The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-28
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rever could abide old bachelors, and here one of iem's gone and moved in right next door. He's got great, honid doe. too. m warrant he'll be the plague of our lives"
 aMebbe not, Jane," mildly expostu- lated her sister, Mrs. Webb. "Old bachelors ain't apt to be meddlesome, generly.
 Himl I meant the dog," snapped Miss lane. "Of course he'll be running over here, tormenting the Cat and digging holes in the flower beds next summer fur A cool place to lie in, or a chasing the hens an stealing the eggs when they've made nests in the weeds. But won't put up with it an I shall tell him so plum D the very first chance l git"
 aThe dog. Jane?'
 @The dogl Of course not. meant the crusty, grabbed old bachelor him. self"
 "Oh, Jane! You don't think he would steal the eggs and make holes in the flower beds, do youp
 Fiddlesticksl Ain't you got no sense at all, Melancey2 A body might as well talk to a clothes prop as you! said the dog would steal the eggs, an shouldn't put up with it, aR' l should tell the old bachelor so, too. Nov de you under stand An sb will I'll take the broomstick to him, too. See if don't" she concluded, emphatically.
 Miss Jane and her sister owned the lit- tic cottage in which they lived, which was about all they did own, and managed to eke out a living by doing plain sewing, dressmaking, or anything of the kind they could get to do.
 "There's the gate open and Sam Pickles old bell-cow a-tramplin' round in the truck patch, of course" and snatching up a sun bonnet she darted out to put a summary stop to the old bell. cows dePredations among her garden truck.n
 Meanwhile the old bachelor next door was taking survey of the situation.
 1.-Two women folks. and one of them an old maid, I'll bet pocketknife. The other looks like she might be widow. from allus dressing in black. Thunder What did ever move in here for? Paid six months rent, tool Confound it all, a man ain't safe anywhere hardly these days. Of course, they'll both be a-setting their caps to ketch me, but won't be caught I'll keep out of their way as much as possible, and even if meet one of 'em face to face I'll look another way. l see they keep parcel of old hens, too. If any of lem come a-scratching about here I'll set the dog on lem, sure. ain't to be pestered by old maids or their hens, either. I've hired . rsa: servant a-purpose to keep out of their clutches, an ain't a-going to be took in by the smartest woman that ever lived"
 He was by no means the crusty, crab bed old bachelor Miss ane had declared him ts be, but rather ine-iooking man, with pleasant. dark eyes, and only few threads of silver shining in his abundant brown hair.
 Moreover, his canine follower was not "great horrid " dog, but very curly and frolicsome Newfoundland puppy.
 "There's that dog worryin' the chick ems agin," screamed Miss Jane one morn ing, and, snatching up the broom, she hurriedly gave chase.
 Finding himself pursued, the puppy at once released the Leghorn roostei's tail, which he had been playfdlly shaking to the great disgust of its owner, and with a bark of delight seized the edge of Miss Jane's homespun petticoat which showed beneath the rim of her dress, and shook it energedcally.
 The outraged Miss Peaslee in the meantime beat right and left with her broom, missing the culprit at each lick, however, until thoroughly exhausted she dropped her weapon on the ground, whereupon Curly immediately seized it and scampered eff with all his might.
 Over the neat, gravelly walk, over the tidy border of blackberry lilies and Iris versi-color, round and round he whirled, dexterously avoiding the averaging foe, until at last he esPied Bonaparte, the big gray Cat, leisurely taking his morning walk. Whereupon he at once dropped the broom and gave chase to the cat.
 Bonaparte fled up tree in great ter TOT, and Miss Peaslee, seizing the demo or alized broom, made a sudden sortie on the dog. Curly, however, discovering this rear attack in the nick of time, scut- tied swiftly across the yard and through the fence to his masters domain, where he immediately unearthed half-gnawed bone from its hiding place and proceeded to solace himself herewith.
 You had a real nice play with him, didn't you i" said Mel incey, com placently. looking up as her sister made her appearance.
 "Playi The vivacious beast chawed the broom to pieces an tore my skirts half of O me, if you call that play" sniffed Miss Jane wrathfully.
 
 "Jane! Jane What on airth is this that dogs ben a s,.akin' an wallopin' round in the dust ?" cried Melancey few days later.
 The dog was growling and shaking some dark object fearfully.
 After a desperate struggle the sisters succeeded in rescuing all that remained of-a coat. A mans co. t of fine, heavy, dark cloth. hopelessly mutiliated by the teeth and claws of the frolicsome puppy.
 "Dear me, it's plum ruined r cried Melancey. @It must belong to the ole l. -l . al l. g.