Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-04-27
complete disregard for the entire in

| appropriateness of the name.
After he had settled this to his salts
faction he tried to discover accom-
plishments in the creature. "Here,
Bessie, old boy. Set up now, set up.
Can't you give us your paw, here, paw
paw, now. Can't you give us your
paw? WE'LL then, speak, speak, Bes-
sic, s-p-e ak, speak now. Wow
Speak" But Bessie could only follow
him with his bright curious eyes and
come when called. So the solace of
many more hours of patient waiting
lay in teaching Bessie these and many
other tricks until he was the most ac-
complisned dog. in all the garrison
and greatly beloved at the barracks.
Duffy was little annoyed about the
comment the inappropriate name
called forth, but he insisted that it
was as good as another, and the in
congruity was soon lost in Bessie's
popularity.
Caldwell saw the dog only on rare
occasions. 1t staid in its masters
room and slept on his bed and waxed
fat in retirement. He had spoken to
it several times, but otherwise too
no notice of it's existence, which Sc
cretly riled Duffy. But Caldwell was
preoccupied and not quite himself.
He came home good deal the worse
for wine one night, and Bessie, being
| in his way, got kick that sent him
crouching to his masters side. Cald-
we'll might far better have kicked
Duffy. However, the striker under
stood and sympathized with the
lieutenant's condition. He himself
could never have kicked dog, even
after pay day, but all men are not
alike, SO Duffy petted Bessie and shut
him up in his own room and returned
to look after the bodily comfort of his
master.
This, considering the wine, was par
donable, but the next offence could
not be condoned. It occurred in broad
daylight, and Caldwell was sober. He
had been having an explanation with
the commanding officer, and that
gentleman had made reflection upon
some of the lieutenant's fast growing
habits that had exasperated the al
ready overworried junior almost be-
yond endurance. He STROBE into his
quarters and found Duffy, who was
not expecting him, dividing his at
/ tention between Bessie's charms and
the buckle of his masters belt. Now,
Bessie's disposition inclined him to
forgive. He ran to Caldwell, looked
up to his face with soft, affectionate
eyes and put his little paws, one white
and one yellow, upon his knee. Cald-
we'll did not dare to kick the com
mandant, but he kicked Bessie-and
broke the yellow paw. 1t was the one
always held out to Duffy to greet him.
Duffy bandaged the paw, and in
time it grew we'll. But Duffy hated
Caldwell with the most dangerous of
hatreds-a silent and waiting one.
Caldwel's habits did not improve.
His fondness for whisky, whether
good or bad, continued. He had good
whisky in his room, and Duffy knew
it, for he belonged TO the old school of
strikers, who do not look upon cigars
and liquor as private property.
One day, after Bessie's foot was
we'll, Duffy went to get drink, be-
cause his spirits were low. There was
very little whisky in the decanter,
barely half glas sful, and an idea
suddenly flashed into the strikers
mind. Caldwell was officer of the day
| He never started to make the rounds
without taking enough liquor to keep
| him warm, and Duffy knew it and saw
his revenge laid bare.
| The striker took Bessie for walk
over to the hospital to show the stew
ard the mended paw.
"Say," said Duffy, 'I've got the
toothache. 1 didn't sleep none last
night. Hev you got some-what's
that you give me once? Laudanum,
was it? Kin you let me hev bit?''
''Shall [ take all that?" inquired the
striker with sweet simplicity.
Lord! No, man. Put some on cot
! ton and stick it in the TOOTH"
'sOh, and what wud it do to me if
wuz to swallow it? Wud it kill me?n
'No, there amt enough for that. 1t
would put you fast asleep, though"
"Oh!" said Duffy again.
| Then Bessie went through his tricks
for the steward and trotted back
home at his masters heels.
That night Caldwell finished the
whisky in the decanter and grumbled
| that the sutler was selling vile tast-
ing stuff, then started off a little
! while afterWard to make his rounds