Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-01-12

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perhaps you had better give me a light
lunch before go; piece of pie, ana q
cup of tea, and little cold meat, or some
thing of that sort"
ooh, certainly; only can'tgive you tne
meat, for we haven't it in the house, said
Carrie, rising; ''but will find something"
And she brought from the pantry whole
aprle-pie, which she placed before MIN,
with knife and fork.
eff you will help yourself, I'll have the
tea ready in three minutes
''All right, my dsar!" said the man,
seizing the knife, and drawing the pie to-
wards him. II will act upon your advice.
The last time 1 took dinner with Gen.
Grant," he continued, as he cut great
piece, and began to eat, he said to she,
Governor, Governor said he, never
disregard Iady's ADVICE and I have
always remembered what he said - and
| he chuckled merrily, and nodded his head
at the delicious looking pastry before
him.
| Carrie wondered little at the table
manners of the man who had dined with
Grant, but she stepped his tea, favored it
with rich cream an d sugar, and passed it
| to him.
81 am not much of hand for tea, }" said
| the man. as he drained the cup, "but nay
| doctor says that must drink 1t for my di-
| gestion. Ruined my digestion while was
! in the army, you see;" and he winked
| solsmnly. 'By the way" he continued,
| picking up the silver teaspoon from his
| saucer, ''have you any more of these
They are as neat pattern as 1 ever saw,
and odd, too. 1 should like to see the rest
of the dozsn. if you have them.''
Mother has only eleven" said Carris,
In Fer 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.-e teaspoons,
four tablespoons. and an ancient cream-jug.
all pure silver, and shining brightly
and placed them before her inquigitiye
visitor to admire.
He had finished his slight lunch" That
is, epie 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 moment, and then, IS if
in joyful surprise, cried,-
II am right They are the very spoons 4
The very same identical spoons that my
friend lost when he was boy! How lucky
it is that l have found them at last !"
With these words, and a very low bow,
the rascal opened the door and slipped
away with the spoons and silver cream
pitcher down the path towards the gate.
For an instant, Carrie stood motionless;
then, rushing after him, she shrisked,-
"Give me those spoons! They are my
mothers spoons, and you are trying to
steal them You are thief, a thief Bring
them back, bring them back -
The man, however, paid no attention to
the chiId'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 appear
ed on the scene.
Old Dan was quietly nibbling the grass
near the gateway. Hearing his little mis-
tress' voice, he looked up at the very in
slant that the tramp passed. What he
saw about the man that disturbed him, I
don't know; but, erecting his lead with a
hoarse s.Baa-a ~ he shot after him like
cannon ball.
The IAN turned to receive him and de-
ro~l nooIf hut ho m hi 70 r-
ly in fro ut, and knocked him, half sense
less, fiat on his back, scattering the silver
in all dire ctions.
For an instant, the fellow remained
sprawling IN the dust, then he slowly arose:
limping a nd gr0aning, and without a
glance at MS enemy, began to gather up
his stolen polls.
He had p; trtly eomple ted his task Vhen
Old Dan, VII 20 all this time had been watch
ing the proc, ealng from beneath his shay
gy eyebrows, shook his long beard, and
with another tremendous "Baa-a !" dash
ed at him agf IIn, and over he went second
time, his trea sures flying from his hands.
And now b sgan strange battle. With
cries of rage md PAIN the man recovered
his feet and tn Ened upon the ram, kicking
and striking + him fur1ousiy. while Dan,
accustomed to such warfare from years OF
experience with the boys of the country
side, easily eluded him, and IN return.
butted him to the earth again ai1d again.
The spoons and cream-pitcheE we're
knocked h1ther and thither. as the COM
oatants struggled, the road was tralapled
into something like race -courss, the air
was filed with very bad language, very an
CRY baas, and great cloud of dust.
But after some five minutes. victory de-
clared itself upon the side of the quadruped
and bruised and bleeding, with clothes In
rags, minus hat and shoe, the vanquished
man suddenly turned away, and ran limp
ing down the road. leaving his an tagonist
en- silver.
Old Dan remained motioDless, gazing
after his enemy, until he disappear red
around distant turn in the road, then,
shaking the dust from his coarse wool, he
gave ntterance to low grumble of salts
faction, and wagging his tail, returned to
his dinner in front of the house.
Half on hour later, as Carrie washed
the coveted spoons and the bright little
pitcher. and laid them carefully away once
more, she told her brother the story, and
how the robber was fooled; and Ned, full
OF enthusiasm, cried,-
eve will not kill Old Dan at all, for
do not believe that father would shoot him
now for hundred dollars ~
And the boy WAS right. The old ram
won more than he knew whsn he fought
the tramp and conquered him. He won
his masters regard and free, happy life