The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-10-20
Ole
killing of Storm.
Not Tragedy After All, and No One Can
Explain Why.

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What stormy night that was!-
With wind in gusts and the rain in
splashes! We had heard a mournful
cry in deserted causeway, and at the
door found woolly puppy, rolled up
like hedgehog, very wet and shiv-
cry. But at last the long black curls
dried out, the big overgrown feet
spread sleepily over the hearth rug,
and the blue eyes closed in a puppy's
glad dream.
The children fed him by hand on
minced bread and milk, and soon his
puppyhood waXed into doghood. In
the daytime they coaxed him into the
garden. One excursion up and down
stairs tired him so that he was glad
to sleep for hours, and so was out of
mischief. The cat, who was taller,
towering over the new conner by
head, abused him shamefully, and the
children had to look sharp to keep her
claws out Of his eyes. For all of this
the dog repaid her with interest, later
on, when the tables of size were turn
ed. When he came his neck could be
spanned by a gold bracelet At six
months he had attained the dignity Of
a collar and tag, for he was now
large enough to be attractive to the
dog catchers.
They called him Storm, because he
came in one; and when he bit holes
In the stockings and playfully tore the
clothes from the line, or dug UP the
roses in his hours of ease, looking
for last weeks bone at the root, and
capped the climax of his mischief by
chewing up the shawl a guest had
hung before the fire to dry, his mis-
tress thought him we'll named.
He was certainly bouncing fellow.
When the children were at school, he
rode like monarch on the seat of
coal wagon, barking ferociously at all
dogs afoot. But however far he was
from home, he never failed to meet
the children at the gate at o'clock.
He had regular engagement, and a
marvellous sense of time.
AS years went by Storm reached the
limit of his infirmities He was so
crippled that he could scarcely walk.
In his sleep he groaned dismally. One
day family council was called, and
1t was decided that it was cruel to let
poor old Storm live longer. All the
dog powders and remedies had been
tried. There had been all sorts OF dog
cakes, and finally the family doctor
had been called in =
The mistress declared that Storms
groans made her heart ache, but she
FASTENED to add that she could not
act as exeeutioner. The boys made
excuses to leave the room, and came
back coughing SYSTEMATICALLY. The
neighbors were appealed to, and at
last one with sufficiently hard heart
was found. This was the grown son
Of farmer who lived too far away
to have known Storm at all we'll.
He came down one morning armed
with his fathers double barreled duck
Ing gun. He marched up boldly
enough to where Storm was lying,
but, stranger as he was to the dog, he
could not withstand the pathetic look
VI appear Judj COIu6 ITOIu JQo SOU eyes
of the faithful old animal. He lowered
his gun and valiantly faced those few
of his friends who had followed him
to the yard because they knew his
nerve would fail him in the end.
1t was finally decided that poor old
Storm should die of prussic acid. This
was chosen because it was quick and
certain, and the girl messenger cried
all the way to the drug store and
back. The druggist said that a single
drop on the tongue would be enough
so deadly and powerful was the poi
son.
Storm was taken into the back
yard, and we all fancied we could see
the reproachful look in his eyes. He
was betrayed, and he knew tive
said.
A gulp, a swallow and it was all
over! Storm fell over at the feet of
his mistress, and the tears were flow
ing down the faces of those who loved
him. They wished with all their
hearts that they had not done it, but