The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-06-10

I can't boost you up to reach the jelly
jar"
So it is easy to see how the fall Of
Tatters came to our household like
bolt out of a clear sky.
1t was this way Cousin Bernice had
canary, "AIr. Fitz," that had the
prettiest songs and the most engaging
manners in thu world. He was often
let out of his cage, but Tatters had
been made TO understand that it was
safer even TO chase the neighbors'
chickens than to so much as bark at
Mr.. Fitz.
Late one autumn afternoon, while
ShaZzar was playing with Bernice i'll
her yard, they heard an cutlery such as
Tatters was wont to make when he
chased swallows or settled accounts
with some other dog.
That's Tatters," said Shazzar. Sure
enough, as he spoke the dog came bold
" round the barn into the yard.
ooh, he's dot somefn' in his mouf~
cried Bernce. Hes caught a swal-
low, dess. Why, Tattersw But Tat
tiers marched soberly up to her and
laid his lifeless prize down gently at
her feet. 1t was not a swallow, it was
Mr.. Fitz. For a second poor Bernice
was too dazed to cry. Then she lifted
up her voice till Norah ran out to see
who was hurting that child.
1t was then that something rose up
inside Daniel Belteshazzar. He
grabbed a big stick and dealt Tatters
such a blow that it knocked the dog
ten feet away, and as he picked him
self up Shazzar rushed upon him again
and beat him out of the yard.
"And if you ever come back here
again." he shouted, "Ill kill you,
deadr'
Tatters fingered q moment to see if
it could really be true, but when ShaZ-
Ear threw the stick after him and
turned into the house, he sat down in
the street, lifted up his nose and
howled
Shazzar took no notice Of him, so
with one last protesting yelp he limped
away toward the city.
That night Shazzar ate no supper.
He guessed he had sore throat The
next day they. buried Mr.. Fitz. When
the procession reached the burying-
ground, behind the barn, the bearers
suddenly rushed on ahead. There in
the trampled grass lay a scrubby little,
dirty white dog, stone dead, with some
of Mr.. Fits golden feathers still
clinging to his jaws. Daniel Belteshaz-
Ear sat down on a rock and thought ii
over a bit. Then he clappad on his nat
and started for the house, forgetting
all about the funeral of Mr.. Fitz He
begged his father to go out with him
and hunt for Tatters and he was still
pleading when they finally tucked him
into bed
"'Cause, daddy, it wasn't Tatters
that did it at all. it was that mis'able |
white dog. and Tatters killed him for
it and brought Mr.. Fitz back to us just
as carefully. and then-I-I-I-" and
so he sobbed himself to sleep.
About a month later Shazzar's man.
ma heard such a racket at the back !
door that she ran to see what was
going on Out in the yard there was a
gray mixture of boy and dog. Waiting
together, while a whirlwind of little |
girl circled round them. When they at |
last separated themselves and set off |
on q foraging expedition to the kitch-
en-, waving joyously to her as they did |
so, she noticed that the dog was lean
and hollow and ragged But his head /!
was up, and the same old tail was
raised bravely to the breeze. He was
himself again, was Tatters.- YOUTHS /.
Companion.