The National tribune., 1901-11-07
COL. SPROCKET'S PREDICAMENT.
Story OF Conviva Clbman Watchdog and the Resulting
Midnight Disturbance
By WILL LISENBEE.

1t was o'clock in the morning wher
Col. Sprccket returned iOme. His return
was unexpected, and finding the doors al
locked, and knowing that nothing ieS'
than an earthquake would wake his wife
he began to rack his brain for some plar
to gain entrance to the house without
alarming the whole neighbOrhood.
A happy thought brought solution tc
the problem. He remembered that the
fastening of one of the back windows was
broken. and passing to the rear of the
house he opened the window and crept IN
He passed through the kitchen and into
the dining-room, all unconscious of the
fact that in his absence, Mrs. Sprocket
had purchased a very vicious watch dog,
which she had chalned IN front Oh her
door in the hall.
AS he reached the end of the hall be
was startled by a low, vicious growl, and
by the dim light that was left burning
In the hallway he saw the dog start TO
bar his way.
Dad blame my eyesr' he gasped;
'who the Sam Hill has been starting a
menagerie in my house"
He fell back n few steps and stood
surveying the dog.
Say" he called, come and take
this hyena out of the hall so l can come
in before l brain him with poker!'
But in his absence the Colonel had
caught a very severe cold, and his voice
did not rise above a husky whisper.
'.Bow-yow-yowr' barked the dog
furiously. Juggling at his chain, and so
evidently anxious to taste of the intruder
that the Colonel fell hastily back. In
SO doing he came in contact with the
table. which upset and fell with its load
of dishes onto the floor with a crash that
,l hn laoI
There was a moment of silence; then
something like stited scream came from
Who is that?" came from Mrs
Sprocket in a trembling voice.
"Who the blamed nation do you think
it is?' cried the Colonel, in hoarSe
whisper. Come out and take that CHA
monster out of the hall, SO l can come
to bed"
His voice was so hoarse and unnatural
that, in the excitement of the moment,
Mrs. Sprocket failed to recognize it, and
her answer was scream that raised the
very hair on the Colonel's head. She
quickly followed this by shouting Rob
bers'' in such a wild succession of shrleks
that the barking dog was for moment
awed to respectful silence, wondering who
was being burned at the stake. The noise
penetrated the room above, occupied by
the housekeeper, who leaped from her
bed and after making sundry futile at
tennis to catch the pith of the hideouS
strain below she lifted up her voice and
shrieked in falsetto that made the win
dows rattle.
Meantime the dog, who now began to
realize that his reputation as a promoter
of general pandemOnium was being ruth
lessly snatched from him, and perceivlng
that a universal uproar was abroad for
a holiday. opened his spacious mouth and
sent up howl so long, so deep and trem-
ulous with its fearful diapason of woe
that the house trembled as if an earth
quake was rocking the foundations of the
world.
The Colonel started back, appalled, and
aghast.
Il reckon I've made a mistake and got
into the lunatic asylum he gasped.
pinching himself to make sure that he
was not a victim of a nightmare of the
broncho variety.
The dog was now making such vigor-
GUS tests of his strength on the chain that
to suppose it would withstand the strain