The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-15
II he had beer, child instead of a

puppy I should have been sure he was
going to prove o naturalist, he had such
mania for "specimtns." l used TO
find small museum on the front gallery
eyery morning-severa old bones, tin
can, discarded sun-bonnet and gigan-
tic shoe of Jacinthy's, besides dead |
bird. This bird in particular was
always turning up unes ;pectedly in the
most malodorous condi tion. Forcible
arguments could never persuade Lagni-
anne that it was offensi We. He had q
fashion of presenting it to me, after his
more fragrant misdeeds, as an act OF
propitiation, until it re solved itself into
one wing and O few fea theirs.
His delight was to snatch the food
out of the very mouth of Max, my
horse; leaping into the trough and scat
teripg the corn far and wide.
As fer having a dog to intimidate
thieves, L often wished for few thieves
| to intimidaSe this dog. He possessed
an incredible impuden',e. The only
thing that ever pnt him out of counten-
apcewas q concertina own ed by Jacinthy,
rom which she could draw blood
curdlipg strains. At the first note he
would utter howl, and retire under
the house, with his tail between his leg 8.
Among the members Of my househo Id
was lean, ghostly white turkey, with
whom Lagniappe waged perpetual war.
1t was not that he was openly abrasive,
but he bowed and scraped around it
with such absurd airs OF exagg, Grated
civility that the turkey never con Id con-
sole its tempe r. This creature was al
most as fond uf me as Lagnia ppe was.
and sometimes, after going to my room,
I would hear ghostly chuckle over
head, and looking up, there would be
my feathered friend roosting on the
tester of the old fashioned bed.
With all his faults Lagniappe was af-
fectionate, and loved to sit beside Inc,
smuggling Ills black muzzle into nay
hand. After all, there's no friend hike
u faithful dog. 1t never makes any diff
ference to him whether you grow old
and ugly or lose all your money. He
bears your kicI and curses patient ly,
and presently, when you are In good
temper again, he is ready to wag his tail
and frisk about, you.
Poor Lagniaope he brought rae Que
of the best THU ,gs in my life. L wish
had been n. ore grateful, but at tb at time
nv violent te mper often car ried me
away, The woi st of it was thf,t he die
: not confine his depredations to my owl
I domion, but son ,etimes made lads upoI
! our neighbors, so that l was severa
I times under the necessity of restoring
? stolen articles.
All this timo I had been very bus,
I getting things into running gear, whel
= one fine day I saw LngDiappe tr,ot int
Z | r1,ontl,ft, IL, hic u
! which he secret ed under the front steps
followed him, and discovered she oh
D ect to be thin blue and gold volum
! of poems. The puppy having b cen dis
missed with cuff on the ears, J. looke'
It the hy-leaf, and saw written there
: 'Anne Page The Oaks"
Under this q masculine hand had az
d pended the words, "Sweet Anne Page
q a compliment snubbed by the sever
8, marginal note, "Stuff and Nonsense"
T. Then I remembered that my fathe
W had given me letter of ',ntroductio
s. to q Colonel Page-no doulJt this youn
d lady's papa. ] pictured her tall an
oi slim and fair, with face like a whit
it rose, and an air of gentle and graciou
le dignity.
ty / intended returning the book ir
'g mediately, but e'ich doy something Pr
g, vented mo from doing so, until in Il
i'd mean time I became quite familiar wi
its contents. Here and there found
g. word or a line underscored, and there
lg read with redoubled interest
1e At last found u leisure afternoo
d. Lagniappe showed an inclination
b. follow me, but sternly ordered him
,g stay at home. Seemingly he bowed
III fate, for he fingered beside the hedg
shifting at the leaves, and giving pas
ct ing tweak to the turkeys tail-almo
IN humming O. tune, in fact, the better
ng express carelessness and O good col
hit science. So l left him.
RS. On my way toward Colonel Pag
'as plantation took a cutoff through t
mt fields, but soon discovered that it /
lat me to side gate. However, went
cy and followed the bridle-path until t
elf sound and voices told ne was near
EN- house; SO / checked ny horse benin,
ay clump of japonicas in order to reco
ed nviter. Peering through the branches
could see jutting out from the side
g." the mansion a little portico, on whi
off silvery-haired old lady was standir
with young girl beside her. Sucf
'oo gin "hap O BJPoJ ShO "eso hOo
1 masses of dark hair, pomegran'
is bloom on her cheeks. and the wilde
ny. brightest, sauciest, most laughing eyes
Q a but will not enlarge, as the preach
og say. Before them stood an elderly nes
ng | in defiant attitude. =. .
log "Abram," the old lady was sayil
eth at really cannot stan this any long
his Three times in one week you have co
he home in q state of intoxication."
at "Now, ole mistis, jes you shet u
7ou was Abrams ast sounding rejoinder. &c.
. Missy Anne what I'm addressin'."
rs "Well, hurry up and say what J
/ as have to say" retorted the young lady
the "Now, Missy Anne, doesn't 1 alw
nth drive you out nice, an go whar !.
ok. sends me? An you know you d
he min sendin' me ont any time o da.
ose. night, no matter of it's rainin' rat
his snakes-no, nor searpenters, neit
was An when takes you out in de c'r'a
No an you whistles an sings an behs
con- like young lady didn't oughter
me. doesI ever make any 'jections wild yo
,uld "No, Abram; should hope
fed know your place BETTER" said the {
lble suppressing giggle with severity.
Ieat. "Well, den lin conclusive tor
thy, "whAt fault has you got 10 find O.
the name O. gracious p
md unl 20 alooo Ahrann aa;d