Litchfield enquirer., 1878-08-08

at his ladder to take it away: and 1 wouldn't unite the dog, because if had he'd 'a-tore the tendons out of that feller's legs in no time. 1 never see dog in such boiling passion, and yet never making no sound at all but blood curdlin' grunts. An I don't see how the rod der would a get his ladder at all if the dog hadn't made an awful jump at him, and jerk anium-bed, and the rodder, he ran to the other end of it; and began pullin' it away, dog an all. 'Look-a-here,' says I, we can fix him now : and so he cooled down enough to help me, and I unlocked the front door, and we l pushed the bottom end of the ladder in, dog and all an then I shut the door as tight as it would go, an united the end of the rope, an the rodder pulled the ladder out while held the door to keep the dog from follerin', which he came pretty near doin', anyway. But 1 l locked him in, and then the man began storm in'again about his wagon ;but when he locked out an see the boy comin' back with it,-for | somebody must "a stepped the horse, -he stopped stOrmin' and went to put up his lad der az in No, you don't says I; : I'll let f the big dog loose next time, and if put him at the foot of your ladder, you'll never come 1 down But want to go up and take down what I put up, he says; I aint a-goin' on with this job Ne says I, you aint and you can't go up there to wrench off them rods and | couldn't get no madder than he was then, an fur minute or two he couldn't speak, an then he says, 'Pll have satisfaction for this.' An says I, 'HowT An says he, You'll see what it is to interfere with a ordered job-' An says l, There wasn't no order about it : an 1 says he, Tll show you better than that:' an 1 he goes to his wagon an gifts book There says he, read that What of it P says I there's nobody of the name of Ball lives here 1 aof fNolz 1rS, -oIo ol he was told it was the only house on the lane, which 1 sad was right, only it was on the next lane he oughter "a gone to. He said no more after that, but just put his ladder into his wagon, and went on. But was not alto gether rid of him. He left trail of his bale full presence behind him. 'That horrid bulldog wouldn't let me come into the house! No matter what door 1 tried, there he was, just foamin mad. let him stay till nearly night, and then went and spoke kind to him !; but it was no good. He'd got an awful spite ag'in me. I found something to eat down cellar, and I made a fire outside an roasted some corn and potatoes. That night 1 slept in the barn. wasn't afraid to be away from the house, for 1 knew it was safe enough with that dog in it and Lord Ed ward outside. For three days, Sunday an all, l was kep' out of this here house. got along pretty we'll with the sleepin' and the eatin, but the drinkin' was the worst. couldn't get no coffee or tea but there was plenty of milk" l ''Why din'nt you get some man to come and attend to the dog p asked. 'It was dread full to live that way" r 1 "Well, 1 didn't know no man that could do il" said Pomona. ''The dog would "a been too much for Old John, and besides, he was mad about the kerosene Sunday afternoon, Captain Atkinson and Mrs. Atkinson and their little girl III push wagon, come here and 1 told lem you was gone away; but they says they would stop minute and could give them drink an I had nothin' to give it to | them buta old chicken-bowl that 1 had wash ed out, for even the dipper was in the house, an l told 'em everything was locked up, which was true enough, though they must "a 1 thought you was queer kind of people; but l wasn't a-goin' to say nothin' about the dog, fur, to tell the truth was ashamed to do it.
 So as soon as they'd gone I went down into the cellar,-and it's lucky that had the key for the outside cellar door, ,-and I get a piece of fat corn-beef and the meat-ax. 1 unlocked the kitchen door and went in, with the ax in one hand and the meat in the other The dog might take his choice. knowd he must be pretty nigh famished, for there was nothing he | could get to eat. As soon as l went in, he came running to me ; but could see he was shaky in his legs. He looked a sort of wick ed at me, and then he grabbed the meat. He was all right then" .
 ''Oh, my!" said Euphemia, T am so glad to hear that. was afraid you never got in. But we saw the dog - is he as savage yet?"
 ''Oh mol" said Pomona "nothing like it."
 "Loek here, Pomona" said I, q want to know about those taxes. When do they come into your sotry ?"
 Pretty soon, sir," said she, and she went | on:
 'After that, I know'd it wouldn't do to have them two dogs so that they'd Lave to be tied up if they see each other. Just like as not I'd want them both at once, and then they'd go to fghtin, and leave me to settle with some blood-thirsty ligltnin' -rodder. So, as l know'd if they once had fair fight and found out which was master they'd be good friends afterward, thought the best thing to do would be to let lem fight it out, when there was nothin' else for them to do. So fixed up things for the combat" 1 'Why, Pomona!' cried Euphemia, "I didn't think you were capable of such a cruel thing"
 ''It looks that way, ma'am, but really it aint, replied the girl. ''It seemed to me as if it would be mercy to both of 'em to have the thing settled. So cleared away place III front of the woed-shed and unclaimed Lord Edward, and then opened the kitchen door and called the bull Out he came, with his teeth a-showin', and his blood-shot eyes, and his crooked front legs. Like lightnin' from the mount'in blast, he made one bounce for the big dog, and oh! what fight there was ]! They rolled, they gnashed. they knock ed over the wood horse and sent chips fyin' all ways at wonst. thought Lord Edward would whip in minute or to but he didn't, l for the bull stuck to him like burr, and they was havin' it, ground and, lofty, when hears some one run up behind me, and turnin, quick, l there was the 'Piscopalian minister, My my | my ! he hollers; what awful spectacle! | Aint ther no way of stoppin' it?. No, sir says l. and told him how didn't want to l stop it, and the reason why. Then says he, Where's your master ? and told him how you was away. Isn't there any man at all | abont p says he. No says l. Then, says he, if there's nobody else to stop it, must do it myself An he took off his coat. sNo,' l says l, you keep back, sir, If there's anybody to plunge into that erena, the blood be mine ; an l put my hand, without thinkin, ag'in his black shirt-bosom, to hold him back; but he | didn't notice, bein' so excited Now says l. l -'jist wait one minute, and you'll see that bulls tail go between his legs. He's weaken | in'.' An sure enough, Lord Edward got a good grab at him, and was a-shakin' the very | life out of him, when 1 run up and took Lord Edward by the collar. Drop it !" says l, and he dropped it, for he know'd he'd wh1p- ped, and he was pretty tired hisself Then l the bulldog, he trotted off with his tail a-hangin down. Now. then, says l., them dogs will be bosom friends forever after this' 'Ah mer says he, I'm sorry indeed that your l employer, for who Eve always had great respect, should allow you to get into such habits That made. me feel bad, and told him, mighty quick, that you was the last man in the world to let me do anything like that, and that, if you'd "a been here, you'd "a sep arated them dogs if they'd a-chawed your arms off that you was very particular about such things; and that it would be pity if he was to think you was dog-ftin' gentleman, when I'd often heard you say that, now you like most wonld be to be made 7estryman." sat up straight in my chair.
 l Pomona" I exclaimed, you didn't tell him that ?"
 1 ssThats what I said, sir, for wanted him to know what you really was an he says. l Well, well, I never knew that It might be