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

Not only was Tatters loved by US,
but he was thought much Of by all
who knew him. Mrs. Daley's broth
er, DIR. Benson, who lived at Moline,
a little town some twelve miles across
the river, frequently came, on Sun
days, to be with us.
Despite her mothers protestations'
the little girl fairly kept his ears ring
ing with talk Of Tatters and of what
he could do, and even the boss would
tell of some aid Tatters had given at
the saw-mill; and one Of the boys
would chime in with how quickly he
had made the sixteen mile trip after
the mail.
I feared that the doctors visits to
our camp would grow irksome. since
we talked so much of Salvation Tat
ters. But the doctor seemed pleased
to listen, at any time, to talk of Tat
ters and his laudable deeds. Once /
remember him laughing till the tears
came into his eyes, when the boss
told, with crude words and simple
manner, how Tatters had found
strange, starved little dog skulking
around the stables, and held him in
the watering trough till almost drown
ed and frozen. How Tatters took him
from the water and, after rolling him
over in the dirt, sent him, shivering
with cold and whimpering with fright
down the road never to return, OF
course.
The doctor heard so much Of Tat
ters and he was so delighted with his
doings that he was often persuaded to
make his visits longer. He believed,
as we did, that there was not smart
er and more useful dog in all the
states than was our Tatters.
Thinking so much Of Tatters and
seeing that Tatters thought so much
of him the doctor made bold to ask
that we permit Tatters to go home
with him and stay until the next Wis
it. Wishing to oblige the good doctor
and yet wishing to have Tatters'
presence with us, we were slow In
giving our consent. However, We
yielded; and when the doctor went
back Tatters trotted under the bug
gy.
But we missed the little dog so
that the doctor could hardly again
persuade US to let Tatters go with him
and "show off his learning" among
his townsmen. We let Tatters go with
him a few times only. But Tatters'
going with the doctor was, though we
knew 1t not, simple footpath to
greater service.
On a Monday morning, following
one Of the doctors Sunday visits, we,
while working at the saw mill, were
startled to see Mrs. Daley come run
ming down the hill toward US. A ter
rifed look was on her pale face as
she, blown and breathless from her
run, flung herself into her husbands
arms. For a moment she could hard
ly speak; and the big old saw was
stopped that we might know what
was the matter.
"Oh, John!" walled Mrs. Daley,
wringing her hands in unspeakable
anguish. ELSIE dropped the axe on
her foot, and almost cut it off! It's
bleeding terribly! oh she is dying,
dying" and sobbing convulsively Mrs.
Daley started back the way she had
come.
boys" called the boss, in shaky
voice, put the saddle on Dolly-she's
the fieetest-and go for the doctor.
Ride as never man rode before"
As we rushed to do his bidding, the
boss, groaning heavily, started on a
run for the house. He knew we would
do all in our power to save the child.
Soon we reached the stables and,
thinking ever Of the little girl. made
haste to saddle Dolly. How slow
seemed our swiftness!
Boys" said Billy. who because Of
his slender build, was chosen to 60,
it'll take two hours to make that
run even on Dolly. Twelve miles! A
river between, and the slowest ferry
man alive! But I'll do my best"
Quickly he sprang to the saddle, and
was off like the wind. But, much to
our surprise, he turned and came
back. Boys" he said, brightly, "lets
send Tatters! He knows the way!"
We would. Billy ran into the shanty
and hastily wrote a note to DR.. Ben
son. He crammed the note into tiny
glass bottle, corked the bottle tightly
and tied 1t about Tatter's neck. Then,
with Tatters bounding ahead, we star
ted on a run for the river, which was
a mile or more away. But, o flight
of hope. the river was up! The an
CRY roar Of the swift muddy waters,
now full of swirling RATS, caused our
hearts to sink within us. 1t would
take strength to breast those strong
currents; 1t would take skill and en-
durance to escape those sprangly RATS
that went rushing down the kissing
stream. Could Tatters do 1t? or would
he be lost? We hated to send him out
into the mad, seething waters where
death, hidden and unhidden. lurked.
But it must be done! The little girl
would die unless the flow of life blood
from that nasty cut could be staunch-
ed!
Gently, as if biding him a last
goodbye, we laid our rough hands on
Tatters' head and bade him go. He
looked up into our faces. as if doubt
ing.
GO Tatters! Go to DR.. Benson's"
we cried. beckoning across the river
Still Tatters hesitated. Surely" his
great brown eyes semed to say, You
don't mean It," But when we point
ed for the third time across the river
and said: ITO DR.. Benson's!" he hes
itated no longer, nor fingered a mo-
ment. Carefully he edged his way to
the foaming, kissing water and look
ing at us just once, plunged in.
We saw from the first that it would
be a fight; and silently we stood al
the very waters edge and watched
the battle Pride leaped within ouI
hearts as we saw how strongly Tat