Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-05-31
soon discovered that nao treasure.

SoOu ulSCOFeTeu CudI udU u treasure.
would come home at night, at times
tired out and depressed in spirits, and
enter room which would have added
to my gloom but for the presence Of
this faithful friend whom no moodiness
could ALLEVIATE. Ever on the watch for
my coming, her CHEEKY bark would bid
me welcome as soon as her keen ears
would detect my footstep. She would
bound into the air as entered and kiss
me in the face, whining for joy to see
me again. Where is the human love
so great that nothing can disturb it?
Yet Is it not a characteristic of the ca
nine race to love thus unselfshly and
constantly?
One night, bordering over this, l be-
gan to wonder why it is that the re-
ligionists deny to animals the possess
sion of soul? Yet surely they are in
consistent, for do they not claim that
pure love is the highest attribute of
the soul? And is not the love of dog
for his master the very purest and
highest type? To me at least the argu-
ment was convincing on that night as
my dog and l cuddled up together on
my bed. named my pet Psyche.
Shortly after my arrival met Mar
t.2 Temple. With n precipitancy often
exhibited by my sex, at once fell in
love with her. l have no reason to
give for this, and now, in the retro
spective, it appears to me that l must
have been temporarily out of my mind.
The woman is totally devoid of all
lxrc eli TO No
uisite in one who could command my
love. Yet so it was. l showered her
with attentions which, despite her evil
dence, she was nothing loath to accept.
l thought that she was destined to be
mine till Philip Norton came upon the
scene.
You might suppose from the evidence
that this man was good fellow, as in
deed it was his constant aim to appear.
In truth. he was a heartless. cruel
scoundrel. He loved Martha Temple
and became insanely Jealous Of myself.
Yet he was too much Of the cunning
rogue to let this appear openly to her
and too much of coward to WOO her
publicly before me. His was one Of
those atrophied souls which vent their
spite upon the innocent dumb brutes
that chance to be present during their
rage. Thus it was, think, that Nor
ton first kicked Psyche. 1t was in
sheer wantonness. Some one, however,
reported the fact to me, and in a rage
l went to Norton and demonstrated
with him. Then he saw that by injur-
ing the dog he could wound me. Again
l heard Of his kicking Psyche. and l
probably used the threatening Ian
guage attributed to me on the stand.
But l ask you: When a man is angry,
does he always weigh his words? Do
not all of us at times threaten more
than we would execute?
1 come now to the day upon which
asked Martha Temple to be my wife. l
see now how ridiculous that was. She
had known Norton before they met
here, and she loved him. At first she
accepted my attentions as a pastime.
Later, when he came. it was done to
incite him through jealousy to a pro-
posal. She refused me and laughed at
my suit. In an unenviable frame of
mind sought my dog. Poor beast!
had been neglecting her for this heart
less woman. and now in my misery l
felt that l had been recreant to my
love for the only being who loved me.
Imagine my feelings when discovered
Psyche hiding under my bed. moaning
piteously. | drew her out, and as she
licked my band with her tongue | dis
, covered that her leg was broken.
rushed down stairs and made inquiries.
: l learned that Norton had injured
= Psyche by striking her with a stick,
as has been told. | then searched for
Norton. l have no hesitation in saying
that had found him alone l might
} have murdered him. was so enraged
: that l had almost lost control of my
self. l say almost. for when l found
him with Martha Temple did prevent
: This was only because of her presence
! Yet we quarreled violently, as she
claimed.
: Two days later Psyche disappeared
7 altogether. Naturally | accused Nor
! ton of having something to do with
this. He laughed at me. even jeered a
s me for ''mopng after brute beast.
r Those We're his words.
l. The days went by, and nothing wa
n heard of Psyche Stop! Did l sa
IS nothing was heard Of her? l SHOULD
y mention here that often at night
t. would fancy that heard her moaning
d l would follow the direction Of the cry
II but it always led me to the edge Of til
lake and then died away. l conclude
IT that it was my imagination.s
ir This brings me to the night of tn
II 10Th. The boy was accurate in Stain
n. that all four oars were in the boa
l. Noticing this myself as | passed til
l: place, | took them out and carrie
X them to my boathouse. Then l we1
IN to the hotel. AS was going into m
d room Norton made a jeering remar
,e across the hall. His door was opel
t, / went in. and we quarreled again, &
lie we had done several times since IN
+ dogs disappearance. At last | left hi