The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-02-18
"A saa thief was Lijer. 1t seemed that

! were beyond his ability to lug Off. FO
metal objects, especially if thoy wor
bright, he had the greatest liking. Mrs
BaNtcr's thimble would disappear. to b
perhaps found in somo odd corner q
crevico. Spools Of thread were to be dis
covered poked into tho bedding, In tn
kindling box, behind tho wash bench
out Of doors under big chips and good
ness knows whore else.
Part of paper Of taoks loft carelessl,
about ono day attracted Lijor's atten
tion, and he mado number Of trips be
tween it and tho bread sponge that Mrs
Baxter had left on the tablo all ready
for tho oven when "a neighbor dropped
i'll. After the departure Of tho caller tht
housewifoaastily thrust tho bread into
tho oven without noticing anything un
usual about it. Upon getting tho loaf al
supper she was astonishcd to find ono
end of it plentifully studded with taoks.
Lijer dearly loved to got ut well
filled pincushion, from which bo would
extract tho pins ono by one and thrust
them into somo convenient receptacle.
Ono night after the prophet, unbcknown
to any one, had robbed tho pincushiOn
Dolby was considerably surprised, if
not delighted, to find, upon going to
bed, his pillow carefully bestuck with
pins.
Ono winters day old Mr.. Hanson
"sorta drappcd in,' as he expressed it,
and WAS sitting bcsil" tho stuvo retail
ing the scanty gossip Of the neighbor
hood, while his dog, faithful Tylor, was
! nnfortnbly rprln1 nm h,forD tlo fro
/ Lijcr was SwaggCring about looking for
an opportunity for displaying his pccul-
Jar talents when Il live coal popped
out of the CRATE Like Il flash he snap.
ped it up in his hard bill and inserted it
into tho dogs ear. Poor Tyler sprang
up with "A terrible howl and dashed he.
tween tho legs of his master, who had
| Just risen to take his departure, nearly
standing the old gentleman on his
head, and sprang out of tn" door, collid
ing with Dolby, wuo was just bringing
in il bucket Of water The bucket went
flying, half drcnchinS the boy, and the
dog scuttlcd away, yclping mournfully,
followed by Lij"r's triumphant "whoor.
bOOr ha-a.a!'
But, in spite of all his villainics, Liicr
had one rcd"cming trait This was his
fondncsS for Dolby, whom he loved with
all his rascally little heart. 1t was Dob
by who had fed him when he was q
helpless gornand and rescued him from
the rooster and bound up his broken leg
and nurscd him tcndcrly. 1t was Dolby
who saved him from many unpleasant
scrapcs, usually brought upon himself
by his own raScality, and it WAS Dolby,
too, who pctted him and prantcd with
him, and it was upon dolby that he Law
lshcd all the affection that was in him
he would Swaggcr around after the
boy at his tasks, investigating every
where, sticking his nose into everything,
often hindcring sadly while apparently
intending to br helpful, and all the time
murmurlng to his master in crow Ian.
Euagr. lie seemed to deem nothing toe
good for Dolby. and often when tho lad
was sitting quietly the crow would hor
up INTO his lap and pop into u pocket OF
fold of his Jacket one of his choicest
steals and then back away rs proud as :,
peacock when Dolby found and accepted
the gift, usually some small article that
hau been missing from the house and
accordingly charged to Liirr, though
perhaps no one had seen him steal it.
And when tired Of pranking the crow
Ilk"d to hop up on Dubby'S shoulder
and muttrr and mumblo in his car and
then drop off to sleep with his head
against the hoy's check.
One September day the Baxters were
thrown into II tluttcr of excitement by
the coming i'll Il most unexpected fash
ION OF visitors from tho fort. Miss Er.
nrStino RosSitcr of Chicago had lately
hrcomo the guest of Colonel and Mrs.
Conlilin, and several times the house
hold under the tall cottonwood had seer
the stately beauty ride by, II member o1
an equestrian party from the post. To
day her escort was blond mustachcd ant
cycglasscd Lieutenant Lemon, just from
West Point, Il gentleman Of apparently
tremendous Importance III his own mind
How it came about does not matter
but when IL little way frOm the Baxter
homestead tho lady's horse stumbled
giving her II painful and most ungrace
ful tumble, bruising her somewhat an(
giving her dignity sad shock. Thi.
! was truly unfortunate, for upon thi
particular day she had nrraycd hcrscl
with unusual care for tho purpose O
impressing the officer
That gentleman came gallantly to tn
rescue and supported her tondcrly to tn
house, where Mrs. Baxter, in a high stat
OF huttcrmcnt, did her best to admins
ter TO the needs of her unexpected CUES,
The lady'S shoulder was abra(lcd an
lamrd and one of her hands considcrabl
bruised. Mrs Baxter was ready wit
linen cloths and homemade linimen
DOLBY thoughtfully brought a pitch,
OF cool water from tho spring, and litt
M;rtha rendered what assistance Ia,
within her power.
Miss RosSitcr was almost astonishc
when Mrs. Baxter refused payment fl
her Kindness and seemed lalt hurt tn;
1T had been offered These prairie poop
were hardly barbarians, after all, II
lady decided Even tho lieutenant,
whom she whispered this, agreed wit
her and was almost gracious to Dobi
and Martha, who stood in manifest az
of this very important appearing office
| who walkCl as erect rs ;f ho had s,yu