Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-04
"Come up here, Jen Quick Here,

''Come up here, Jen Quick ! Here,
take hold of my hand !''
But Jenny's first thought, as soon
as she could think at all in the horror
of the moment,was not of herself but
of Tommy. Could she save herself
and leave him to be bitten? Poor,
tiresome, troublesome Tommy, who
made her arms ache and her back
ache, Juggling him around, day after
day,-now that he was in peril, every
hair of his white head was precious.
And she had promised her mother to
take good care of him.
Yes, she must save Tommy Dart
ing to his side, she tugged with fran
tic haste at the knotted scarf till she
had united one end from the stake
then loosening it from his body, she
gathered him up, intending to get him
to the shed roof somehow but tho
never did pair of hands work faster
than Jenny's, she was too late.
Perhaps if Jenny aud Jack had re-
manned perfectly still where they
were, the dog might have failed to
notice them and kept the road, which
made turn near the corner of the
shed around to the back of the camp
and thence out into the woods. But
he had scarcely reached this turn
when Jacks scream of terror or Jen-
ny's hasty movements seemed to ar
rest his attention. He paused min
ute or two; there was CLEAN in the
dull red eyes, strange sound that
was between a dismal howl and
bark, and then he made dash to-
ward Jenny.
Instinctively she lifted Tommy
above her head, up, up, high as her
arms could hold him the heavy baby
seemed but feathers weight. The
dog, which was not above medium
size, made leap for him, apparent
ly, but failing to reach him, caught
hold of Jenny's arm near the shout
der. She felt the cruel teeth pinch
ing, grinding into the tender flesh;
but oh she must keep Tommy out
of his reach. And Tommy, accus-
toned to be tossed up in the strong
arms of his big brothers, far from be-
ing frightened at the situation, crow
ed and kicked out his chubby feet
in great glee, thus making it the
more difficult to hold him steadily in
that position.
The agony of pain and terror made
every minute seem an hour. She
heard Jack on the roof above her,
screaming to her father at the top of
his voice, and why didn't her father
come to beat off the dog with club?
Was there nobody to help her, and
how long could she hold Tommy in
this way? He was growing heavier
now, and what if her arms should
give out and let him down, after all !!
Help was near. Though it seemed
so very long to Jenny, it was really
but few minutes before some men
who were in pursuit of the dog, came
rushing down the road to the camp.
1t seemed that Shops escape had for
tunately been discovered at once, and
the alarm given Immediately. One
of the men carried gun the others,
among whom was Shops owner him.
self, had stout clubs or axes in their
hands. At sight of them. Shep re-
linquished his hold and skunk away,
while Jenny dropped to the ground,
limp and pale as death, though she
did not faint.
ssShoot! shoot, Joe! For the
Lords sake, don't let him get away"
Then there was the loud report of
gun and gruff voice said-"There !
I've finished him for you, Archer
he'll do no more mischief
sLord he's done enough already
I'm afeared," said Mr.. Archer, as he
hurried up to Jenny, his kind old
face full of pity and alarm. "Let
me see where he bit you, child"
Jenny pointed to the torn place in
her sleeve, still moist with the foul
slime from the creatures mouth.
ooh, you poor lamb Here, Jack"
for Jack had come down from his
perch with eyes bigger than ever,
''you run and tell your father to send
one of you boys for the doctor, dou-
BILE quick. And somebody bring me
some water: I've hearn say you must
wash out a wound of this kind as
quick as ever you can, though L dun
no how much good twill do" he add
ed, with a sorrowful shake of the
head as he was clumsily trying to rip
up Jenny's sleeve.
81 told you, Archer, several days
ago, that you ought to kill that dog,
said the gruff-voiced neighbor, who
stood looking on, evidently in no very
good humor.
81 know it, Joe,'' was the regret
full answer, ''and you can't blame me
MORN | blame myself for what has
happened. But you see 'twa'n't
pleasant job to kill Shep, nohow
and | kept putting it off, for of
course, / hadn't an idea the critter
could possibly get loose"
Meantime Jenny sat there white
and dumb, though her brain was only
too busy. She was thinking of the
time when she would go mad herself,
and of course, she would die, for peo-
Dlo said there was no cure for mad