Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-11-15
NERO SURPRISED HER,
rue DISMAL STORY OF A HoRRlo
CRIME THAT FAILED.

uow Grandma Posed as Lady Macbeth
and Couldn't Sleep After Making foor
Old Macbeth Do the Job-Arseni' ''Ve'
the Dog New Lease OF Life.
at happened when you were a l,'i "a, 1,'
of n fellow-so high" ana the oiu my,
bending down, stretched her manu- 80 49,
some twenty-four inches from the nooa'
.He had come to us just iiuny, Plulnp'
little ball of wool when your iather mas
Young, and perhaps that was why you.
Grandfather and always loved Nero Jus'
n little bit better than the other dogs.
"The wears went along; our boy Decam.
n man. He married, and presently you pu'
in annearance, you little scampl Yet Nero
,gas with us still. He was very OLD, OF
course and the greater part OF his time
WAC spept on the hearth rug; put tnen,
who had better right to it, should IKE
20 know He was welcome to 1t, I'm sure.
n was only when l began to notice tnas
tho old fellow was suffering and that MS
life was getting to be heavy load for MN
"a carry that | at last preached the supJec1
very gently to your grandfather.
.t,fharles. my dear said /, don't you
think that Nero Is getting just little
decrepit?'
".Well,, replied your grandfather,
stroking his chin, he certainly is not quice
so lively as he used to be, but then, neither
are you, my dear, nor am l.
~ crossed the room and sat down beside
him. .Ah but age doesn't matter to you
and me. Charles. We don't mind, for we
can remember But it's different with
poor old Nero. Age means for him just
misery and pain. 1t seems cruel to pro-
long it. The children will be fairly heart
broken, | know, but l was thinking.
Charles-I-I was think
THE DECISION.
"Your grandfather drew back his chair
and looked at me in ama.ement.
".You don't mean to say, Martha, that
you'd
"'Yes, / do | nodded emphatically.
It's the kindest thing we can do for him.
And all the time | was feeling that was
the blacklist hearted creature that ever
lived
"But after little your grandfather
came round to my way of thinking. It's
way he had!'' added the old lady simply.
's'How shall we do its' said he at last.
'Ive got only one thing to say about it..
He sha'n't be drowned, Martha. Drown
ing's only fit for kittens. Your grandfather
always did hate cats, my DEAR
"Drownedr exclaimed | Indignantly.
We'll, should rather think not, indeed.
Now, I've thought this matter out very
carefully, Charles, and rather incline to
to arsenic. A little arsenic properly admin.
istered will answer the purpose. We can
give it to him on bit of beefsteak. He's
very fond of that
"Your grandfather drew out his red silk
pocket handkerchief and blew his nose
very hard.
Every we'll, Martha, FL do it. Only see
that the stake is porterhouse, the tender
est you can get. Pm not going to have il
said that dog of mine ever died of indi-
gestion."
"And so it was settled. my DEAR" con
tinued the old lady. "You were all in
vited the next afternoon, and we had
cookies and currant wine. Nero lay before
the fire all the time with his tongue hang
ing out.
THE DREADFUL CRIME.
at was winter time and stormy night
remember it as well as can be. l had 8
little cry there in tie twilight, and after
that felt much better Both your grand
father and drank a little stronger tea
than usual, and by the time that Nero's
bedtime came | felt quite like Lady
Macbeth. But | can't say as much fol
your grandfather, my dear He had to re.
sort to a thimbleful of his old Martell be-
fore he could even doctor the steak, and
even then his eyes were so blurred that he
put far more arsenic on it than was in.
tended
Il carried the lantern and your grand
father followed with the platter. Nero
used to sleep in the stable, and we found
him there, sound. The light of the lantern
partially aroused him, and placing the
platter temptingly nigh at hand we locked
the door behind us and hurried away.
Il thought that evening never would
passl The first half hour we whiled away
by making preparations for the funeral
but after that-oh, my dear child, though,
that 10 O'Clock never would come! But il
wasn't bit better after we got into bed
Your grandfather very soon began to
snore, but there wasn't wink of sleep for
me. You see I've always been interested
in medicines, and had studied this case
out pretty thoroughly. knew by heart
the various symptoms, and when the dose
would begin to take effect.
THE POISON WORKED.
AS the clock struck 10 gave your grand
father nudge. couldn't stand the silence
He's just about in the midst of it now
Charles. It's beginning to digest
Your grandfather gave a grunt of as.
sent, and then was off to sleep again.
well, stood it just as long as could
then, just at daybreak, my will gave way
and insisted upon getting up and going
out to the stable. OF course, your grand
father wouldn't hear of my going alone
though he didn't want to get up and 90
out In the cold. So both of us dressed has.
tily and went out into the yard. / carried
the lantern again, and your grandfather
had the key. l don't know whether we
ieit worse when we left poor Nero to his
tate or now, as we came to view the conse.
quences of our deed.
Inc night had been clustering and the
snow was piled about in great drifts The
lantern gllmmered upon them. Our teeth
Snattered, and your grandfather's hand
was trembilngs so that he could scarcely find
the keyhole.
ana then, my dear, the next moment
FOUND myself lying in snow drift The
lantern had gone out, but could hear
your grandfather spluttering in the snow
yard or two away, while some bio blact
oo]ect with no end of banks was scamner.
Ing over both of us."'
III wasn't Nero, grandmal' cried the
10Y, VINO had listened, open mouthed. from
the beginning. - VII
why, bless my heart, of course it was
Nero. what else was it likely to bes That
arsenic had given him a new lease q, life
ana he lived happily for two wears after,
ward. Then he was run over by railway
tram and every one of us went to he