Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-04-15
SAVED THE SPOON.

4, was frnrfully Rot Gay. one ~ the
/ kind which come Go Us so often during the
month Of August Not hrcath 81 mir was
/ stirring. The leaves OF the hiR naples and
graceful Gins In the yard looked gray with
the dust of the parched road beneath them.
/ Down in the orchard. beneath the Porter
apple tree. Muriecai, the rooster. and a
/ few members of his numerous family were
! SCRATCHING ninlessly for bugs. Murdccai's
| comb looked withcred and his tail feathers
dropped dcjectedly DE he dug away In u
| peTfunctory sort Of manner. Indicating
that nothing but q sense OF duty inspired
/ him. The clucks of the hens and the hum
/ ming of the lat humblehccs were the only
sounds to he heard. save an occasional far
sway rumble from the westward thunder
clouds.
Upon the back s'oop. whence the best
view OF tho shady yard could be obtained.
sat grandma, darning stockings They
were her son :. and no one could wonder
| that she sighed once in awhile. for John
/ goes upon the plan that il a thing is worth
doing ut all 1t is worth doing thoroughly.
/ Consequently the holes in his stock ings
are many and ample.
At grandma feet, swapping occasional
ly at an inquisitivo fly and keeping his
eye open for possible peppcrmints. lay Da.
RUS. Darius is disagroeable looking
dog, with scarcely thought beyond his
/ dinner. He could eat more than any two
men could possibly consume and his exCr
else being confined to waddling around
the house In grandma's wake. he became
in consequence hopelessly fat and un-
wieldy.
No one but grandma could ever SEQ any
good in Darius John had mentioned him
several times in connection with the shot
gun, but grandma's pleadings always won
the day. "Raly, Johnnie she would say.
ut which infantile cognOmen her stalwRrt
son never failed TO irown, Il don't be
gredge him tho little he eats. And just
look at what he's done for you This year
s-keepin those pesky rats away from the
corn barn" John, who knew that the
word Rats" would cause Darius to dis
appear as completely as II he did not exist.
would laugh immoderatcly, murmur some
thing about waddling meal bag and give
in.
Grandma darned and rocked, sang AN
tioch" in her sweet, guavcring voice and
then she would roll up pair Of stockings
and put them with a satisfied pat with the
neatly mendcd pile at her side. Then she
would lean over to pat Darius and drop II
peppermint into his suggestively open
mouth. He would gulp it down languidly
and wcarily thump his tail on the floor, as
II the day was entirely too warm for exer-
ton.
~ n,,ie tel ~
{ last pair Of dilapidated stockings. and be-
slowed the last swectmCat on her faithful
satellite, the west was beginning to darken
with omnous and angry looking clouds
Looks like we'd hev a tempest, don't 1t,
'Rius?" said grandma, pIncidly taking off
her glasses. Shouldn't wonder but I'd
better shut the winders," and s're went
indoors, followed by the polite Darius,
who was so engaged In dwelling on posi-
bio bones that he narrowly escaped getting
his tail pinched In tho screen door as 1t
banged behind him.
1t was quite dark when she came back
, The cow mooed disconsolatcly from the
6 pasture bars. Mordccai and his hnrem
were prudently retiring IN the direction of
: the burnyard The robins with their
quick sharp calls, were flying backward
them, daring little fellow, lighted for u
second on the walk In front of grandma
Little cunnin - said she tendcrly. Look
like he'd get wet If he don't scamper,
don't it, 'Riusf" Darius only yawncd alb
stractedly. The bones had not been forth
coming, and disappointment brooded over
his soul.
Grandma gave last glance at the fa,
| L., - H.,
light and half turned to 60 in. AS she did
SO, a man came around the corner and ur
on the stoop He was ragged and dirty
r and the scowls on his face rivaled the
clouds behind him. Would she give him
something to eat? oh, yes: grandma new
or refused q man something to eat. Sc
into the low buttery she went and came
, back just in time to see one Of her silver
spoons slide into the man. pocket Right
eous indignation filled her soul.
. "See here mister, she said, going to
ward him as be stood by the stoop door
"Them spoons was my mothers. le're
welcome to the whites, but ye can't have
them
: The man grinned Look yere, old
woman" he growled. Eyer might rs well
fork over them spoons 'thout any fuss, coz
/
of thunder seemed to echo his words, The
NAPLES were filed with the rushing OF tn,
wind.
Grandma placid blue eyes bazed Give
this dirty man her mothers silver spoonsi
Never She did not wish to hurt the man
she thought, but she must do 1t. "Sick
'em, 'Rius-sick emf she called eXcit
eddy.
For the first time in his life Darius
"sickened.' Out from the shelter oil
+ grandmas voluminous skirts he Sped
straight at the surprised tramp-for Darius
had kept out Of sight very skillfully hith
7 erto- hesitated, backed out OF the door and
then started ON gentle dog trot down the
yard. Whether he was deceived by Darius
yaps at his heels and successful bites at his
legs and thought him largo and forocious
animal do not know At any rate, tht
4 dog trot quickened into run, and hi
r raced down the yard, while Darius, deter
=, animation stamped on every fiber OF his fa'
little body, followed close behind, When
! grandma got to the stoop, all she could see
+ were the driving sheets of rain. The tenn
, vest had come.
Late in the evening after the storm hat
rolled Its thunders far away and the starr
:. were shining brightly, John found in thu
dewy grass by the roadside grcat-grand
mothers silver spoon, and close beside il
- the valiant Darius.
"And dye know" said grandma proud
ly when she showed me the battered spoon
II rally believe that dog got an awakenin
Catch rats he will like everything, and al
for tramps-why, there hain't been ont
here for weeks. Ye never saw the lik'
in yer lifcl'
IA n,,,,,, from hie refuua IN ho