Arizona republican., 1894-09-23
BEAVER.
The Story of Capt. Lawson's h.
 telligent Canine Messenger.

q don't at all like the idea of nov ing away off up here to Westford," said Mother Lawson, as she stepped briskly about, putting the long kitchen, that was also parlor, bedroom and hall, in order, so that the new home might have a cozy look when the tired family drew up about the bountifully spread supper table.
 ''Why mother," laughed her daugh- ter Ruby, turning about from her work in front of the glowing fire, 'our ,neighbors up here in Westford all will say: I want to know if you used to live away off down in Willington| and I have no doubt you will soon grow into the same manner of speech"
 Perhaps 1 shall," replied Mother Lawson, cheerfully: q have learned in my many years of life that home is home, whether it is in one Connecticut hill town or another. If daughter Lucy lived near by, as she did when we were on the old farm, 1 shouldn't mind so much; or if we were on the same turnpike, where people are all the time driving and teeming, so that we could send word back and forth. But there she is, down there on the Hartford and Providence, and here we are on the Hartford and Boston, and on the cross roads between us there is no mail route, no stage route, no regular teams. We must drive the dozen miles on purpose every time we hear from poor daughter Lucy, all alone, without relative near her, away off down there in Willington."
 'IIa, hal" laughed Ruby; ''who would ever have expected the dear woman to so soon fall into Westford ways? Do you hear her, James? Bless me, what is the boy thinking of? This is no time to go off into brown study or to write a Latin exercise for Parson Loomis to correct"
 ''This is no Latin exercise" replied James, who in later years became an eminent scholar ''This is little en- terprise upon which Beaver and I are about entering. I do the writing and Beaver does the carrying. Here, Bea- yer. good dog, Beaver! Do you under stand old fellow? Do you see this?" and he showed the large, handsome shepherd dog that stood by, wagging his bushy tail a small, leather money bag. "Do you see this paper, Beaver? I have written message upon it to Lucy I have told her that we have ar rived away up here in Westford safe and sound, and that Ruby is frying flap jacks for supper, and that mother is worrying about her, as a matter of , course, and 1 finished up by begging her to write and tell us how she is. and send the letter back by you"
 The bright-faced lad put the care fully folded paper in the little bag, and tied it by a strong hempen cord about the intelligent creatures neck
 "Now, Beaver, you must go as quick ly as you can and carry this to Lucy" Opening the door, Beaver trotted out in very important fashion, and James repeated:
 ''Go, Beaver! Col"
 "He will go good deal!' laughed Ruby, who was always laughing.
 "He would be as likely to obey if you told him to chop an armful of wood and bring it in."
 "You will see," replied the lad, clos ing the door Beaver is no common dog; he understands Q great deal of my talk to him. He will pass the night in Wilmington with sister Lucy, and will return to us tomorrow with let ter"
 Strange Beaver don't come back, ; said unbelieving Ruby over and over during the evening, and she even sat up until far into the night momentari ly expecting to hear the familiar bark of the favorite dog at the door,
 He did not come, however, and she arose in the morning convinced thai he considered himself sent away fol some reason, and that they should never see the fine old fellow again.
 'He will get home by dinner time, said James, and, sure enough, about noon he came trotting serenely in wagging his tail and barking sharply to express his joy.
 James opened the little leather bag finding, as he expected, a note iron Lucy.
 If cried all day after watching yol out of sight," it said, ''and you don know how glad I was to see Beave when he came barking at the doc