The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-06-09
EIlHElsA1pSOWNTAULT
tF HE HAD KEPT HIS HEAD HE
WOULDN'T HAVE eEEN KILLED,

Would Have Missed Lots of Fun.
The boy sat on the big box, kicking his
heels against the sides Ile was n short,
stumpy boy With an abundance of
freekles held over from summer. Tho
box was an ordinary packing box. 1t
stood on the sidewalk in front of tho
Walton building in Franklin street, near
where the Sixth avenue elevated road
crosses, Underneath the box u long,
lean, gray hewhiskered rat had taken up
temporary quarters,
The rat WIS IN bad luck, In the first
place sneaky looking doy truopy as to
tail, mongiel of the kind termed "yal.
Ter, y was lounging about. nosing in the
gutter and ycarning for an opportunity
to display the deyiltry common to his
kind. Behind the rats refuge in door.
way n pretty Young woman was talking
to a much infatuated George" An eld-
erly and important looking parsonage,
wearing gold mounted eyeglasses and
carrying gold headed cane, had lust
made an imposing descent from the ele-
waited station and was promenading lei
surely toward the box. A cart horse at
tached to a truck stood in front of sa-
loon near by waiting for the driver to
come out All was calm and peaceful.
Then the rat came on the scene.
The first to see him was the boy. He
jumped off the box, and the rat started
out toward the station with the boy in
hot chase. This aroused the dog, who,
with a howl Of anticipated sport, Joined
in the pursuit The fugitive made
straight for the elderly parsonage Tho
boy was u fairly good second and tho
dog a close third The parsonage, be-
coming aware that something was com
ing his way, glanced over the top of tho
gold mounted eyeglasses.
Ell, there!" yelled the boy. Hes
comm your way. Head i'm off. Swath-
er i'm one with TIL stick"
The old gentleman "swathered. He
missed the rat and hit the boy on the
shins. The boy gave a shrill whoop, lay
down on the walk and wept.
"Did it hurt your inquired the owner
of the cane,
That made the boy so angry that he
stopped crying.
"Did 1t hurt mey' he howled in right
eous wrath. "Did it hurt me? You OF
gold headed snooper, How'd you like 1t
eft | clubbed yer bloomin ol shins with
waggin spoke? What'd you say ef a fat I
headed cove Hi Here he comes back,
Grab iml Turn i'm backl Hit i'm
when be goes byf'
The rat had.doubled on his track and \
was flying up the street again with the
dog several PAGES behind. In between
the feet of the parsonage lodged the rat.
The dog essayed to follow by the same
route and got tangled up with the feet.
Down came the parsonage, his gold
headed cane flying in one direction and
his gold trimmed spectacles in another.
Then and there he offered few remarks
that wrung from the boy an admiring
tribute Gosh, said he, ''you can cuss."
In the meantime the rat was on his
way up the street, and the pretty young
woman who with her George had
from the doorway, was walking
lown the street engaged in conversation.
Eyes, he was just as nice about il as
no could be- said it wasn't any trouble
1t all He said OH O-w-w-w-wl
George! E-e-e-e-e-e-el It's ratl Help!
It's coming this way. E-e-e-e-e-el Help
ne up on this box. Yes, I'm all right
low, but Oh, George. do you suppose
ie can climb up here2 E-e-e.e-e-e! Don't
ct him climb up here or shall odd.
Her
George let out n terrific kick that |
anded in the stomach of the pursuing
log. BY way Of retaliation tho dog
ook off part Of one leg from Georges
rousers, and fled across the street howl
ng dismally until it came to the cart !.
lorse. Apparently connecting that ami
nal with his misfortunes, the dog nib
lied at its hind leg. The horse snorted
nd ran down the street with the truck
lattering after. The rat, instead Of TAX
ng this chance of escape, rushed fran Y
ically across the street and back again, !
Nth the boy, who had come up, followed :
y the parsonage, hot on the trail The .
ersonage was regarding with undis-
uised admiration the pretty girl, who,
nth garments gathered and held up
ghtly in one hand, was standing on
lptoe on the box viewing the chase,
ieorge was looking at his trousers.
The owner Of the truck came out Of
no saloon in time to see his property
attling down the street. AS he started
fter 1t, leaving a trail Of profanity be-
ind him, gaunt cat sauntered out of
ne saloon. Before the teamster had
aught his horse the cat had pounced on
10 rat and put an end to him. Then the
og avenged his woes by catching her
i