Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-09-01
SAVING THE SPOONS.

yes" Philip Howard was saying,
IN tell it to you ten times more. il
you say so. 1t is as true as preaching.
Every time those bronze dogs on Uncle
James Monroe's steps hear the Fourth
Ward lire-alarm they jump down and
bark"
"Pooh!' said Earnest Weston. Il
don't lclieve it. Bronze dogs can't
bark"
Il d Int say they could," replied
Philip. 81 only know these do every
time III, y hear that bell"
ID don't understand it. OF course ]
know well enough that it's trick, bu!
can't see through it," said Richard
Monroe. "Say the whole thing over
once more, slowly, won't you, Philip"
Philip spoke with great dislinctness:
you know, | pre- sumo the house on
Euclid avenue, where Mr.. James Mon
roe, who has the honor OF being my
uncle, livesP"
u ought to-" said Richard, doubt
fully, "for / live there myself if lie is
the Mr.. James Monroe who has the
honor of being MY father"
EXACTLY the same" replied Philip.
"Wcll, you are aware then that beside
the steps before that house are two dogs
made of bronze. Many time and Of
have you and / played circus upon thcil
backs, and now you pretend not to I'm.
derstand me when l say that every time
they hear the Fourth Ward iire.alarlr
they jump down and bark"
"Did you ever see them do iL9" per.
sisted Richard
mo"
Philip admitted The fact with somc
reluctance.
II never remember, though, being Al
your house when the Fourth Ward lire
alarm sounded. You must have beef
there lots of times-queer you never
noticed them"
zone question more and I'll stop, >
said Richard. "Have they always don't
SOP"
always; just the same as now" wa!
Philips prompt response.
And Richard, pausing only to say: 81
know it's u trick and not the lruth, ant
I'll lind out before I'm done" Wake,
slowly away from the boy aud towards
his own home
"Why didn't you tell himp" sait
Earnest to Philip. Hell bother ovol
it ever so long"
"But he'll puzzle it out before h,
stops" said Philip, proudly. Ale Isl
smart little fellow, if he is my cous n
he thinks and thinks till he gets thing
worked out every time"
On the steps leading up 10 the from
door Richard stopped to look at tht
dogs. They were certainly quiet, 81
their kind are liable 10 be; if the
jumped down to bark at fires, they wcr
very careful to jump back in exactly TN
same place.
1t was very provoking to be so pun
zled by what he knew perfectly wei
was ouly the twist ofsome word; thougl
he repeated Philips sentence over AM
over without getting the least idea o
what the catch might be.
The next Wednesday he was wak"nct
in the night from sound sleep by tn
noise OF door, slamming violently IL
started up in his bed, listened, and hear,
the ringing of the Fourth Ward fire
alarm bell.
Then, if ever, was the time for prov
ing that dog story. He was forbidden
to go TO fires at night; but Tom, win
was grown up and did business wit
lumber company, always went. Ii
had slammed the door, which RicharC
knew would be unbolted until his re
turn.
Richard had never been told that h
must not go into the garden to hear til
dogs on the step bark at iire-bels, 8
hastily slipping on shoes and clothes h
made his way quietly down the stair
and out the door.
The dogs were in the usual position
but Richard knew that Philip had som
foundation of truth to his declaration
so he waited for the bell to ring again
lie leaned upon one of the dogs II dan
gcrous proceeding if the animal pei
formed rs Philip predicted. But Rich
ard knew that if the rush of the host
carts caused trembling, or if the win
or echo sounded in their throats tn
geutlest noise. that could be exaggcr
atcd into bark, he should be in a p(
sition to hear.
But there was neither motion nc
sound. Again and again the bell sounC
ed, and each time the dogs failel t
jump, Or bark, OF be in the slightest dc
gree affected.
He was so Interested in his exper
ment that he did not notice Tom, who
finding the fire far distant from h
lumbor-yard. had returned after 4 fe'
moments.
The slipping Of the bolt on the insiJ
of the door roused Richard 10 the fa,
that he was locked out. When /
thought bringing the bell, and so gail
Ing admittanc9, he had for the first tin