Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-02-04


lenting a little, 81 shouldn't want
him to bite you; but twould be just
good enough for you to get an awful
scare
"May be you don't know" said
Jack, with a malicious grin, "that
Shep has run mad. Father was up
there to Archer's this morning, and
he seen Shep and he said there WANT
no doubt of it,the way the dog looked
and acted. Yes, Shep has run mad
as sure as shooting"
ooh, dear r'exclaimed Jenny quite
panic-stricken. The horror had new
er come so near before, for Mr.. Arch
er lived only a half mile away.
Father told us boys not to let
you know it, for 'twould scare you
pretty near out of your wits-what
few you have left; but l thought
maybe I'd better tell you, so't you
could run right home and shut your
self up in the house again.
give a good mind to go this min
ute,' said Jenny, TREMENDOUSLY, for
just then she could think of nothing
else in the world but the possibility
that Shep might get loose.
"Trot right along, little 'fraid cat,
said Jack tauntingly. '''Tain't safe
for you to stay here another minute.
Better put for the house"
But Jennie had been thrown into
such a nervous tremor by the news
of this new case so near home, that
Jacks taunts could not shame her
out of her fears. She turned Tom
my's sled around and actually started
for home.
''Oh, come now, Jen," called out
Jack, dropping his teasing tone for
once, 81 was just in fun. You don't
suppose Shep can break a stout iron
chain, do you? Don't be such a goose,
now. Stay and make us some taffy
I'm awful hungry for some, and |
can't stop to make it myself"
Jacks coaxing prevailed-for a
wonder. If Shep was really fasten-
ed with stout iron chain, surely,
thought Jenny, there couldn't be very
much danger and as for maple taffy,
her own mouth was watering for it,
too.
There was a little open shed in
front of the arch in which the pans
were et,where the great roaring fires
made a summer atmosphere. Here
she placed Tommy, who was quite
content to remain tied to his sled, so
charmed was he with the novelty of
the situation and then proceeded to
to put quantity Of maple syrup to
boil in tin basin over pile of Goals.
1t was hot work and Jenny's face
was red as blaze by the time the
preparation was ready to be poured
on the snow. Then the feast began.
Tommy was served literally, and
straightway made himself very sweet
and sticky as to face, hands and pin
afore. Meanwhile Jack had been so
uncommonly good as to make no al
fusion to mad dogs; but by the time
he had devoured the greater part of
the taffy, he began to feel, probably,
that Othello's occupation was gone.
Soaring Jenny was pastime he en-
joyed almost as much as eating taffy.
He had taken his last big mouthful
when he began to look very intently
in a certain direction.
"'Pears to me | see something
moving out there in the edge of the
woods. Why, it's a dog-looks like
Shep, true as L live. Mr.. Archer is
such an awful careless man, maybe
he didn't fasten his chain good"
Jenny jumped up all in a tremor.
ooh, Jack where? where?"
"Why, out there among them little
bushes. Can't you see his head? l
can, just as plain. It's Shep, no
notwithstanding this way, too. Run,
Jen, and climb a tree-that small
hemlock over there by the sap-tank.
Quick, now p
But Jenny could see nothing as
she peered with straining eyes in the
direction indicated, and it suddenly
occurred to her that Jack was up to
one of his favorite tricks.
"You're just trying to fool me,
jack" she exclaimed, Indignantly.
ooh, I wish you wouldn't be so hate
full. Now you've made my heart beat
so" and she sat down, painting, with
her hand pressed on her side.
But Jack only laughed in his dread
fully exasperating way, and as he
stirred up the fires. began to rack his
brain for some new ruse by which to
give Jennie another scare.
1t is said that a certain parsonage
that is supposed to do a good deal of
walking to and fro on the earth and
to make idle brains his workshop, is
always nearest when you are talking
of him. Thus it happened that when
Jack was trying to brighten Jenny by
an imaginary Shep, the real Shep was
actually approaching them in another
direction, though the roaring of fires
and the wind in the tree tops prevent
ed them from hearing the rattle of
the chain he was dragging at his feet.
1t was afterwards found that he had
pulled out the staple to which his
chain had been fastened. The dog
had been a great favorite with the
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