The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-06-07
Poetic Justice.

"Father, what is poetic justice?" asked
Fred Stanley at the tea-table.
"Bless the boy What put that into
his head 2" said mother.
"Why there was something about it in
our reading lesson to-day, and when /
asked Misa Thompson what it meant she
said We should Gee how many of US could
find out for ourselves and give an illus
tration of it tomorrow but I don't
know how to find out unless you tell me,
father"
Mr.. Stanley looked thoughtful for
moment, and then smiled as if struck by
some amusing recollection.
'"Poetic Justice" he said, "is the kind
of justice that reaches US through the
unforeseen consequences of our unjust
acts. I will tell you little story, Fred,
that, think, will furnish the illustration
that you are after.
ri recall summer afternoon, good
many years ago when I was not as large
as I am now. Two other boys and my
self went blackberryiug in big meadow
several miles from home. On our way
to the meadow, as We paddles along the
dusty highway, ne met stray dog. He
was q friendlesg, forlorn looking creature,
and seemed delighted to make up with
us, and when ne gave him some dcraps
of bread and meat from our lunch basket
he capered for joy and trotted along by
our side as if to say, Now boys, I'm one
of YOU We named him Rover, and
boy. like, tried to find out how much he
knew, and what he could do in the way
of tricks, and We soon discovered that he
could fetch and carry beautifully. No
matter how big the stick or stone, nor
how far away We threw it, he would
reach it and drag it back to US. Fences,
bitches and brambles he seemed to
regard only as go many obstacles thrown
in his way to try his pluck and eDdu-
rance, and he overcame them all.
"At length we reached the meadow,
aud scattered out in quest ofblsckberries.
In my wanderiDgs I discovered hor-
nets nest, the largest I ever saw
and I have seen good many.
1t was built in cluster of blackberry
vines, and hung low, almost touching the
ground. Moreover, it was at the foot of
little hill, and as scampered up the
latter I was met at the summit by Rover,
frisking about with stick in his mouth.
I don't know why the dog apd the hor.
nets nest should have connected them-
selves in my mind, but they did and a
wicked thought was born of the union.
"'Bob Will I called to the other
boys; come here; we'll have some fun
"They came promptly, and I explained
my villainons project. pointed out the
hornets nest, and proposed that we
should roll stone down upon it and
send Rover after the stone. And, oh,
crackery, won't it be fun to see how as
tonished he'll be when the hornets come
out cried in conclusion. They agreed
that it would be awfully funny. We
selected good sized round stone, called
Rover's special attention to it and started
it down the hill. When it had fair
start We turned the dog loose, and Il
poor fellow meyer suspectiug our treach.
cry, darted after the stone with joyous
bark. We had taken good aim, and as
the ground was smooth the stone went
true to its mark, and crashed into the
hornets nest just as Rover spraug upon
it. In less than a minute the furious
insects had swarmed out and settled upon
the poor animal. His surprise and dis
may fulfilled our anticipations and we
had just begun to double ourselves up in
paro1ysms of laughter, when, with fren-
zied yelps of agony, he came tearing up
the hill towards us, followed closely by
all the hornets.
"'Run = shouted, and we did run {;
but the maddened dog ran faster, and
dashed into our midst with piteous
appeals for help. The hornet settled,
like black avenging cloud all over us
aud the scene that followed battles my
power of description. We ran, We
scratched, we rolled on the ground, and
ne howled with agony, till the meadow
was, for the time being, turned into
pandemonium.
~ have never known just how long
the torture lasted, but I remember it was
poor Rover who rose to the emergency,
and with superior instinct showed US
way to rid ourselves of our viudictive
assailants. As soon as he realized that
we, too, we're in distress, and could give
no assistance, he ran bliudly to a stream
that flowed through the meadow not far
away, and, plunging in, dived clear
beneath the surface. We followed him,
and only ventured to crawl out from the
friendly element when We were assured
that the enemy had withdrawn. Their
we sat on the bank of the stream and
looked at each other dolefully through
our swollen, purple eyelid', while the
water dripped flom our clothing and a
hundred stipging wounds reminded US
what excessively funny fun we had been
having with Rover.
"The poor dog, innocent and free from
guile him,elf, judged us accordingly, and
creeping up to me, licked my hand in
silent sympathy. Then some dormant
sense of justice asserted itself within me.
"'Boys,' I said, W. Va had an awful
time, but I tell you what, it served US
right
"Neither cf them contradicted me, and
rising stifly we went slowly bomeward
with Rove. at our heels.