The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-08-08

slons, lasted for long, weary months
Fruit cans were hurled against the
base Of one tent at night and fired
against the other each morning. The
man purposely roared out songs
hymns, lullabyes, anything that would
keep up a deafening noise at an houf
when the woman feign would have
laid her armor off and slept He
passed unnecessarily near the door
when he creased the claim. And
though the woman was not positively
known to hiss the blue-eyed dog on,
she certainly laughed heartily every
time he got a bite at the foes heels
md openly petted Bilger after such
reprisals. Every day the man went
to the beach with his rocker to seek
for gold, and the woman went to a
restaurant, where she washed dishes,
and in return received -four and salt !;
and the white-haired boy, wrapped in
mans old fur overcoat, often sat
alone for hours, with no one to speak
to but the yellow dog.
One day when Lucky Jack returned
to his tent he found Bilger already
there, busily engaged in foraging the
enemy's stores. Now, Jacks heels
were sore from the morning onslaught
of his opponents henchman, and
when he found him thus at his mercy,
for the first time he felt that the
boys had not misnamed him when
fho,, vNrnGwoI Tr,l.,, t~ HE
Fastening the tent behind him, he
took up an AK handle and with the in
quisitory, "Bite my heels again, will
YEP" he laid the blows on the intruder
thick and fast, resolved to leave not
:. breath in him, but to fling his car
cass over to the other tent. The dog,
IL his turn, tore wildly from side to
side of the tent, now trying to dodge
under a box that served as a table,
now attempting to close in and get
his teeth into his tormentor, and at
last, thoroughly beaten, he crouched
at his conqueror's feet with such
pi.eons howls that, like Hubert be
fore Prince Arthur in the tower of
London, Lucky's pity made him un-
able to do the murderous deed he had
intended, and after some more stern
advice to his now humble foe, the big
man sat down and fed him bread
dipped in cold gravy. He even patted
the animals head in his restored good
humor. remarking as he did so: II
can't strike a woman, no matter how
aggrawatin' she Ia, but, thank Gawd, I
kin take it out O. the dog"
''Was you lickin' my mans
dawg?" Jack jumped to his feet as
this question was pronounced to him
through hole in the tent. He
opened the door and the small boy
entered, trailing an old blanket be-
hind him. and repeated his question.
I.ucky's big heart melted at the for
horn apparition, and he said deceit
fully:
"Don+ you see I'm feedin' him2"
"Fought heerd i'm q cryin'," sus-
piciously. .." + f.
Sonny, he-hs was laughin' at
what I was q Vivin' Ym."
'Be 20 tryin' to burn we's tent?"
'well. no, kid. not unless swesrin'
at It till the air 10 full O. birthstone
might set II blaxin'; but II that 'ud
do It It 'ud burned before this" Then
there was q pause in which the child
watched the dog hungrily: then, with
o hopeless little sigh: "Wish cud Q
had part O. Bilger's bra-a-id."
Great Hammer. baby, are you hun
g'y nuff to eat with Q dawg? Here,
wait till I get you some cookies an
coffee"
The child munched the cookies in
silence, then he said: "Mam says
your hardened sinner, q claim
Jumper, an mighty tough ole
rooster. Am your"
"No." growied the host adding.
with rising anger. "an' your mans
worse than anything she can coll me-"
Then. as the boy was leaning CON-
fdingly against his knee. he said:
"Rut you're q nice boy"
Another long pause, and then, a.
though he were reciting lesson, the
little fellow drawled out: "Wait till
Bll Brier. my pap comes; he'll show;
you"
IAN right, kid; but II It's anything
about your mother he's goin' to show
ne he nsedn't take the trouble. I've
seen enough Of her already. But say.
there's only four or Ave months that
your dad can como safe on the steam
crs; why don't he Gomez"
Cant; he's got too much dirt to
dig"
"Uh-huh! thought so; got q claim
somewhere else an workin' Il, while
his wife holds this one" The boy had
wormed . purple little fist into the
miners hand. and he now observed:
"Your hands warm, amt 1t? Nights
when I'm awful cold nam holds my
hands 'gainst her buzom to git 'em
warm, an cries cause she's 30 cold she
CANT git me warm"
"Oh, the Devil" Jack uttered the
ejaculation with such vehemence that
the child looked apprehensively over