The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-14

ey, the VlCtCfy OF ner adversary, nor the
building OF a small wOoden-cross-c crowned
Ronish chapel in Riverton, raised Me-
hetabel's temper to such fearful pitch of
exaltation, as did the location of the
shanty of Torrance Delaney. This mod
est tenement had front of rough boards,
sides of stone and earth, vertical wall
of original Pettigrew hill for its rear, and
turf roof, and was put close to the track
in the exact center of the strip which the
railroad company conquered from the
last ofthe Pettigrews /; and when this edi-
fee was tenanted by the Delaney family,
and made thoroughly homelike by a
"lean-to" constructed of condemned
railroad ties, dismembered dry goods
boxes and old stove pipes fattened out,
and duly stocked with pig and goat,
and flock of foraging poultry, Mehet-
abel went stark mad.
"Popish beasts" was her mildest term
for the Delaney family she declared war
upon the chickens, and killed and ate
such as were unlucky enough to come
within her remarkably long reach,
bought a dog to worry the goat, and gave
one of the scions of the Delaney stock
whom she caught trespassing on her
small fruits such vigorous shaking that
Mr.. Terrence Delaney called in person on
Miss Pettigrew to protest. This remark
able meeting took place on warm even
ing in late August.
9 Hit " sat on her back porch in rather
tranquil frame of mind, resultant from
the pleasing memory of manner in which
the head Of the young Delaney had
wobbled around during the shaking be-
fore mentioned, watching the hills on
the opposite side of the river as they
turned pink and brown and purple in the
last rays of the san, and also inhaling the
fragrance of the Delaney menagerie
which a soft summer wind from the river
bore to her scornful nostrils.
Sitting thus she suddenly became
aware of pronounced element of dudeen
in the aroma, and simultaneously des-
cried the head of Mr.. Terrence rising
above the round shoulder of the hill as
that gentleman approached her in the
most direct line of travel from his own
house to hers.
Miss Pettigrew did not rise to receive
her caller. She simply said "Sick him,
Watch Stebboy |" and Watch" who
was 90 pound cross between a mastiff
and the indigenous yellow dog" waited
for no secoud behest, but went like a
whrlwind for Mr.. Delaney.
Mr.. Delaney shut his square Jaw on
the short black stem of his pipe so firmly
tat the bowl fell to the ground as he
stepped nimbly to one side, and with a
bit of thorn which he bore in his right
hand gave the brute Donnybrook whack
as he shot by him down the hill.
Take thot, thin, ye murtherin devil,"
said Mr.. Delaney, as the thorn cleft the
fervid air. The stroke was heavy, but
Watch was too game to give tongue, and
he returned to the charge, after rolling
over once or twice, on three legs, in no
condition whatever to do battle with Mr..
Terrence and the black-thorn.
"Call off yer haste, or ON knock the
two eyes iv i'm Until wan, Miss Pithi-
graw,' called Mr.. Delaney to Mehetabel.
"Sick him, Watchl Sick him." said
Mehetabel in loud voice, Fastening to
the scene of combat.
"Call i'm off, dom im," said Terrence,
dancing about, so as to keep the dog
from effecting surprise in the rear, and
poking the stick into his mouth when he
came too close. "Call i'm off, OF SOW |
ye bloody moinded ould cat! Wud
yes ave yer dirthy haste attn a dacent
christian like Tirrince Delaney, dunno!'
MIR. Delaney had so far so much the
advantage of Watch that he had not lost
his temper in the least and he was SO
diverted with the boiling RAJ e exhibited
in every feature of Mehetabel's face
that he neglected for one dire instant
to heed the movements of his canine as
sailant.
"Sick him, Watch Sick him Bite
him ! Sick MIN, Watchi' said Meheta-
bel, hoarsely, as she clapped her hands
together to encourage her animal. And
Watch, taking instant advantage of Mr..
Delaney's inadvertence, seized that gen.
tleman by the calf of the lett leg, and
Mr.. Delaney turning hurriedly around
stumbled over the dog and fell against
MISS Pettigrew, who was by this time
close to the combatants, in such a map-
ner that the three, man, woman and dog,
were presently on the turf in bunch to-
gether.
Mehetabel hardly touched the ground
before she was on her feet again, aud es-
plying MIR. Delaney's stick, which had es-
capped his hand as he fell, she grasped it
with great celebrity and hit Mr.. Delaney
over the head with swinging clip that
brought trickle of blood over the left
eye of her foe.
This national salute warmed the
Milesian blood in Terrence Delaney's
veins, ond he forthwith brought his right
heel to bear with great force of impact on
Watch's os Jrentis, which made the dog
loose his grip, and opened the way for a
vigorous kick under the short-ribs which
stretched the faithful brute breathless ON
the turf.
There was probably something femi-
nine in the nature of Mehetabel, for she
stood stock still at the sight of blood on
Delaney's face, and that gentleman had
no sooner polished of Watch in the man.
ner described, than he grabbed the black
thorn out Of Miss Pettigrew's unresist.
ing hand, and was wholly master of the
situation.
IT'S foine sthrong arrum yer ave,