Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22
KILLED BY HIS DOG.

''Ne'er mind tn money, Tom. No 'un
in tn world 'ud think O us poor folk
havin' money enough t be worth tn
while o Stealin'. No, Tom; go an
ne'er think O. TIL money. You may be
sure it'll cause ME no worry"
With this assurance from his wife
Tom Sired turned his back upon his
little country cottage and started off
toward Gloucester where he had been
suddenly called. But the day before
he had returned from Monmouth with
two hundred pounds, the price paid
for his crops of the summer just
passed. He felt uneasy when it be-
came necessary for him to leave his
little wife at home alone with so much
hard-earned money in the house for a
day and a night. His wife was brave
and although she had never had to
stand guard over such a large sum
before, she felt no fear. Her lovable
nature had never allowed her to think
of evil in the world. Goodness was all
she was able to comprehend. All ma
ture was in harmony with her feelings
that bright afternoon. AS she buSily
flew about her work the hOllyhocks
and sweet-peas that grew in profusion
about the little English cottage seemed
to wink and blink and laugh gaily as
they sported with the sunbeams that
playfully darted between them. If
she thought of the money that lay
hidden in a corner of the huge clothes
press in their bedroom at all, it was
only to laugh at the idea of anyone
attempting to steal it, and the sweet
peas seemed to nod and laugh out of
sympathy.
The sun set behind a huge cloud that
evening. The robins chirp was changed
to Il lonesome wall and the cat-bird's
scream coming from the cherry tree
by the lazy-loOking old fence seemed
a pOrtent of danger. Darkness ap-
preached earlier than usual. OminOus
clouds We're forming over the broken
southern horizon. The bright. happy
afternoon was fast giving way to a
dark, threatening night and the wife's
feelings were changing with it. 1t
grew darker. darker, darker. She had
assured her husband that the money
would cause her no worry and at first
was disposed to laugh gently away
thoughts of fear that might arise
With each added degree of darkness,
however, her forebodings Of evil be-
came harder to laugh away, until at
last she was in a terrible state of
fear. She could stand it no longer
To sleep was impossible. She was
weak and alone A bold robber might
easily wrest from her her husbands
precious earnings Her loneliness was
oppressive. She must have a compan-
ion! Suddenly she jumped from her
chair. Regal! Regalr' she cried.
Hastily she went to the bedroom and
cropping about in the gloomy clothes
press, made sure the treasure was
still there. Carelessly she threw a
wrap about her shoulders and. locking
the door behind her, was soon hurry
ing in the darkness down the road.
She was going to the neighbors to ask
for their big mastiff, Regal. To stay
in the cottage alone all night would
be impossible, and this noble dog.
which was as fond of her as she of
him, would be at once her best COM
panion and protector.
Her confiding nature would allow
her to keep nothing from NeignbOr
Horton. Why should she? They had
lived neighbors for years and her con-
fidence had never been misplaced. OF
him she had never had a suspicious
thought; indeed, it is doubtful if she
ever entertained a suspicious thought
of any kind. The cause of her fear
was frankly told and she felt that an
swers to all questions asked by Neigh
Dor Horton was meager enough COM
pensation for the loan Of his dog.
She saw no harm even in telling ex-
actly in which corner of the clothes
press the money was hidden. The no
BILE mastiff lay quietly by the huge
fireplace, slowly wagging his massive
tail and watching. knowingly, the Wis
itor's every move.
''Wilt go and watch tn leddy's
money, Regal?" asked his master.
With a bound the intelligent animal
was at the wOman's side, lovingly
licking her bare hand. This was an
swer enough and the woman and dog
were soon on their way back to the
cottage.
All thought Of danger had been ban
ished and, although the clouds still
threatened and the wind still hOwled
mournfully about the cottage, with her
faithful brute protector lying beside
her bed, the wife was soon sleeping
peacefully.
Not so with Neighbor Horton. Con-
fidence had this time been misplaced.
Here was an exceptional opportunity
for him to secure two hundred pounds
and he chuckled with glee. His OWL
dog the only guard to overcome! The
only possible obstacle to success, he
thought, would be the brute's noisy
demonstrations of glee at the sight of
his approaching master. This surely
could be averted.
Late in the night Neighbor Horton
stole up to the cottage in which the
faithful dog was keeping silent watch
at the bedside of the sleeping wife.
All was silent save the moaning Of
the wind and the occasional warning
screech of an OWL Carefully Neighbor
Horton raised the chamber window
and had drawn half his bulky body
into the room when, like a flash, Regal.