Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-07
MHJG.

1'Mebby you don't take dorgs here
anyway"
The woman was holding the door Sc
that her figure might just fill the open
ing, and as she had very thin figur,
the door had an inhOspitable appear
ance. Before she gave any answer
she craned her head forward and ex
amned space for few yards about
the man. Il don't see no dorg," she
remarked
"Oh, you can't see him, he's out to
the corner of the house settin' down.
/ told him to Sc down n wait for
me-
Having said this, the man adjusted
his crutches so that he might rest on
them more comfortably while he waited
He was used to waiting. He was
watching the wOman's face. She had
pressed her thin lips together while
she was considering, and when Mrs
Darte's lips were pressed together it
was as if she had only a sort of a
cut in her face through which she
might take her food.
II don't expect we're called upon
to support no dorgs," she said at last
'the town don't provide nothin' for
dorgs, anyway. Besides" Here she
paused but added almost immedi-
ately, "our cats dreadful 'fraid OF
dorgs. She BRUSHES all up horrid
She'd likely's not run away, n |
dknow what we should do. She's a
regular ratter, N the rats we hev
here are jest beyond words. 1 don't
bout 'em. | tell Abram if he tended
10 things s he'd say something bout
Them rats to town meet'n'. | tell him
/ wish the selectmen could see our
hog pail most any time when it's set
tin out there by the pen. Is jest a
sight with them rats tails in ring
right round he top if it, N they with
their heads down in the swill.''
This seemed irrelevant but the man
did not interrupt. His faded old blue
eyes were fixed on the woman's face
Somehow those eyes made her uneasy
She wished they were not so mild and
SO gentle. When she stopped speaking
he said that he knew "sCme folks
didn't like dorgS; they were afraid
they'd run mad in the summer cause
twas hot, n in the winter cause twas
cold. But I amt 'fraid to risk that,
he concluded.
There was silence for a moment
during which a Baltimore oriole in the
cherry tree close by luted out his song
and then flew off, making a swift line
of brilliant color as he went. The old
man turned and gazed after the fly
ing beauty. He smiled slightly as he
gazed
''Them birds are lots of company fc1
me this time of year." he said. 81
guess they've built up in the top
branch-though mostly they like ell
lums for their nests.
AS he still continued to stand there,
Mrs. Darte could not quite make UP
her mind to shut the door ON him
Presently he turned toward her again
''This is the almhouse, where
b'long," he began hesitatingly. 'I'm
towned here, anyway, n I've bout
made up my mind l can't take care OF
myself no more I'm gittin' Old
Mrs. Darte just now heard a kissing
sound that told her the dried apple
stewing on the kitchen stove was boil
ing over. She felt sure that the half
witted pauper inmate she had left to
watch would spill the apple when she
tried to move the kettle back. But
here was old Lemmy Little, who didn't
seem to know enough to go away. OF
course they couldn't take his dog. II
was ridiculous, just like him to thinI
they could. And her mother ha6
always said that good-Sized dog cost
as much to keep rs a pig. She told
herself that she hadn't any right tC
use the towns money to provide for a
useless animal like that.
II don't see how | can, no way" she
said
81 tell you what" exclaimed Mr.
Little frightening, you jest come
out'n see Maize. n p'r'aps you'll change
your mind. He's such a good Teller
You can't help likin' him, nobody
CAN'T
II guess I've seen him. was the
response, the speaker showing no Ell
thusiasm at the prospect of making &C
quaintance with Maize 1--WE seen hin
goin' along with YOU"
But you just come out''-the ole
eyes were still bright-"'n speak t.
him He's the best Teller you ever
seen. Why"-here the stubby weak
chin quivered slightly-"I amt beer
'thout him day nor night for ten year
n ten year ago this spring he was &
pup. They was goin' ter drown him
| saved his life. l got him way from
them two cusses of boys. l took of
the rope N the rock they'd tied to his
neck. Twas the best job 1 ever done
when l saved that pup. He's be'I
mine ever since. My wife she'd died
N my son he fin'ly died of that wound
he got when the factory bowed up
you know. ~ l amt been fit fol
nothing for I'd know how long. I've
got ter give up peddlin' on count OF
my back N legs. l knew this was the
pOorhouse where l b'longed. I'd come
here fore only [ KEEP thinkin' how
t'would er make my wife feel if she'G
known it. She was real high strung
Abby was, one of them Kimberly:
over to North Bixby, you know"
AS he said this the old man drew
his head. But he could not remain il
that attitude, so he immediatel.
sagged again between the supports.