Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-09

maddog! But we would be too late; the
boss would be too late with his rifle,
land we saw it.
We, running still, would have closed
our eyes to shut out the awful sight,
but for a little black body that came
bounding across the field. His hair
was bristling with anger, and from his
throat came fierce growls Of defiance,
as he came forth to meet his terrible
antagonist Would he be too late?
With hearts that beat high with the
intense eagerness Of hope we. knowing
that it all depended on Tatters, watch
ed to see. Tatters had never failed
u.s. Would he fail us now? Wait a
moment.
Just as the foaming, swapping jaws
Of the maddog were eagerly reaching
out to bring those awful teeth in the
flesh Of the little girl, Tatters-brave
little Tatters-came in between to
fight as he had never fought before,
land-to save!
It was the bravery Of love against
the unflinching fierceness Of unfeeling
madness. Over and over rolled and
scrambled the two dogs, swapping and
snarling and biting! The strong teeth
of Tatters brought blood from his foe.
and the cruel teeth Of his antagonist
put newer scars. and deeper on his
body. But Tatters was a fighter that
knew how to fight. Quick was he with
skill and strength and treachery in
battle.
We knew this. And as the boss.
with rifle In hand, ran to help Tatters,
we saw the little dog try again and
again with a quick and terrible des-
perateness to reach the throat OF the
terrible one. Often the alertness and
power of his foe kept him off; but
at last, with alertness that was Won
derful and with quickness increased
by skill, Tatters grasped the bloody
throat Of his enemy and drove his
teeth in till they met. Seeing this we
knew that the battle was to Tatters,
for neither pain nor power could make
him loosen his "set-to" on the throat
Tatters fought for the throat always
and when he got 1t the fight was soon
to end.
When we reached Tatters, his breath
was coming fast, and his body, as he
stood over the mad one, was tremb-
ling with anger and exertion. But In
the fiery-green eyes Of his foe the very
shadow Of death was stealing, and his
breath, coming only at times, was
painful and labored. So near gone
was he that the boss, before putting q
bullet through the fallen ones head,
called Tatters away. Very reluctantly
Tatters let go his hold, and painting,
trembling, and bleeding, laid down.
while the quivering body Of the other
dog grew still in death.
All alone had Tatters won! But Is
the end of every victory joy complete?
We hated to think what the end Of
that victory would be-
So 1t was with heavy hearts that we
sat outside the shanty door In the twi-
light, the beautiful end Of a beautiful
day, and sang the old songs that had
so often filled the woods with echoes
wild and sweet. Soon the boss Joined
US, and when we lad sung for him his
favorite "Lull Me to Sleep, Ny Old
Guitar" he said. after an unbroken
silence: Boys 1t pains me to say 1t,
but we must watch Tatters. After
that fight with the maddog he is not
unapt to go mad. And, as you know,
A,,lA
treacherous enemies"
We looked at Tatters. who was
asleep at our feet, and were silent.
We knew that it had been hard for the
boss to speak as he had. He knew,
also, that what he said was right.
On the morrow, Sunday, when DR..
Benson came We told him about 1t. He
shook his head in his usual grave
manner. when you think of the lit
tie girl" he said, there never was a
greater 'ctory. But when you think
of Tatters,- we'll, it's there the mad
dog won out. You must watch him.
He's a friend now; but In a week he
may turn against those who succored
him."
For three or four days, Tatters
seemed his old self, and went as usual
after the mail. But on the fifth day
we did not find In him the same old
Tatters. He became unusually rest
less. and a strange look came into his
beautiful eyes. He was not so. ready
to respond to our calls or to obey our
!, commands. And when we tried to get
him to go through with his pranks, he
would look at us sullenly and refuse to
do that which had seemed his greatest
pleasure.
There was no confiding In his ways,
and he seemed to fear treachery or
violence. II we passed near him he
would spring up with an ugly snarl
and skulk away; and those once beauti-
, full eyes which were now dens of sui
, lenness and wrathful fury, he always
, kept upon US.
Fearing him, we managed to get
him into one Of the unused stables and
shut him up. If we went near the
, door, II seemed to disturb him, and he
would fling himself against 1t in ST.
lent, sullen fury and would often bite
: deep into the wood with his sharp
, teeth. We dared not open the door.
But we, loving him still, dropped food
r to him from the loft above, and pushed
, pans OF water under the sill. Tatters
would not notice the food and went
into a rage over the water. Later he
took to running round and round the
! stable, and his swapping jaws often, as
l he ran, cruelty hacked his lolling
E tongue. We saw that life, to him, was
/. crueer than death. Boys" said the
r boss. bringing his rifle from the house,
: somebody must put an end to Tat
ter's suffering. Who will do it?" Not
man of us would do It; and the boss