The Somerset reporter., 1885-07-15
Selected.
MRS. PEASLEE'S NEIGH
BOR.

| cried Miss Jane Peaslee, exctedly 81
never could abide old bachelors, and here
one of ems gone and moved in right next
| door. He's got great, horrid dog, too.
I'll warrant he'll be the plague of our
| lives"
"Mebbe not, Jane" mildly expostulated
| her sister, Mrs. Wnbb. "Old bachelors
amt apt to be meddlesome, gcner'ly."
"Iim! mean the dog" snapped Miss
Jane "Of course he'll be running over
here, tormenting the Cat and digging holes
| in the flower beds next summer fur Il cool
place to lie in, or a chasing the hens an
stealing the eggs when they've made nests
in the wteds. But won't put up wit. it
an shall tell him so plump the very first
chance git"
1.-THE dog, Jane?
"rhe dog! or course not | mean the
crusty, grabbed old bachelor himself"
ooh, Jane! You don't think he would
steal the eggs and make holes in the flow
er beds, do your"
"Flddlesticks! Amt you got no sense
at all, Melancey? A body might as well
talk to a close prop as you! said the dog
would steal the eggs an l shouldn't put up
with it an should tell the old bach, Ion SO
too. Now do you understundp an so
will! IN lake the broomslick to him, too.
See if | dou't," she concluded emphatical-
ly.
Miss Jane aud her sister owned the little
cottage in which they lived, which was
about all they did own, and managed to
exc out a living by doing puin sewing,
dressmaking, or anything of the kind they
could get to do.
"There's the gate open and Sam Pick es'
old bell cow tramplin' round in the truck
patch, of course, and sna ching up sun
bonnet she darted out to put a summary
stop to the old bell-cows depreciation
among her "garden truck.
Meanwhile the old bachelor next door
was taking a survey of the situation.
1.-TWO women folks, and one Of thed an
old maid, I'll bet u pocketknife. "The
otner looks like she might be n widow,
from allus dressing in black. Thunder!
What did | ever move in here forr Paid
SIX mouths rent, too! Confound it ALL
man amt safe anywhere hardly these days.
OF course, they'll both he asserting their
caps to ketch me, ut won't he caught!
I'll keep out Of their way as much as pos
sblc, and even if | meet one Of 'em face to
face I'll look another way. see they keep
a parcel of old hens, too. If any of 'em
come a-scralchng about here I'll set the
dog ON 'em, sure | amt to be pesteIed
by old maids or their hens, either. I've
hired man servant a-purpose to keep ont
OF their clutches, an amt a-going to be
took in by the smartcst woman that ever
lived"
He WA by no means the crusiy, grabbed
old bad pr Miss Jane had declared him to
he, buS>0 rather tne-ooking man, with
pleasant, dark eyes, and only few threads
of silver shining in his abundant brown
hair.
Moreover, his canine follower was not
hnrridp inU hpt a curlV and
fro!icsome Newfoundland puppy.
"rhere's that d g a-worryin' the chick
ems agin," screamed Miss Jane one morn
ing, and, snatching up the broom, she hur-
riedly gave chase.
Finding himself pursued, the puppy at
once released the L"ghorn ROSTERS tail,
which he had been playfully shaking to the
great disgust of its owner, and with bark
of delight seized the edge of Miss James
bomespun pettcoat which showed beneath
the rim of her dress, and shook 1t energet-
cally.
Tie outraged Miss Peaslee In the mean
time 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
Gully Immediately seized it and scampered
off with all his might.
over the neat, gravely walk, over the
thy border of blackberry lilies and Iris
versi-color, round and round he whirled,
dexterously avoiding the avenging foe, un-
til at last he espied Bonapart, the big gray
cat, leisurely taking his morning walk.
Whereupon he at once dropped the broom
aud gave chase 10 the cat
Bonaparte fled up tree in great terror,
and Miss Peaslee seiZing the demorallZtu
broom, made sud- n sortie on the dog.
Curly, however, discovering this rear al
tack in the nick of time, scuttled swiftly
acres the yard and through the fence to
his masters dom ain, where he Immediate
ly unearthej n half-gnawed bone IRON IFS
hiding pl zee and proceedee to solace him.
self Herewith.
."You had real nice play with him,
didn't you?" said Melancey, complacentlA,
looking I'd as her sister made her appeal
auce.
"Play The vicious beast chawed the
broom to pieces an tore my >kirts halt OF
o. me, if you call that play" shifted Miss
Jane wrathfully.
"J,ne! Jane! What on airth is this
that dogs ben shakiD' an walopin' round
in the dust?" cried Melancey few days
later.
The dog was growing and shaking
some dark object fearfully.
After desperate struggle the sisters
succ eeded in rescuing all that remained OF
"A Goa. mans coat, OF fine, heavy,
dark cloth, hopelessly mutilisted by the
teeth and claws of the frolicsome puppy
"Dear me, it's plum ruinedr cried Me-
lancey. at must belong to The ole bache-
or an the dog has stole it," And she sur
veyed 1t regretfully. holding 1t up oy the
tails.
"But-whats that2"
THAT" WAS something that dropped out
Of one of the pockets.
lane seized it quickly. 1t was a letter.
"Why, Melaucey," che cried, bre'thless'
ly "it-it's directed to mel"