The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-01-30
JACK STANTON'S STRAY.
A Story of Two Brave and Faith
full Dogs.

"Jack Stanton Ho, Jack Stan
tonr'
Jack was on the steps of the back
porch, and, as it was warm day, and
he had just come from the post-ofice,
he had no special mind to answer the
call. They were going to play ball.
He saw Joe Merritt, with his club,
crossing the street at that smoment.
Jack was rather fond; of ball, though
his share of the game was not large.
He ran after it when 1t went beyond
bounds; and, once in while, by q
lucky spring, he caught it on the fly.
But he liked always to play with the
boys; and now-yes, little Will Stanton
was to be,in 1t was Jacks business
TO take care of him, anyway; and he
picked himself up and went over to the
background.
Harry Stanton had come out after
Will; May and Nellie and Kate and
Baby Ruth were following to watch the
game. There were so many Of the
Stanton children that there really
seemed no need of giving the family
name to Jack-a wait and stray,
taken in two years before. But the lit
tie folks had called HIM so in those first
days, when they found out what a
good-natured fellow he was, and what
capital playmate. And the name
chung to him, so that now every one in
the village called him by it, and he was
quite one of the family.
Hell never disgrace it, at any rate, :"
Mr.. Stanton had said, laughing, one
evening when his wife begged him to
forbid the children's calling him So
''ln fact, he's the handsomest and best
behaved member of the flock, now"
'And he's our own-own dear JACKIE
little Nellie had added, hugging his
curly, black head, ''and we love him
just as much as--as we do each Others
and he ought to be called Jack Stanton,
if he is only dog!"
Only dog, indeed; but such a splen-
did big Newfoundland, with curly,
black coat and white vest, and lovely
dark eyes, and the merest tips of white
at the end of his waving bushy tail! He
was a knowing fellow, too, and had
been taught no end of tricks by the
children. | have seen him play leap
frog with the boys, and seem to enjoy it
rs much as they. He wore a harness
and dragged them on sled in winter
a red leather harness Nellie had made
for him, and which only she could have
persuaded him to wear so meekly. But
he liked coasting much better, and
would come down the hill on the front
of HarRy's long sled, with a bark as
wild as his masters shouts. He trotted
to market with Mr. Stanton, and
brought home the basket. He even
went to the post-ofIice.
And to cap ALL he went to church
every Sunday with the family, and be-
haved much better than Harry and
VIII; for he slept straight through the
sermon, and that they couldn't keep
still long enough to do. At first, Mrs.
Stanton had not liked this, and she had
gone so far as to shut him up Sunday
morning to prevent it. That did very
well for once; but the next week Jack
was not to be found after breakfast,
and he only appeared at the church
door when it was too late to take him
back. After that, she tried shutting
him up Saturday night, and then Satur.
day afternoon, and then Saturday
morning, and then she gave it up. The
truth was, the house was very lonely
when all the family went to church
Jack did not like cit. He thought il
much nicer to 90 with the rest, and
after awhile, when people were used tc
ii, they thought so, too. Once only he
got into difficulty He came late one
morning, the day after the annual pew.
renting, and when he went to the ole
seat where he always found his family,
there was no one there but a vinegar.
faced man, who shook a cane at him.
and said: 'Out, sir!" as loud as he dared,
OF course, Jack Stanton went out He
was too much of gentleman to stay
where he was not wanted, and, besides
where was his dear master and chill
dren. AS he trotted soberly down the
aisle he thought how to find them; ano
the next minute some one saw him 90
ing up the gallery stairs. The gallery
was at the front end of the church
over the vestibule, and there were The
singers seats and the melodeon; fol
this was an old-fashioned church, anc
all this happened good while ago
Nobody disturbed him, for by this time
every one knew Jack Stanton; but the
young folks in the choir smiled, yor
may be sure, when they saw him plan
his forefeet on the front railing and lool
all around the church below. Right
left, amen corner-ahl there at last i,
his masters head, and Harry's next
and VIII turns at that instant and see.
him, and it's a double wonder tha
the boy doesn't whistle, or the doc
bark. VIII nudges his mother anC
whispers the news, and, in another
minute, Jack comes gravely down tn,
aisle and asks admittance, and Mr.
stanton unbuttons the door of the pew
and he lies down at kis masters fee
with long sign of satisfaction. Now
that is true, every word of it, and some
of the old people who sat that day i,
the gallery win voueh for it.
Brave, faithful Jack Stanton! AS tn,
years went on and the children crew
up, no only loaed them more. Bv Ions
being treated as well as human being
talked to, praised, blamed, trusted
Jacks intelligence had been so devel
oped that he seemed to know about a
much as any one. He could not talk. bu
he could understand, and he could max,
himself understood, and what NOR,
would you have? Perhaps, because hi
had always been made much of by PEG
PIE Jack was not very fond of othel
dogs, and had very little to do will
them. He was a born aIistocrat and he
Kept hjs defiance thinking his brethren
rather q poor set, and mostly with VERY
bad manners.