Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-01
A MERE DOG.
Nv Will r. Watson.

still.
He sleeps toward the west at the top OF
the hill.
: This is the story OF Lord Chester
field. who ran around the corner N
bright April! morning and returned
home famous.
Huh, he wouldn't fight a boy" a
tkck-necked citizen had remarked
with a sheer, but then he didn't know.
Chesterfield was a modest cog. When
he saw a yellow bulldog looking his
way for trouble he usually had impor-
tant business in another direction or
appeared not to notice the warlike as
pect or threat of the bully. Or IL he
were approached by a saucy terrier or
an ambitious cur he greeted him with
a great laugh, showing his long white
teeth, or good-naturedly reached out
his great, awkward paw and rolled the
b%elllgerent over in the dust, then roll
ing Owe a time or two himself, just
as If il were all huge fun. 1t takes two
TO make a fight. and Chesterfield sim
ply wouldn't take a declaration of war
seriously. Perhaps Ii was this good
natured quality which made him de-
spised by a great many dogs n men
and adored by his pretty mistress.
One morning Dolly Fenton was hang
AA26 NAAN Z wv - ~ AAAAS pAAho
ing with a light heart, for her mother
had gone down town for a new hat
she had selected the day before-a
beautifully trimmed picture hat with a
cluster of violets and ribbons to match
her slightly curling hair Of pure gold
and her sunny blue eyes.
Dolly was thinking also of a certain
young man who was to be in town on
Easter Sunday and who would no
doubt express ardent opinions about
both the hat and the girl. Jack Law
ton was the son of a rich man. but
he was more than that. for he was the
possessor Of a mind of his own, a great
heart and a considerable stock of COM
mon sense.
We'll marry soon as / finish law
school," he had insisted, when Dolly
had reminded him that since her ia
theirs business failure and death they
were poor, very poor.
You must make a brilliant match
with some one who can help you, and 1
shall always be interested" she add
vised hal~f-earnestly and ha~lf-regret-
fully, to which Jack Lawton replied
with a quizzical look, and he kept on
coming and planning just the same,
until he went away to law school.
But to return to the present. Dolly
Fenton's morning task was easy be-
cause of the bright days ahead, and
NhASAA az ~ VIII 'Niu ltOl willy
this child of a practical mother. AS
she returned to the house she stepped
out on the Yeranda for a moments rest,
tipping back the dainty little sunbon-
net, her fluffy hair curling about her
broad, low forehead and her cheeks
aglow with health and hope.
Good morning, Miss Dolly" she
heard as she sat half-dreaming, while
a stalwart young man leaped the fence
n strobe. up to the porch. He was
not so young, either, with deep lines
in his brow and his high, r~etreating
forehead quite bald nearly to the mid
die of his head Yet he was handsome,
with a dark, curling mustache and
shifty brown eyes that seemed unable
to fix themselves on any particular OBJ
ject save he face of the girl before
him.
Il have come just once more, Dolly
he began earnestly. II saw your moth
er go downtown and knew you would
be alone, so hurried right over"
But you were not"
Il came just once more to see IL you
have not another answer for me. You
know, dearest little girl. that I love
you madly, and there has eve been
another lsve In all my life. Jack Law
ton is the hero of a score of boyish love
affairs" he continued flercely, as he
saw her bored look. II should marry
a rich girl like himself You're a fool
to marry him. / want you myself. I
cannot live without you or to see you
marry any n else. Rave you guessed
o much l love your"
Let US not speak of the impossible,
MI. Long. We can remain better
friends IL we drop the subject" she
concluded, rising TO her feet and draw
ing back toward the door.
A things are possible, my dearest.
Yoy uore maant for me and t wac in
tended for you. You must see 1t that
way, for it is destiny. He drew closer
to her as he uttered these words, and
gripped the trellis in his passion as il
striving for self control. There vas a
strange light in his eyes that half
frightened her. You must love me, L
say" he continued, In a higher key, his
eyes growing wilder. She saw the IN
sanity that she a at times half sss-
pected and drew back in fear, hushed
by the menace in his looks. With a
quick movement she reached for the
door, but he was there before her-a
maniac. mot a word or we will both
die" he Missed as he grasped her hand
and paused a momen as IL to mediate
on what he should do. Then he drew
her face toward his, the girl so para
lyzed with fear as to be able to make
only a slight moan in protest.
A low growl startled the insane man.
1t came from some invisible nook and
the maniac's eyes could, not locate II.
Another growl and a swapping Of teeth
was followed by a streak of yellow and
white through the air, and Milford Ches-
terrified was on the edge of the porch
with his handsome yellow head sur
mounted by bristles never seen there
before, and his hear painting almos.
audibly. His eyes seemed to say, Re
lease her, sir, at once" n the insane
mans hand dropped TO his sid while
he glared fiendishly at the dog.
THE imp of satan" he muttercd, and
his hand stole slowly to his pocket. 'rhe
dog leaped straight for his throat and
caught his shoulder as Long lodged.
Dolly seized the opportunity n was
behind a barred door in a moment. but,
fascinated, gazed through the window
at the struggle for a moment and then
fed to the nearest neighbor for help.
She heard a sharp report as IL a board
had snapped as she ran. In a moment
two men were found, but by the time
they reached the dooryard. all was
quiet and the mad man had escaped.
They saw drops of blood on the steps
and followed a trail Of little red spots
which led to the palace Of Lord Ches-
terrified. He lay In the kennel. half
choked. with mute appeal in his brown
eyes, as Dolly ran up to him. crying:
You dear. old fellow. Jack. yoar
handkerchief. quick! l must stop this
bleeding"
Lord Chesterfield lived a long slime
after that and he was a guest at ne