The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-09-21
BEAVER.
The Story of Capt. Lawson's In
telligent Canine Messenger.


telligent Canine Messenger.
Il don't at all like the idea of NOV
ing away off up here To Westfurd."
said Mother Lawson, As she stepped
hrieI,ly about. putting the long
kitchen. that was also Parlor, bedroom
and hall, in order, 50 that the new
home might have ii coy look when
tine tirei family drew up about the
hoUntifuIly spread supper table
why mother" laughed her daugh-
ter Ruby. turning about from her work
in front of the glowing fire. our
neI~hhors up here III WeStforl all VIII
say: i want To know if you used To
live. away off down in Nillington?
and ] have no doubt you will soon
grow into the same manner of speech
Perhaps / SHALL replied Mother
Lawson. chccrfully: Il have learned
in NY 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. l shouldn't
mind 50 much; or If we were on the
same turnpike. where people are all
the time driving and tccmin@. 50 that
we could send word back and forth
But there she Il, down there on the
Iiartf. rd 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."
ia, ha.' laughed Ruby; who would
ever have expected the dear woman to
SO soon fall into Wcstford ways? DO
YOU hear her. James? Bless me, what
is the hoy thinking of? This Is no
time TO 60 off into a brown study or To
write a Latin exercise for Parson
Loomis to correct"
This il no Latin exercise" replied
James. who in later years became an
eminent scholar. This Is a little en-
terprisc upon which Beaver and 1 are
about entering. | do the writing and
Beaver does the carrying. Here. Bea-
yer. COOL 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?
/ have written a message upon II to
Lucy. | have told her that we have ar
rived away up here in Wcstford safe
and sound, and that Ruby is frying flap
lacks for supper. and that mother is
worrying about her, aS a matter of
course. and finished up by begging
her to write and tell Us how she Is,
and scrd the letter back bv you"
The bright-faccd 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 20 "a quick
" as You can and carry this to Lucy"
Opening the door, Beaver trotted ont
in very important fashion, and james
repeated:
Go. Beaver. CO.
lie will 90 good deal"' laughed
Ruby, who was always laughing.
lie would bc as likely to obey if you
told him to chop an armful of wood
and bring it in"
You viii see" replied the lad, clos
ing the door. Beaver Is no common
dog: hc understands I great deal of
my talk to him. He will pass the night
in Wil!ingtOn with sister Lucy. and
Will return to us tomorrow with a let
ter
Strange Beaver don't come back,
said unbcIicving Ruby over and over,
during the evening. and She even sat
up until far into the night moGnentari-
" 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 that
he considered himself sent away for
some reason, and that they should
never see the fine old fellow again.
He viii get home by dinner time, "
said james, and, sure enough, about
noon he came trotting sercnely in.
wagering his tail and barking sharply
to express his joy
James opened the little leather bag,
finding, as he expected, note from
Lucy.
- cried all day after watching you
out of sight" it said, and you don't
know how glad l was To see Beaver
when he came barking at the door
early in the evening. Your letter was
a great comfort. for had no idea of
hearing from you for a week 1T least.
/ shall not feel half so forlorn now, for
"A dog that Will fetch bone will carry
one. they say, and we can write as
often as we please"
They did write often, You may be
sure, and Capt. Lawson's Beaver, with
the little leather wallet suspended
beneath his white throat, came to he "A
fauiIiar sight To the dwellers in the
tarmhous1s all along the pleasant
country way that stretched between
the two great turnpiles.
The old residents say that in the fore
part of the present century there We're
ten taverns between Dalcville, in Will
lington, and Westford hill At all of
these houses of entcrta inment New
England rum was sold, and refresh
ment for man and beast could be pro-