Connecticut western news., 1880-01-07

under the blanks, and drew out a pistol.
 "What are you going to do with that?" said I.
 Going to kill a dog," said Josh, ex. amining the weapon. $ He's an awful savage fellow; bit me the other morn ing at least he bit through nay boot leg, But now I'm ready for bina.'
 Presently we came to house where a large black dog lay on the steps, his nose on his paws, and one eye open.
 "There he is P said Josh, cooking sf,e pistol. Now let him come at me.
 The dog watched us. appar sntly with considerable interest, but did not stir.
 'I must fetch him this time" said Josh. "Father wouldn't let me carry the pistol if he knew it, and can't leave it under the sidewalk every day; g rain would spoil it.''
 He stopped before the open gate, and began talking to the dog in no very com- plimentary terms.
 Here, you black savage" said he, "come and bite me now, will you ?'
 The dog slowly got up, stretched himself out, and deliberately walked forward to the gate.
 Josh held down the pistol, and the great black beast walked nconcernedly up to it and proceeded to smell of the muzzle, in mild spirit of investiga- tien.
 "Bang P went the ristoI.----------
 HoWT r went the dog.
 "Oh-g-o-o-d-g P went Josh, as he lifted his bleeding hand with 8 piece of the pistol sticking to it.
 We bound it up with g handkerchief, while the bowling dog ran eff around the house, and the sound of an opening shut ter at a window above warned us to de- part.
 We had not passed more than three houses, when 9 gate just ahead of us was pushed open, and another enormous black dog came out.
 Great Casarp said Josh, I've shot the wrong dog There's the beast that bit me 1"
 What shall we do ?'' said | looking about for stone.
 "We can't do anything" said Josh. !" And the rest of the people on this street must do without their papers this morning."
 Whereat he bolted downa cross street, and l followed him,
 It was TOW rapidly growing light, and all along the route there were signs that the town was waking up. At one place small curly y-haired man, with twink ling black eyes, ,who kept confectioner' s shop, had just opened his door and was sweeping the sidewalk
 's Be kind of quiet, now," said Josh I have cooky here."
 Before could ask him what sscooky'' was, he had glided into the shop, fol- lowed by the man, and I overheard a little argument between them as to whether this made nine or thirteen the confectioner supporting the mine theory, ans Josh espousing the cause of thirteen The matter was finally compromised on "eleven," and Josh reappeared with six molasses cakes in one pocket, the other full of candy, and two apples in his hspd.
 Ilearned that "cooky" was a GUS toner picked up by the carrier for his own benefit, whose name did not appear on the books of the office, and of whom the carrier received his pay either in such merchandise as boys have use for, or in cash at reduced rates.
 A little further on, where a house stood we'll back in the yard, with pretty bit of lawn and considerable shrubbery in front, an old gentleman, with his spectacles turned up on the top of his head, was looking about in the grass in vague sort of way.
 He's always cut early for his paper, " said Josh. Now watch h1s 1sspectacles. J And with that, having given an extra twist to paper, he sent it. Of went the spectacles, spinning in mid-air, and finally hung dangling in the top of the lilac bush, while Josh immediately dove down an alley that led to the next street leaving the old gentleman to think ii was all aa accident.
 "Doesn't he give you much at New Years ?" said I.
 "Well," said Josh, "he's about ten center" The last house on the route was { boarding house, and two young ladies in pretty morning dresses, were stand ing on the steps.
 "It's an old bachelor that takes tn, paper here," said Josh, "and he say these two old maids bother him to deatl by getting it every morning before het up, and reading it till it's time for hin to go to business"
 One of the cold maids, as Josh ane his patron called them-who was sppar parently about IS years of age-cam tripping down the walk, throwing ahea. 8 very sweet smile at Josh as he stoot before the gate, with the paper in hi hand, slowly rolling it up. But Josl observed something which she did not namely, that the blinds of chambe window were softly opened, and, as tn poet says, he saw hand she could no see "a masculine hand-beckoning iron l the easement.
 Just as the smile had reached it's eli max, and the ladys winsome hand wa extended to receive the paper, Josh gay it throw and sent it straight in at th open window, where the bachelor grin ningly caught it on the fly and instantl vanished from our sight.
 That young ladynever smiled on Jos, | IL: