Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-08-19

ter. He dreamed that he saw Mr..
Jones coming into the kitchen carry
ing that terrible chloroform in his
arms. II was q fearful affair COM
posed of ropes aud knives and wires.
What should he do9 He knew; he
had.never turned tail yet, and he never
would; he would fight the thing. He
would die game as he had seen many
trapped coon do in the brave old
days. Thereupon the grizzly bristles
along his spine rose straight up, his
lips curled back from his few yellow
teeth, and, growing and barking and
swapping, he few at the monster.
'For the lands sakes," said Mrs.
Jones voice from the bedroom,
whatever ails that dog? Get up
quick, father, aud let him out; some
thing must be at the chickens"
Before Ginger was fairly awake no
found himself out in the chill Dir,
with the farmers "Sick 'em Sick
EN-, Gingerl' ringing in his ears. He
shivered and whined for q moment;
then oil at once O thought struck him.
He'd "sic" himself! He would run
away from the fate which awaited him
on the morrow. Why hadn't he thought
Of that before9 Warmed into supple
ness by glow of hope, and barking
for Joy, he loped across the yard and
started up the road.
Before he had gone very far he dis.
covered that something was running
ahead of him. What it was his dim
old eyes could not discern; but eyi.
IDENTITY fear of him was the cause Of its
fight, The thought that anything on
earth was afraid Of him aroused the
old hunting spirit and he leaped for.
ward in eager pursuit. He could feel
that he was gaining on the feeting
object; lie could hear labored breath.
ing ahead of him, and was sure that
in the next two or three bounds he
would fasten his teeth in whatever 1t
was.
But just then the pursued swerved
to one side and leaped onto q black
object that stood beside the fence.
Ginger heard the hiss OF whip
through the air and crack as II
struck; then the thudity.thud OF IRON
shod hoofs on the frozen ground. He
had lost his prey, and somehow he
couldn't seem to breath--and the
black road was lifting upland the
stars were coming down---and--
"See that ear culver; 1 believe he's
alive" said voice that sounded like
Mrs. Jones'.
~ hope so. I wouldn't take $50
for TINT dog" said another voice.
"Give him little hot milk and put q
warm blanket over him. ] thought he
was dead, sure, when I found him In
the road. Hadn't he grit, though, to
follow that thief full mile? The
scoundrel had the buggy out Of the
barn and gray Bess all harnessed, and
would have got away with her in five
minutes more. They stole Ed Walkers
horse and carriage and Jim Bates
black saddle mare last night. I'd adj
wise Bates and Walker to invest in q
dog"
''Poor old Ginger" said the first
voice, while somebody's hand patted
his dragged coat. "He must have
heard them open the barn door. Only
think how we had planned to put him
out Of the way today. He shall never
be chloroformed now IL he loses all his
teeth and have to feed him with o
spoon"
Could ii be possible he had heard
Alright? Was that Mrs. Jones speak
ing, or was it an angels voice he
heard? Was he on earth OF had he
been translated to.a coy nook ins6me
beautiful dog heavenG He cautiously
opened little slit in one eye and
peeped out. No, it wasn't heaven, but
II was the next thing to IL; 1t was the
dear familiar kitchen. He could see
the bottom of the bird cage and
corner OF the clock, and he recognized
the dotted blue calico sleeve that was
futtering over him. He closed his
eye, wagged luis feeble tail in approval,
then settled back into blissful
slumber.
By evening he was almost himself
again, was able to give little skip Of
delight when he found minced meat
aud soft crumblei cake on his plate,
and at bedtime he breathed long
sigh of contentment when he curled
himself up on feather cushion that
had been tucked undef his carpet bed.
But they never can understand why
he sneaks of in q shamed way when.
ever any one refers to his acute hear.
ing, or why he trembles when chloro-
form is mentioned. Chicago Record.