The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-18
Group of Short Stories for Blue ondays Idle Hours
JACK WAS 3 ut
A TRUE GUARDIAN AT THE
RIGHT TIME

l have had many sleepless night, due
to rats, cats, creaking floors or other indi-
rect causes, all of which were ut the time
attributed to burglars
AS lived in suburban town and the
man of the house was often absent for
months at a time, / became an expert in
looking for burglars. A seven shooter,
every barrel of which was loaded, was laid
in a conspicuous place close to my hand,
and / cannot understand yet why did
not shoot myself or some member of my
family in my various frantic grabs at the
weapon when ! heard or thought heard
some one ascending the stairs l had read
somewhere that newspapers spread on the
stairs would make such a cracking sound
if any one stepped on them that they made
the best burglar detectives in the world.
tried it, and my youngest hopeful fell
down stairs in consequence the next morn
ing and sustained fractured arm. 1t was
then that Jack came upon the scene. Jack
was hunting dog, part bloodhound,
handsome to look at, but very feroclous to
deal with. Either he was hard of hearing
or lie could not discriminate between
friends and foes, but by the time had
owned Jack fortnight none Of my friends
would come near me-
So followed tho example of the clown
at tho circus who owned an elastic dog. I
took him in at night and let him out in
the morning Jack had his chair in the
sitting ROOM close to d veranda and
( window, from which the side gate could
! be seen and past which the sidewalk ex-
| tended for square or so, ours being the
last house OH the block.
j sometimes wondered myself II was
not as much afraid of the new dog as Of
! b,,t ho rvV,r, nH
! post, and l became used to his low growls
and barks if any one passed, which did
not often happen.
One day company of friends came
from the city and staid overnight at my
earnest solicitation. We sighed several
times during the evening, "Oh, for a
mani" but there was not one of those use
full bipeds in the company. After music
and late supper we told ghost stories
and ended up with burglar experiences,
by which time there wasn't a thimbleful
of brains among us-nothing but hyster-
ical fears and nervous tremors
Then we had good deal Of trouble In
composing the dog. Seeing new faces
seemed to disturb him, and he was full Of
low growls that were threatening and bel
ligerent. He wanted to fly at each one Of
my friends separately. Then he tried to
take them collectively, but hung on his
collar with both hands, while Hannah
coaxed him with a bone, and we finally
landed him in the old chair, which was
his throne by day in the wood shed and his
couch by night in the parlor. Once there,
he curled himself up for keeps, while the
rest Of us scrambled up stairs and shut
ourselves into our several apartments. ..
It was the noon Of night and as light
as day with a full moon when ! was
awakened by hearing some one at my door
and small feminine voice calling in
hushed syllables, LET me in; oh, let me
imp and opened the door instantly and
saw company Of ghosts in the hall, each
one of whom whispered in accents that
Glove to the roof of her mouth:
Burglars, burglars in the houser'
Whispered back, with ohattering teeth
"It's Jackp'
Jack was indeed making a remarkabl,
demonstration. He neither barked moi
growled, but made strange kissing noise
that am told is native to the BLOODHOUND
alone and is the most awe inspiring threa
that a bloodthirsty dog can make Il IL.
Don't" said one of my friends a. 4
was about to turn on light. ~a' ~
''If you do, the burglars will see us. LIE
us look out of the front windows It Is q
llH0U as uay, anu Uuoy WILL uOV AuOW. uu0
we have seen them"
So we crept, hand in hand, with tw'
frightened children clnging to US, to tn
windows STOPPING low SO that we ooul'
not be seen, and, sure enough, two mel
were walking along softly in the middle Q
the road, coming directly toward the hous
. by the side where the dog was on watch
. and no doubt they were quite unCOnsCiou
that there was any dog on the premises
for when they reached the door they step
ped upon the sidewalk, opened the gat
noiselessly and climbed the two steps +
, the veranda
During this time the dog had kept u
that same peculiar expression OF his anger
and 1 had seized the seven shooter an
was grasping it in cold and shakin
hand. But the moment the two men step
ped on the veranda the dog sprang from
his chair to the table and threw himsel
against the window with a yell of rag
that was like the roar of wild animal
: followed by that long, baying cry familia
> to those who have ever heard a pack G
bloodhounds give tongue We all though
the window was broken from the easement
. that perhaps the men would shoot on
only protector and make their way In, bu
in a moment we we're treasured. Til
hoAoO viz >ioEs ilduO Pio'c1cSu "o $1,000 49,
. anything. but we saw the two men goin
L away, at first slowly, then faster, an
: they went back the way they came.
Were they burglars9 Wait till fms
my story The next day took my littl
It family and accompanied my friends
Il their home in the city. We had each note
% the dress, size and general appearance {
the two men, one being tall and wearin
l. derby hat, while the other was short an
y wore cap.
10 There was great excitement at our litt
10 suburban station, and a crowd of poop
is had gathered about some police Officer
g who had captured two men. We crane
y our necks and saw our two burglars.
(, "Who are they?" we asked breathlessl.
g ''Tramps, reckon" said the static
II master. "They nearly murdered an Of
p man up here in Harlem last night becau'
d he wouldn't give up his money. The Of
:. fellow was plucky and reused the neigl
- borhood and the officers are just takin
y them into the city,
We looked at each other when the ST.
y ton master had finished.
1T might have been US" said, with
g shudder, ''if it hadn't been for Providen'
8 and Jack Detroit Free Press
s. Entrance Answers.
y In a recent examination of middle cla
~ til