New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24
HOTSPUR.

ct Thought twas your father" she said 10 the
girl who was standing by the stove.
This girl was fourteen or fifteen. one "o,e :"
,ono calico "tire" which enveloped her whole
figure. protecting her gown from any spa'tei
inps from the kettle, for she was slowly s'ii'''e
with a long pudding stick the contents Oh inc
iron vessel that was over the fire lhis Ne.''e
held small. square pieces Of the fat leaves '"a'
were trying out" for lard
There had been hog killing on the iail" AZ"
ao,,s before and now had come the time for
making lard, for sausage and "souse "eIe al"
done and this work must be finished ana OUT
Of the way before Thanksgiving, ana lhanAS-
giving would be tomorrow
"I could have told you IT wasn't father, re-
srorded the girl who left the stove and ran to
the window looking over her mother shou'ue'
"Our old wagon wheels are pretty bad on put
,ho,, DOM rattle like that-not yet. Why, aint
it Mr.. Riddle"
eft certainly Is" said Mrs Faxon, and ne ;
eating ont. I can't imagine what he wants
here"
Hes one of the selectmen amt he?
ives. 7 s'pose he's come to see your father
about something"
we,thea Faxon. always called wealthy, hur-
ried back to her kettle and resumed the surfing
OF its contents 49,,
Her mother had just brought another handfui
Of bits of fat which she had dropped lnto the
smoking stuff that was going to De laru' WIG"
the door opened to admit Mr. Riddle
He did not step Immediately forward but
etood looking about the room as II in search OF
some
Good mornin'. Mr.. Riddle" said Mrs .Faxon
won't you come in?'
"No guess | can't stop. It's real Thanks
giving weather. amt It? Raw s crater tell
UNI I'd rather take my chances with the iner-
curry down to zero. This east wind is bad FOR my
phthslc"
.you'd better come in" said Mrs. Faxon
again. my husband II be to home soon I'm
expecting him every minute
II won't keep the door open on YOU re-
marked the man. as he stepped inside and care
fully closed the latch.
He coughed with heavy. wheezy sound and
then he said.
Dick?"
Mrs. Faxon looked up in surprise as she an
swered:
IL don't know where he did GO
HE said he was going to run up to Beech Hill
to see bout his snares.
It was Wealthy who gave this information
concerning her brother Dick. She began to be
very curious 1t was impossible to guess why
this man had come to see Dick. She glanced at
her mother wondering II she would ask any
questions. But Mrs Faxon continued to cut up
leaves on the board in front of her and re-
NAMED discreetly silent. Still, she was just as
curious as her daughter.
"I come about your sons dog" at last said
Mr.. Riddle
Wealthy began TO bristle vsibly, but she did
not speak She looked pleadingly at her mother.
who now asked:
You mean Hotspur, s'pose?'
Yes. If that's his name. That shaggy black
dog that's big's A calf"
That's Hotspur." returned Mrs. Faxor.
Her face began to have an anxious expression
upon it.
II heard the dog hadn't been quite we'll late
81 believe he hasn't; but nothing to speak Of
Why"
Mrs Faxor leaned one hand on the cutting
board and looked at her visitor.
There's real mad-dog down to the
village" said Mr. Riddle There's been a
furious dog through Man-st They said he bit
several dogs. Folks out shooting every dos
they can find The postmaster told me that Dick
Faxon said his dog hadn't seemed well for
little time, and he bitten. Hydrophobia is
a dreadful thing. you know. Folks can't be too
careful. | thought I'd stop and see Dick. They
appointed me to look after this thing. They have
decided they can't run the risk. Perhaps Dick
would rather put his dog out Of the way him
self than have him shot by somebody else
James Barnes and William Earle are out with
their guns. They went first to the north part Of
the town. | heard that II otspur snapped at that
poorhouse girl they call Dnah."
80 he did," said Mrs. Faxon, but Dinah
was meddling with his plate of bones
In spite of the heat from the stove which had
made Wealthys cheeks red. she was now pale
As she bent over the hot lard her lips trembled
Folks can't be too careful repeated Mr.
Riddle. IL thought I'd stop and let you know
You can tell Dick I guess he'll have to kill the
dog You can't think how stirred up everybody
is and understand Hotspur bitten"
I'm much obliged TO you, Mr.. Riddle" re-
sponded Mrs Faxon.
She felt as If she wished TO say something
more. but she was afraid that she would not say
the right thing.
Wealthy suddenly laid her stirring stick on
the table. She could not speak She hurried out
of the room into the back kitchen, which was
used in the summer time On the wall here
hung her old hat and jacket. She put them on
buttoning the jacket uneveny In her haste
Then she ran out of the house going swiftly
across a field that soped upward to high hill
covered with beech trees. She turned and looked
back to see Mr.. Riddle driving away.
Then she on faster than before. until the
ascent grew decided that she was obliged to
slacken her pace.
The sky was covered with clouds. and some
times a fake Of snow came slowly whirng
about. seeming to fall nowhere.
he OH hos xybI
the tune OF "Shamming sammy" The sound
came from further up the hill. Then the under
brush moved and rustled and big dog came
trottng out, followed by tall boy In gray
suit. with rubber boots that came up to his
knees. a cap on the back Of his head: swinging
from one re1-mittened hand two part
ridges