Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-05-12
( MRS. O'GRADY WATCHES;
Is { ; - -, -asGe -
Moloch, the Great Dane; Helps "a
Bad Cess to Him. .F''%''

! sister Sarah were both away at a
house party. Cordelia, the maid, and
Helen, the cook, had begged this par
ticular night off for month in advance,
on the plea that they were to be brides
maids at the wedding of Cordelia's Sis
ter. Mrs. Perkins knew when they
asked that the Arion ball must be set
for that particular Friday night. Cor
delia's and Helen's relatives always Sc
lected the same night for their we'd
dings as that on which the Arion fes-
Invites were held Father and Mother
Perkins also had planned to take part
in their annual poker game with the
Petersons on that identical night at the
Petersons' home. This disposition OF
the household, however, would leave no
one in the house except Nloloch, the
Great Dane. Up t. the time of the oc-
currences here chronicled Moloch had
never been credited with any particu-
lar intelligence. In this emergency the
Perkinses summoned Mrs. O'Grady.
She arrived at six o'clock and was in
:structed to keep the fires burning in the
study, the kitchen range and the
furnace and to open third-story win
dow and yell bloody murder if anyone
not known to her as a member of the
household attempted to get into the
house.
All these things Mrs. O'Grady cheer
fully promised to do. She laid her bon
net and umbrella in the middle of the
dining-room table, hung her cloak on
the hail rack and set her overshoes on
the study hearth to dry. She surveyed
the premises over with evident approval
and pride. She saw the Perkinses out
OF the door with as muchScererlony.a as
if they were the guests and she the pros
pretor. = ) y J
MY DEAR" said Mrs. Perkins to Sam
uel the elder as they stood on the corner
waiting for car, Mrs. O'Grady is
such comfort. If only that silly dog
doesn't take fright from stranger be-
ing in the house and jump out of a
window or something, 7 am sure, aren'-
you?"
OF course am, said Samuel, who
was So we'll. acquainted with Airs.
Perkins that he never wasted timeeask-
ing her to fill.out a l1iat us; : 'a* E$% ,-'
At half-past. five O'Clock the next,
the Pcrkinses approached
their home once more. Before. MIR
Perkins hand reached the Knob the,
door opened and Mrs. O'Grady.marched
out upon them.> -
Good morning, Bridget" said Mrs.
Perkins, pleasantly. -
Its divil a word of good morning1
have to say to you, Mis- Perkins," re-
piled Mrs. O'Grady with surprising
hauteur.,
why, Bridget" said Mr.. Perkins, OBJ
serving the utter dumfounding of Mrs
Perkins. ''INhat is it %
We'll may ye ask what is it?' she
said, standing on the sidewalk and
orandishing the umbrella at him.
We'll may ye ask, you who keep the
divil's own dog t. worrit the soul of
respectable lady that until the present
lay had no thought but of the greatest
respect for you and all your family."
'1e black-faced, red-eyed, long
toothed. lazy vilyun," she screamed
with suddenly increased venom.
bridget, how dare you speak to Mr..
Perkins 500" said Mrs. Perkins.
"Oi dare spake to amy man as Place"
half screamed Mrs, O'Grady, but Oh
was not regardir' the man, but the
baste!"
The Perkinses looked down and saw
that Moloch, the dog. stood between
them. There was Il drawing Up of the
LETT side OF his upper lip that suggested
a satirical grin. Otherwise his face was
as stupid as ever.
What in the world has the dog done.
Bridget" asked Mrs. Perkins. "Did
he bite you?" ~" 49,.
Bite! Let the haste try onct to do
It,"
She lowered her tone from that of
wild denunciation to that OF spirited
nara ton.
"Sit ye both down." she said, whilst
tell We the tale of what the haste has
done by way of putting insult and bodi
y misery on me this night" r.
Side by side the Perkinses sat on the
Top step and the dog sat behind them
and blinked serenely over their heads.
1.-The two of yez," began Mrs.
l'Grady, '''went out of the house, anu
eft me alone in it but for the two girls,
md they went soon after. Ihad looked |
20 the fires and they needed no tending.
The windows they were all down ant
oolted. went to the top floor, and the
loor TO the roof it was likewise shut
md bo!ted. So then I sat meseIf down |
~ the lamp in the parlor with me lace
work, for there was naught else to do,
md twas too early to think of sleeping.