The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-02-19

~ A>~Au@u NY u1SeelAOA "nl1e
winked solemnly. "By the way,' he con
tinued, picking up the silver teaspoon
from his saucer, shave you any more OF
these? They are as neat pattern as
ever saw, and odd, too. I should like to
see the rest of the dozen if you have them,
"Mother has only eleven" said Carrie
in her innocence, land she is very proud
of them; but will show them to YOU"
Then she brought the little box with
the precious table-silver-eleven tea-
spoons, four tablespoons and an ancient
cream, m,jug-all pure silver, and shining
brightly-and placed them before her in
qusitive visitor to admire.
He had finished his slight lunch" ;"
That is, the pie was demolished, and the
teapot empty. As the little girl handed
HIM the treasures, he arose, took the box
to the window, examined its contents
with critical eye for a moment, and then
as If in joyful surprise cried:
II am right! They are the very spoons !
The very same identical spoons that my
friend lost when he was a boy! How
lucky it is that 1 have found them at
last!'
With these words, and very low bow,
the rascal opened the door and slipped
away with the spoons and silver cream.
pitcher down the path toward the gate.
For an instant Carrie stood motlonless {;
then, rushing after him, she sbrieked:
Give me those spoons! They are nv
mothers spoons, and you are trying to
steal them! You are a thief, thief!
BRING them back bring them back!"
The man, however, paid no attention to
the child's cries, but ran rapidly down
the path, carrying the box in his arms;
and the spoons and pitcher would have
been lost forever if new party had not
appeared on the scene.
Old Dan was quietly nibhling the grass
near the gateway. Hearing his little mis-
tre's' voice, he looked up at the very
instant the tramp passed. What he saw
| about the man that disturbed him, l
don't know; but, erecting his head with
a hOarse "Ba-a-a!' he shot after him
like cannon-ball
The man turned to receive him and
defend himself, but the. ram
struck him fairly in front and knocked
him half-senseless fat on his back, scat
eAC oAAFC1 III all OlIcCt1OuS.
For an instant the fellow renamed
sprawling IN the dust, then he slowly
arose limping and groaning, and with
out glance at his enemy, began to gath
er up his stolen spoils.
he had partly completed his task
when Old Dan, who ali this time had
been watching the proceeding from be-
meath his shaggy eyebrows. shook his
long beard, and with another tremen-
dous "Baa-a!' dashed at HIN again and
over he went second time, his treasures
flying from his hands.
And now began strange battle. With
cries of rage and pain, the man recovered
his feet and turned upon the ram, kick
ing and striking at him furiously, while
DAM accustomed to such warfare uom
years of experience with the
boys of the country side, easily cluded
him, and in return butted him to the earth
again and again.
The spoons and cream pitcher were
knocked hither and th1thcr, as the
combatants struggled, the road was
trampled into something like a race
course, the air was filled with very bad
language, very angry baas and a
great cloud of dust
But after some five minutes, victory
declared itself upon the side of the quad
ruped and, bruised and bleeding, with
clothes in rags, minus hat and shoe, the
vanquished man suddenly turned away
and ran limging down the road, leaving
his antagonist in full possession of the
field and the stolen silver.
Old Dan remained motlonless, gazing
after his enemy until he disappeared
around a distant turn in road; then,
shaking the dust from his course WOOL
he gave utterance to low grumble of
satisfaction, and, wagging his tail, re-
turned to his dinner in front OF the house.
Half an hour later, as Carrie washed
the coveted spoons and the bright little
pitcher and laid them carefully away
once more, she told the story to her bro
ther. and how: the robber was foiled; and
Ned, full of enthusiasm, cried
I'VE will not kill Old Dan at all, for
do not believe that father would shoot
him now for s. hundred dollars"
And the boy was ri ght. The old ram
won more than he knew when he fought
the tramp and conquered him. He won
his masters regard, and free, happy
life tor the remainder of his days.