Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-01-11
PRESENCE OF MIND.
HI,I HAT ais the dog?' asked Mr.. Sin
w pletarv

sSI.T HAT ais the dog?" asked Mr.. Sin
w gletary.
There was some reason for the question
The sprightly fox terrier that adorned the
family seemed disturbed in his sleep on the
shaggy rug before the fire. There were
twitches and tremors along his body and
limbs, his jaws clicked together in a savage
fashion, and he even barked those short
dream yaps which are supposed to betoken
the pursuit of visionary rats.
what the matter with the dog" repeat
ed Mr.. Singletary, when these manifestations
of canine worriment became so pronounced
as to distract his attention from his evening
paper
There was smoker from the diningroom,
where John, Jr., was theoretically engaged
in the pursuit of his education. 1t was fol-
lowed by a snort which betrayed the inef-
fectual stihe of laugh, but in which there
was sufficient reason of strangling to alarm
the lads mother
What is it, Johnny?" she asked, with
motherly concern. did you swallow the
wrong way?"
Nom" replied the scholar. Il was only
laughing at something in my lesson here.
1t says Sirius is more than billion miles
away"
IL don't see anything funny in that,
Johnny" said his mother. Astronomy is
much too solemn to joke about"
well, it just made me laugh, ma; Sirius,
that's the dog star, being billion miles
away, and star dog being so much nearer.
leave it to pop if that amt So
Ssh, Johnny Never mind that now.
You haven't any too much time to get your
lessons and you mustn't interrupt us when
| am talking with your father. Now, John
Henry" she continued, turning to the head
OF the house, don't do anything to arouse
the poor creature don't even mention his
name, because then he II know we're talking
about him. | have just had an awful expert
ence to-day, and the poor dear's nerves are
all unstrung. But | have great deal to be
thankful for that it's no worse, and that our
Johnny has not fallen victim to an awful
death. It's all due to the courage and pres
ence of mind of Dr. Knox. You remember,
he is supplying our pulpit while DR.. Winslow
is abroad? Well, last Sunday he read a
notice that next Sunday, ID. ", our beloved
pastor would occupy his pulpit, and that his
throat trouble, while not entirely cured.
was much improved. So DR.. Knox is max.
ing his last pastoral calls"
"A pious 2. p. c., interjected Mr.. Single
tary.
John Henry!" said his wife, with rep
rotation in her tones. Even if you find
pleasure in testing about serious matters,
you might have some consideration for your
son, who is in the next room and can hear
II 4
before you interrupted me, and ! must say
it sounded very much like basphemy, Dr.
Knox is taking leave of the congregation,
and he called on us this afternoon. 1t was
just lovely to hear him say how pleasant his
temporary relations had been with the con-
gregation, and how his grief at leaving us
was tempered by the reflection that now he
could resume his studies on the exegesis of
Camel, of the one hundred and nineteenth
psalm. He speaks so earnestly about his
life-work that know it will be strong bull
wark of the faith against all this criticism
that is so dreadful and so hard to under
stand, except that it is making so many PEG.
pie agnostics when they might be good Pres.
byterians. Anyway, while he was here Mrs
Doubleday came in, and that was very nice,
for he could make two calls together"
did the dog bite the minister?" asked
the head of the household, who was stru :.
Cling to see what the homletics Of the lie.
brew alphabet had to do with the household
pet. is that what he's dreaming about ?"
John Henry! how can you say thing
like that | have good mind not to tell
you any more. wouldn't only want you
to know of our boys narrow escape from
dreadful death. Well, Mrs. Doubleday
had her Fido with her While we were in
terested in all that DR. Knox was telling us
the dog slipped out. The next thing knew
after that was simply dreadful disturbance
out in the back yard. / excused myself and
ran out into the extension where l could
look out of the window, and / saw that
awful Fido attacking our poor Tip, and
Johnny and Tom Doubleday were trying to
separate them. ! screamed to the boys to
save Tipp, and then Mrs. Doubleday and
DR.. Knox ran the windows"
Just then there were sounds of disturb
ance upstairs. One Of the little girls called
over the banisters: MA! do make sister
stop. We were just pillow fighting, and now
she won't let me get back into bed" And
the other young lady was clearly heard to
say: 70, you tattletale!" But it was sufii-
cient to call Mrs. Singletary from her nara
tive.
Mr. Singletary started to pick up his
evening paper again. Then he thought bet
ter of it, and went out into the dining. room
to get drink of water out of the silver ice
pitcher which represented the latest wed
ding anniversary of the household. Young
John seemed rapt in the parallax of the dog
star.
'Was it much of scrap?" asked the
head of the house.
Say, pop, you ought to "a seen it.
Toms always been saying his Fido could
chew up Tip or any dog. But just you look
at this" And the student dragged out OF
his pocket a piece of animal tissue with long,
silky hair. There's that Fido's left ear
What do you think of Tom Doubleday's pup
after that?'
But Mrs. Singletary was heard coming
downstairs after settling the little difficulty
of the younger children, and John Henry
and John, Jr., resumed the positions which
are described in the military tactics under
the word of command AS you were."
"As was saying, resumed Mrs. Single
tary, both Mrs. Doubleday and myself
called to the boys to separate the ferocious
animals. We forgot the danger But DR..
Knox had real presence of mind, and he
called to the boys to let the dogs alone and to
let them fight it out, for the least scratch of
the Infatuated creatures might produce
rabies 1t was such a narrow escape that
shudder to think Of what might have hap
pened if it had not been for the presence of
mind of DR.. Knox"
Say, pop" suggested Johnny, you'd
oughter seen the minister lie was dead
game sport and wanted to see the finish.
And after it was all over, Tom and me, we