The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-08-16
MIR. DODKINS' GOATS.

Then you refuse to shut up The
goats"
"Of course | do. It's downright
cruelty to keep the poor fellows
confined. A goat likes his liberty
as well as woman, and how would
YOU like il if | were to pen you up
in one corner OF the house"
"Since you choose TO compare
me 10 a goat, a butitng, strong
smelling Billy goat, sir, you may
get v0ur dinner the best way you
can. shall go over to mothers
for the remainder of the day, re-
piled Mrs. Dodking angrily.
"Oh come now Susannah. what's
the use Of getting up row." re-
sponded Mr.. Dudkins IN dismay.
Touching him at the dinner point
was using a vital argument, as his
wife we'll knew, and he could smell
brown bread and Boston baked
beans, a dish of which he was eX-
travaganlIy fond, baking IN the
oyen at the moment.
"Of course | had no intention OF
disparaging eilher you or The goals.
What have the poor things done
now 2" =,
"Done E? you may well say done,
Mrs. Dodkins' voice grew shnll with
indignation, "nibbled every bless
ed one of geraniums that | have
petted and coddled through the
winter with such pains.
You shouldn't put them where
the little mischieGS can reach
them"
81 should have put them on the
roof them" sarcastically. "ll's re-
markably easy putting things ou'
OF the reach of animals that Can
90 up the side of a house Ike a
ilv, playful little dears. I'll drench
them with hot water if they come
near the house again"
ooh, come now, those goats COST
me eleven dollars the pair, and I'm
not going 10 have them malireated
for a lot of trumpery flowers" MI
|
Dodkins was waxing wroih also.
"Sh1t them up then," snapped
Mrs. Dodkins.
Fortunately neighbor dropped
in, and quiet, if not harmony, was
restored for The time being.
Mr.. Dodklns was the proprietor
of a livery stable, and had giver
way TO the popular idea that goats
were preventive of sickness
among horses, and added a palr o.
animals quite recently to his live
stock.
They were pretty, docile little
creatures, and had been greatly
petted at the first, and especially
| bv Mrs. Dodkins, until their mis-
chiev0us propensit;es had aroused
her ire, and they had become 81
attached to her that they would RAJ
awav from the stables and follow
her 10 her home, which was nea
by, on every possible occasion
where they managed TO do no httf
mischief.
A goats appetite is only secon
to that of an ostrich, and they ha'
succeeded in getting away VIII
two of little JohEny's plnatore'
one of Mrs. Dodkins' slippers whic
Johnny had carried upon the porcl
and costly lace collar which I'll
girl had inavertently dropped fro'
The basket of clothes on wash da;
|, Still Mr.. Dodklns had obstinatel
refused 10 shut them up. OF whic
persisience the present diiterene
: was the result.
The storm blew over IN TINS u
stance thanks 10 the timely al
Y vent of the neighbor, and Mr.. Do
: klns had his brown bread an
beans. little as he deserved theI
but even then the shadow o. u
cloud no bigger than a mans har
!. was rising on his horizon, and pr
5 narinc to break upon his own hea
= Hitherto the losses and provvoc
I tions had all been on Mrs. DodklI
: sIde of The house, but goats can d
IS always be expected 10 use discrll
mr.. Dokins had just invested
= new half dozen Of fine shlr
4 and had bought them unlannoer
- oa~pnuau and