The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-02
Laddie Played His Part. \

the window where she had been idly
watching the gambols of Laddie, &
magnificent st. Bernard puppy, III
the yard across the road The dog was
tethered to'a long rope reaching
from his kennel. and at the farthest
limit of II he was excitedly barking
at snow-white kitten up tree.
The call came the second time before
she started. Some tiresome some
body she thought as she answered
IT, But the first words set her
heart to beating wildly, and she lis
tened in an agony OF fear
lis that you, Dora? | thought
you would never answer, and 1t took
so long to get central, too. There
Is a mad dog making his way along
your road. He may be there now or
near there. Mother and | saw him,
and we know that he has bitten some
OF our sheep, and there isn't man
in the neighborhood all gone to
town meeting So am warning
everybody Is your dog in the house?
All right. And II you see him go by
/ call up and tell me, won't YOU?
She was all alone. Her dog lay
asleep behind the stove Their cat
tie We're in the barn, so they were in
no danger. Then her eye fell upon
i-a1die. He was having the time of
his life in barking at the kitten.
| II the mad dog reached him she
gasped at the thought He was her
encmy's dog. but for all that he was
q splendid fellow; the only blue rib
boa In the town, and dog that
everyone admired.
She did not stop to think long.
The impulse came to her to savs
him, for surely there was plenty OF
time. She could see a long distance
down the road and there was no
dog in sight. Ii took but moment
for her to speed across the road but
he had drawn the rope into a hard
knot in the ring on his collar. Sho
struggled desperately with 1t, but
she could hardly loosen the knot.
The dog frisked around her in his
happiness at having her there, bur
hindered her dreadfully In her fran
tic haste. 1t was almost unfastened
when Laddie gave a sharp bark, and
the frightened girl saw that the mad
dog was not many rods away and
coming straight for them
A desperate pull and the dog was
free. She could not reach her
home, and there was but one place
OF safety. Calling Laddie as she
ran. she reached the woodshed door
and got safely inside with scarce
moment TO spare, for the maddened
beast was close at hand She bolted |
the door and threw her slight weight |
against it, while Laddie. enraged and |
Insnlted at not being allowed to do |
battle with the intruder, tore fran
tically around challenging him with
furious banks.
Was Ladies' life worth It? And |
10 think that she had SAVED him for |
John Alger. The man who had once |
to love her. and Just be-
,ause his mother had objected had |
yiven her up, That had happened
wo years before and since then
here had been nothing but GOODNESS
,etween the two families.
Her parents had been angry be-
ause his mother had said hateful
hings, that the whole Gaines family
vas after her son, and they had
hown her that they We're not BY
~ +
hing more to do with John. And
ince his mothers death there had
cen no more friendliness between
he families.
He had tried to renew the old
but she proud and angry,
ad refused to recognize him the
are times they had met
But they had all made friends
18th Laddie And now she had
aved him when his master was
way. If she could only get home
efore he returned, she thought des-
But above the hoarsc
arking of the dogs she heard the
wifi trot of horse and the sound .
MHttlS Oll the EldNGls ICb tdiiiP |
sharp report of a revolver, followed
y two more, and the mad dog, with
frantic leap In the air. fell to the
round and rolled over dead.
Then anxious cries of 'sLaddle.
addie," answered by the dogs joy
us bark. and bursting open the q
dollhouse door the man found HIS
OK safe and sound and the girl who
ad saved him.
She tried TO avoid meeting HIS
ye; but so thankful was he for what
ne had done that he swept at one
oment the misunderstanding of two
ears aside and gathered her into
Is arms. And she heard him ex-
ain brokenly how he had wanted !
be friends, and how her GOODNESS
nd chilled every effort he had tried
make 81 could not go against a
y mothers wishes" he said. II
as all she had, and could not
axe her unhappy. But now, Dora,
~ will be my wife, won't you?" he
eaded.
But you do not know whether I
We you or not" she returned blush
gly.
But II you didn't, why did you
We Ladder" he. questioned. "Oh.