Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-07-14
OLD DAN.


hands and clothes wet and covered
with mud, his face red and his eyes
flashing.
"Ned!- he shouted, rs he entered
the kitchen. "Where's Nedf"
"Here ami" came a CHEEKY
voice in reply, and in an instant
after Q bright, strong boy OF some
sixteen years entered the old.
fashioned country kitchen from the
adjoining wOOdshetl, where he had
been cutting potatoes for the days
planting. "DO you want aDythingf'
81 want to tell you this,' said
Mr.. Henderson, as he washed him
self ut the sink and rubbed his
FEATHER beaten face with the coarse
towel until it was even more red
than before. "Old Dan must he
killed! Just see the state am in,
and all from that worthless old
rascal. / won't have him about
the house another day. He's good
for nothing but to make trouble,
and he must be shot before night!7
added the farmer wrathfully.
Ned was about to plead for his
pet when his sister came into the
room.
"Why, pap, what is the matteri"
she cried, running to him in aston
ishment. "Did you fall into the
creeki'
III might as well,' he replied,
half laughing. "Old Dan butted
me into the watering trough"
There was a shout of laughter
from both of the children, in which
their mother joined.
"Well, Jedediah,r exclaimed Mrs.
Henderson, coming into the kitch.
en-. shaking with mirth, "what
could yOu have been thinking
about to let an old ram, almost
twenty years old, knock you into
the watering troughf
But explained her husband
"he took me entirely unawares.
had just filled one pail TO carry &c
the barn, when the old rascal came
at me like the wind, and knocked
me completely into the water. He
scampcred, l tell you, before
could get out. He knew he had
done mischief. Anyhow, he's gOl
to be killed to-day, sure. He j,
only a nuisance, and l will shoo
him to night, when We come bacI
from town, if he is on the farm
Two hours later Mr.. and Mrs
. Henderson drove away to be absen
until night. AS they ratified out o
, the yard old Dan suddenly appear
ed close to the gate, and wagginl
his tail as il in derision, gave ut
terance to a boarse "Ba.a.a,a!'
The farmer turned, shook hi
whip at the fellow, and cried, "Thi
is your last day, my boy, make tn
most of III"
, Ned and Carrie were the onl
children. Leaving Carrie in tn
house alone, after they had consid
cred awhile whether there was an
way of averting old Dams sad fate
Ned shouldered his hoe and march
l. ed of to his work, planting pots
e toes with CrOns0n, the hired mat
l. 10 the 'back LOTT
e But the little girl of thirteen ba
. no thought OF being afraid. Sh
" had the breakfast dishes to wasl
h some sweeping to do, and the dir
l. ner to get, all before twelve o'clOcl
>. Time fed. The dishes stood
shining rows on the pantry shelve
= the broom had performed its worl
and Carrie was preparing II
vegetables to be boiled, when thel
came a faint knock at the doc
!. Surprising it to be one Of tt
, neighbors, the little girl did nj
rise, but called:
"Come To-"
4 The door was slowly opened an
> q man stepped within.
He wore Q black coat, buttOu<
,. to his chin, and very thresdbsr
His trousers, too, were black az
very shiny, and much too short 1.
him. On one foot was . boot, Viii
the other was graced BY . raRgs
shoe. He carried Q battered 81
l. hat in his hand. His face n
long and solemn, but quite red, b
eyes bleared, his hands very dirt
and altorether he voS q que