Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-11

viii be pleasanter for all parties; but
the corpse of course must follow the
legal right of way, and be passed
through that window and out of the
door opposite"
l stood perfectly dazed; I longed for
an earthquake. For once my prayer
was answered; the earthquake came.
Our first premonition of its coming
was the jingling of q chain in the back
yard. and the words, in Maria's firm
voice: There, Bone, gently nowr'
He was nominally my dog; but when
he was united was, more accurately
speaking, his man.
On ordinary occasions l didn't hes
itate at the most groveling act to curry
his favor, and had always shuddered
at Maria's familiarity with him. On
the present occasion didn't shudder.
l felt perfectly resigned and willing to
take my chances with the company I
was in.
"Whoever's driving those horses
turn them around quick and all get in!
/ can't hold HIM much longerr' The
warning was hardly needed; Patrick
had already begun to swing the horses
around. and there was a lively hurdle
race over the sides and wheels of the
wagon; with the chances strongly
against the ''oldest inhabitant." The
wagon was fairly under motion, and I
don't think that Patrick would have
cared if the patriarch had been left to
parley with the mastiff.
As Bone leaped out after them, the
sight was 50 inspiriting, and the revul-
sion of feeling within me was SO sud-
den and complete, that gave myself
up to paroxysm of hilarity, of which
I trust there were few witnesses.
1t was q triumph of matter over
mind; the wretched legal document
that the pettifogger instinctively BRAN
dished over his head, as the only
weapon he knew how to use, seemed 80
utterly out of proportion to the mas
sive agility of the dog, as he bounded
at them, first on one side and then on
the other. apparently puzzled rs to
which face he disliked most. When he
had seen them fairly in the street and
under good Roadway for other parts,
he returned in q very excited condi-
ton.
l had rummaged the pantry for re-
ward and 1 now leaned far out of that
terrible window, holding toward him
a fine porter-house steak, and saying 4:
"Here Bone, good dog!"
But he glanced CONTEMPORARY to-
ward me as if he scorned to be reward.
ed for so noble an act, and allowed
Maria to lead him back to his kennel.
The matter is still in the courts, and
there is strong likelihood that it will
be settled some time or other. Not
long ago I received a letter from
Ephraim Jorton, saying he was very
sorry about the unpleasant occurrence
Il should think he would Boy; that it
was only question of time when the
matter would be decided in his favor;
and, in the meantime, hadn't l better
reconsider his fer for my place ]
threw his letter in the fire, of course,
without answering it; but, for all that,
there is a charming cottage for sale.
with fine view of the river on one
side, while the dining-room. on the
other, looks toward the village and tn.
big church.
My wife thinks the affair has been .
severe shock to my nervous system.
On more than one occasion. after hav-
ing eaten heartier supper than usual,
have started up suddenly from my
slumber, at the dead of night, and then
fallen YEARLY back to my pillow with
the murmured words: ITO them and
their heirs forever. IN Y. Independ-
ent.