIoiii &A'A>S'
Boecher in his better days had faith
full and beloved dog called Coley, who in
the genial companionship of his master
attained d measure of intelligence that
was uncommon in canine circles. But
bright and cultivated as Coley was, he
was only dog, and would adhere to dog
fancies at times in a most vexatious way
He was the guardian of Beecher's ru a
yard, where squirrels now and then made
friendly visits when Coley coiled him.
self up to indulge in sunny
dreams. But on one occasion
an sdventurer OF the bushy-tail order
was detected in his raid upon the domes
tic nuts, and Co,ey gave chase to the
reckless intruder. A friendly stone
fence furnished a safe retreat for the
squirrel, and Coley got up to it just as
the tail of the fugitive was whisked into
the hole of the stubborn wall. Cooley
barked at the hole vigorously for a sea-
son; then took a recess and parked again,
then he lay down and whined and watch
cd for the wall to fall over or for the
prisoner To come out and surrender him.
self, and then he barked again, until nj
last, weary of such fruitless
effort, and noting that the
stars had come to tell of the
beautiful dream of the sun, he gave one
long, sad half whine and half growl, and
he'd to his supper. All this was natural
and proper. 1t was just what any we'll
bred dog would have done, but Coley,
ell n hiEtnry loo pa1l
nothing aud forgot nothing. The next
day. when he had seen the children oil
to school, the parson master to his study
to prepare the pous feast for the coming
Sabbath, and done up the dog chores
generally, he bethought himself OF the
truant squirrel in the stone fence,
and he forthwith renewed the
attack upon that mole in which
the feet little child of the forest
had disappeared. He strained his bright,
expressive eyes as he looked into the mar
row crcvices between the cUmpactly
built rocks. made his bristles stand erect
as be warmed up to his assault, and bark
ed, if possible more vehemently than be.
fore. But it was all in vain, and finding
that the birds sang, and the flowers
bloomed, and the sun shone, and little
ones of the farm skipped and irolicked
lust as If there were no squirrels IN the
land, he finally walked demurely away,
leaving the departed chatterer to his
unknown destiny. But Coley never
would give up that squirrel, and when
reused from his noon slumber he would
stretch himself, yawn IN a careless way,
mechanically scratch flea or two out OF
their chosen positions, then look vacantiy
and lancuidly about him for while, and
finally suddenly brighten up like the war
steed at the call of the buglc, and rush for
the squirrel hole in the wall TO take his
chronic bark. And thus Cooley wasted
his dog-music from spring-time till
autumn, and even through the dreary
waste of winter. until he was called with
his master to fashion the ragged edges oil
the City of Churches.
1t is but just to Coley's memory TO
note the more learned imitators he has
ever mad in barking at the hole in the
wall in which some painting squirrel has
made his escape from ferocious pursuers.
They are everywhere-in politics, In re-
liy,on. in social lite, in high and low and
rich and poor, but where they most vege-
tate is in Congress. The persistent
Colev of the House Is Blaine, and not
until he shsll be gathered TO his fathers,
dust 10 dust, will he forget TO employ
every possible opportunity to treat the
nation to II terrific bark at the hole IN the
wall into which he ran the rebellious
Southerners in 1861. Since then he has
barked at that hole willie others accepted
the fame of battle, until North and South
and East and West, and every race and
cline on the continent have hardened
TO the music of his single song. As time
weakened the passions OF the terriois
strife, and peace came with her silver
wings TO bless reunited people, he
would take Coley snooze between cleo
ton campaigns, but when the party flag
was unfurled and the order passed along
to the faithful to fell into line
and vote for the ticket of Grant
and Belknap and Bsbcock and
crooked whisky and all, Blaine would
arouse from his sIumbers, shake himself,
scratch the irritating nips OF political
bummers, gaze at the flag he had barked
into victory, and at once become en-
Unused IN his work and rush TO renew his
bark at the hole where he knew
he had driven the rebels in the years o.
long ago And when the people Of
the nation wearied Of his barking and
deposed him from the chsir of Congress,
by sending a swarm of the very fagi-
tives he had hunted into the hole in the
wall of secession nearly half a
generation $50, he was not to be
denied the luxury of his chronic
bark, even when he knew that the game
at which he wasted his dulcet bowls had
been borne back on his own echoes to
mingle harsh discord with his refrain
And when the wall had been RACED to
the earth and the hole itself had disap
pesred forever in the patriotic efforts OF
returning brotherhood, Coley is distanced
in his achievements bv Blaine, who per-