Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-09-12
NV Dog Josh.


We had had a houseful of company
all last summer. One night our
guests had all LETT us for few days.
My sister and myself were alone in our
Old house, with the servants quite re-
mote from us in the L of the house.
Our room was on the ground floor, and
very easy of access from the piazza
and road, but we felt quite protected,
having with us two small dogs, an
electric bell connecting with the mans
room in the stable, and a good six
shooter. We were thankful to our
sharp-uoiced terrier before that night
was over, as my tale will tell.
1t was foggy, grim night out; you
who know what seashore fogs are can
picture to yourselves the night, And
just after I had retired, my Josh, the
hero of this story, started up from his
snug quarters and barked furiously
and continuously | demonstrated, but
he had no idea of being pacified, and
barked with such evident purpose that
he completely aroused both my sister
and myself So we consulted as to
what had best be done feeling sure
some mischief was brewing. We
listened but could hear no sound, still
Josh kept on with his voice of warn
Ing, and at last | touched my electric
bell to call over the man.
In the stiffness of the night the clear
ring of the bell could be distinctly
heard, and as it was sounding | heard
some one run, and concluded it was
our man; but soon after he came walk
ing quietly over | let him in, and sent
him over the house; everything
seemed as quiet as a well-regulated
family should be, and so | sent him
back, and we again settled for tran
quill night.
No sooner however, had the man
gone into the stable than we were
startled by hearing three men jump
from off the roof of the piazza over
our heads! They saw that the alarm
had been given, that we were aroused,
and that their little game for that
night was frustrated, so the fog shield
ing them, they laid quite still on the
roof of the piazza till their danger was
past, ana then descended in haste.
Their plans were well laid, and would
have been successful but for our vigi-
liant little watchman from whose col
lar now hangs a gold medal in token
of our gra&tude.-Our Dumb Animals
Strange Playthings of Camp Children.
l wonder if the boys and girls who
have travelled to the Pacific coast re-
member the wide, desert-like plain
over which the train seems to travel so
slowly. Perhaps they remember better
the grand old mountains that tower far
up into the Clouds One often hears
the remark, "A fine piece of engineer
ing!" and people eXclaim over the wis
dom and ingenuity of the brain that
made it possible to cross those terrible
mountains by bridges, tunnels and
switchbacks. But you don't hear much
about the workmen who dug it out.
mile after mile. along the weary
stretches
These men are called contractors,
sub-contractors, and men, and they
live life quite different from the rest
of the world, particularly the sub-con-
tractors and the men. The work takes
them from one part of the country to
another, wherever there is railroad
ing" to be done, and many of them
take their families with them. They
do not sleep in house year in and
year out, but camp near a town be-
tween ''jobs." When moving camp or
going on new piece of work. the bows
and girls mount their ponies and ride
along beside the wagons. which carry
the scrapers. plows. cooking utensil.