The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-08-04
ANTHONY
By TEMPLE BAILEY


The Misses Hildreth never spoke OF
Anthony's pedigree. There was q GER
tain flavor of the stables about the
word which offended their nice taste.
'.His ancestor was Antonio J." Miss
Anne would say proudly THE blue
ribbon winner ut the bench shows"
Anthony had never won a blue rib
bon. In fact. he had not been entered
Charles. the butler. had advised against
Ii.
He'd never stand II. ma'am, his
nerves are that shaky." he had said to
Miss Angeline.
But when he took Anthony for a walk
he met Tam the trainer. What cud
he git with that noseT' he had asked
disdainfully. and Tam had nodded
wisely.
But there. ! wouldn't tell the old
ladies' that there wasn't any chance"
Charles had said
For the world of the Misses Hildreth
revolved around Anthony. and they
fought OF the monotony Of their gray
lives by an absorbing devotion to the
little Skye with the banged hair.
One morning In front OF the brown
stone Hildreth mansion stood modest
cab, while before an upstart yellow
brick apartment house across the way
waited a victoria, with q crest on the
door and cockades on the hats Of coach
man and footman. Charles helped Miss
Angeline into the cab. She was going
to visit a cousin at Newport She en-
braced Miss Anne and kissed Anthony
on the tip OF his unaristocratic nose.
Take care of him. Anne" she said
as she was driven away.
As Miss Anne turned to 60 In the
house there swept into the victoria op-
posite an Individual lady. the un-
thinking might have called her. But In
spite Of the borrowed crest and stolen
ceckades, Miss Anne knew that no
where In the blue book Of New York
was there the name Of q person who
wore ring on her thumb.
The fat, red face of the person peer
ed out eagerly. THAT'S darlin' dog"
she said Then the good natured crea.
ture bowed sffusively to Miss Anne
but Miss Anne looked calmly over her
head.
~who is that personr' she asked
Charles.
Charles did not know. and Miss Anne,
with shrug of her sloping shoulders.
trailed up the stairway.
All that day Miss Anne and Anthony
sat by the window In an upper front
room. Miss Anne embroidered and
Anthony lounged on his white covered
table and was bored to the point of
extinction Outside the sun shone and
the wind blew with alluring freshness.
Within all was darkness and quiet and
inaction. And Anthony was youngI
What rebellious plans ragged In his bos-
ON will never be known. but that night
the Hildreth mansion was the scene Of
a tragedy.
Bedtime came. and Miss Anne. with
her soft. gray hair In decorous curl pa.
pcrs. laid herself down in the stiffness
oi the big room. Anthony's basket was
III Il dressing closet close adjoining
or hours everything was very. very
s;:ll. Miss Anne slept soundly. with
..er little. soft. old face on her little
soft. old hand. and dreamed the dreams
that come to such sweet saints.
Anne, Anne
Wide awake In n moment. Miss Anne
CROPPED for the matches. aud at once 9
faint glow showed the wonder In bel
old face.
"Who calledf'
She slipped out OF bed and went ts
the door The hail wass solid with
!, blackness- She listened only the fal
sway hum OF downtown noises
vi in the ominous stiffness came tn,
J thought. Why had not Anthony walked
She pushed the door Of the closet opeI
I and listened. But no gurrle Of con
I tented doggish sleep came forth.
Anthony was gone.
III For a moment the little lady stoo,
dazed. Then she ran through her room
to the hall and down the stairway
As she reached the bottom squar
Of grayish white light faced her. Th
front door was open.
Il Miss Anne's nervous fingers playe'
across the buttons on the wall. an
\ lights fared up all over the house
Then the bell connected with Charles
room whirred In the distance. an
presently Charles came down in a lin
tied costume OF slippers and long Goa
-Anthony's gone" said Miss Ann'
and she wept.
Charles examined the door. '-Tha
Mary came in last It's her careles;
ness he declared.
There was no more sleep tor th
household that night. Only a wear
u vigil and all the next day Miss Ann
wandered from window To window vi
til at last she crept To the door To We
n come her sister. and the slender littl
women fell on each others necks.
Il woke in the middle of the night
sobbed Miss Angeline. ''and calle
you
10 Il heard" said Miss Anne solemnl,
'but IL was TOO late.
Charles looked over the heads Of Il
y little ladies at Mary. the housemai
e-ii Then he winked and tapped his for
h. head significantly.
c. In the ghostly stiffness OF the old pa
IL Ior the tale was all told. and the tv
, lonely little women sat down to fa'
~ the loss Of the one interest In the
barren lives.
But meanwhile-Anthony?
no By morning he was miles away fro
ST the brownstOn, front The days We
nd on. ind gradually the glory OF his "
10 low white noss departed At tunes