Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-01-29
A CHANGE OF MIND.

''Now it is no use for you to talk,
George. That dog must go. Pm only
too glad too come and keep house foI
you, and I'll do my best; but there is not
room enough here for me and the dog"
"Nonsense, auntiew l said, kissing
the loveable, crotchety old soul. "You
don't know Jackson yet. He's a splendid
fellow, as you'll say when you've made
friends. Hi, Jackson Bloaters"
My dog had been sitting up with his
back toward u.s. and his head bent down
right in the centre of the fender, as if he
were warming his scalp, and apparently
in day-dream about bones, or Smiths
dog round the corner; but the moment
spoke, he made dash to the side, reared
up caught the old-fashioned wooden bell
pull in his teeth gave it a vigorous tug,
and returned to his place.
"Thcre" cried my aunt. 'I declare
he's demon! | don't believe in temzy-
cosies, or ghosts, or spirits, or haunting,
or any nonsense of that kind; but that
dogs a demon. There! therew she
cried excitedly. "Look at him! Did
you see him lift up that right ear, and
leer at me in that wicked, malignant way
with his right eye?"
''He fancied that you were talking
about him, auntie"
''He knew | was talking abont him.
declare, he sends cold shuddcr through
me! I'm afraid of him, George"
''But what has he been doing nowN
I said, as the old lady arranged her nit
tens, and proceed to pour out the coffee.
Rushed into my room this morning,
when Jane brought the hot water; and
then he wouldn't let me get up"
''Wouldnt let you get up2 Nonsense,
auntie! Why, he's as good as can be-"
''He's not, Georgel" she cried, with
her hands trembling. "Hes as wicked
as can be! Every time I moved to get
up, he growled; and I was obliged to
ring for Jane to come and take him out,
when he ran under the bed, and she had
to fetch your fishing-rod to drive him
out"
ooh, know why that was. You've
got my bedroom, and he doesn't like any
one else being there. He'll forget it in q
day or two."
"He never will, and he has taken g
malignant spite against me-"
(which you can cure by giving him a
bit of these" l said, as Jane entered the
room with a couple of covered dishes.
"He's very fond of bloaters' heads. Dc
you see?"
"Ugh!" calculated my aunt. "Send
him out, George; I can't bear him to be
here. He gives me the creeps. The dog
is not a natural beast. He has an evi
spirit in him; Il know he has"
l simply sat back in my chair and
laughed. 1t was impossible to help it,
for Jackson had turned sharply round as
soon as Jane had entered with the
dishes; and as soon as she had taken of
the covers and gone, the dog uttered
three loud barks, trotted to the door, anC
then raised himself up on his hind leg,
and walked solemnly right round the
table, open-mouthed and erect of ear, til
he reached the hearth-rug, where he re
mained motionless
'Look, George!" cried my aunt again
Giles putting out his tongue at mt
now, derisively, Go away! Cist! &C
awayW
= AS soon as I could recover myself,
cut off the bloaters' heads, and pitched
them, one by one, to Jackson, who caught
them and swallowed them on the instant
before subsiding on to his four legs
"There's the !secret of his possession
auntie," I said. 'Let me give you {
bloater. Genuine; slightly smoked. I've
been idle all these years. waiting fol
practice, and I've taught my dog few
tricks. There, come, make friends with
him. Here, Jackson, shake hands with
the lady,"
jackson uttered low growl.
'There, you see, my dear!" cried my
aunt, triumphantly. Gle has taken a
great dislike to me-"
'Then he must learn better" said,
sternly. GLOW dare you, sir! Go in the
corneri Be off You dog, you.n
Jackson seemed to resent being called
'you dog" for at those words he uttered
a low growl, trotted to the corner, threw
up his muzzle so as to get his throat
straight, and uttered such series of yelps
that my aunt put her fingers to her ears
and filled her face full of wrinkles both
wide and deep.
"There, that will dop I said loudly
"You can come back now. Go and
shake hands with that lady, sir! Do you
hear?"
jackson came out of the corner, and
walking slowly up to my aunt, held out
his paw, which she took at my request,
but not until she had covered her hand
with her handkerchief, an insult which
Jackson seemed to resent, for he uttered
a low grow.
had had Jackson five years. He came
to me ridiculous-l looking, fat little OBJ
ject, with a skin far too large for him,
and heavy, clumsy paws; and all through
the days of his puppyhood he passed his
time as carefully divided as King AL
fred might have divided his own puppy
Jackson's being, between eating, sleep
ing, and worrying his enemies, these lat
ter being anything that came in his way,
especially legs of tables, chairs, the sofa,
or, above all, a shoe, with which latter,
or boot, or even slipper, he would
have, which seemed no doubt to him, the
most furious fights.
BY dint of good deal of talking, and
on the strength of my being great fa-
vorite, truce was patched up between
my aunt and Jackson; but that it was a
hollow truce | knew. as we'll as I did