Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-03-11
OLD DAN.

Tue udlu OuO ihOi uih6 WIN LAC ANNNS
and clothes wet and coverd with mud,
his face red and his eyes flashing.
'Nedr be shouted, as he entered
the kitchen. Where's Ned?'
Here / am, came a CHEEKY voice
in reply, and an instant after bright
strong boy of sixteen years entered
from the adjoining woodshed, where
he had been cutting potatoes for the
days planting. DO you want any
thing2'
Il want to tell you this, said Mr..
Henderson, as he washed himself at
the sink, and rubbed his weather
beaten face with the coarse towel un-
til it was even more red than before.
'Old Dan must be killed, just see the
the state I'm in, and all from that
worthless old rascal. / won't have
him around the house another day.
He's good for nothing but to make
trouble, and he must be shot before
night, added the farmer wrathfully.
He was about to plead for his pet
when his little sister came into the
room.
why, papa, what is the matter?
she cried, running to him in great as
constituent. Did you fall into the
creek?'
Il might as WE'LL he replied, half
laughisg. 'Old Dan butted me into
the watering. trough
There was shout of laughter from
both children, in which their mother
joined in.
well, Jebediad, said Mrs. Hender-
son, coming into the kitchen, shaking
with mirth, what could you be think
ing about to let an old ram, nearly
twenty years old, knock you into the
watering-trougT
But explained her husband, 'he
took me unawares, l had just filed
one pail to carry to the barn, and was
STOPPING to dip the other when the
old rascal came at me like the wind !,
and knocked me completely into the
water. He scampered, l tell you, be-
fore | could get out. He knew he
had done mischief. Anyhow, he has
got to be killed to day, sure. He's
only a nuisance, and I'll kill him to-
night, when we come from town, if
he's on the farm
Two hour later MIR. and Mrs. H n
derson drove away, to be absent until
night. AS they ratified out of the
yard old Dan suddenly appeared at
the gate, and wagging his tail as if in
dni OF, gave utterance to hoarse
Bsa-a-a-a.
The farmer turned and shook his
whip at the fellow, and cried, This is
your last day, my boy; make the
most of it,
Ned and Carrie were the only child.
ren. Leaving Carrie in the house
alone, after thinning awhile whether
Dams sad fate could not be averted,
Ned shouldered his hoe and marched
off to his work, planting potatoes
with Cronson, the hired man, in the
back lot.
But the little girl of thirteen had
no thought of beng afraid. She had
the breakfast dishes to wash, some
sweeping to do, and dinner to get, all
before noon.
Time fed. The dishes stood in
shining rows along the pantry shelves,
the broom had performed its work,
andCarrie was preparing the vege-
tables to be boiled, when there came
faint knock at the door. Supposing
it to be one of the neighbors, the lit
tie girl did not raise, but simply cal
led:
Come in
The door opened and man stepped
within.
He wore black coat, buttoned up
to his chin, and very thread bare. His
trousers too, were black and much too
short for him. On one foot was
boot while the other was graced by
ragged shoe. His face was very long
and solemn, but quite red, his eyes
and his hands very dirty,
and altogether he was a queer look
ing visitor.
is your ma at home miss?' said he
in half whine, as he glanced sharply
about the room.
No, sir, replied Carrie, wondering
why he asked. She has gone to Un-
derhill. Do you wish 10 see her?'