The St. Mary banner., 1907-08-24
MINX'S TRIAL.

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young when she did the dreadful thing
which led to her trial and conviction,
but youth is not always an excuse.
Mink was one of nine children, and
came to the Horizons when she was
small enough to be carried in Toms
F, pocket She was a skye terrier, and
she became so attached to Tom that
I'm afraid Elsie held him responsible
for the whole affair.
The little girls had been busy dress
making for a month, for Emmellna
Horton, the big wax doll and Elsie's
oldest daughter was about to be mar
ried. There was to be a grand we'd
ding at Elsie's house, and all En-
melinas friends, with their mammas,
were to be invited. So every after
noon they met in the Horizons nursery
and spent busy. happy time making
wonderful garments for this occa-
sion.
One afternoon, unfortunately, Elsie
left the nursery door open while she
ran downstairs to say goodbye to
some Of her friends. Mink peeped in,
saw something white lying on Elsie's
little work table, as we'll as some
pretty scraps on the floor, and en-
tered to investigate. The result was
the "ruination," as Elsie remarked
shutting up of Mink in the cellar to
await her trial. OF course, the we'd
ding was postponed.
The trial took place in the nursery
the very next day. There was jury
of half dozen little girls, half
dozen being considered quite enough
for a dog. Elsie was the judge, and
Tom, the policeman. brought in poor
Mink on her hind legs, looking very
much ashamed Of herself.
She listened to the whole story,
with her head on one side and her
right ear cooked, and one or twice her
soft, pathetic eyes filled with tears.
Sometimes she wagged her stump OF
a tail quite piteously and when the
torn up white dress was shown to
her she looked guilty indeed.
When the judge pronounced sent
ence Mink Immediately rolled over
and played dead" so deep was the
disgrace. She had to wear clothes
like a doll for whole week, and Tom
had to take her out each day in
doll carriage.
It was a good lesson to Mink, who
had a terrible ordeal to go through
every time she met her dog friends.
Nowadays she never goes near the
nursery, and If the faintest allusion is
made to Emmelina's wedding dress
the culprit will Immediately put her
tail between her legs and creep under
the sofa-Pittsburg News.
THE DEN OF WILD BEASTS.
have been sitting by my window
watching the boys and girls play.
They seem to have such good times
that I often wish l might join them.
even though I am grown up. The
game they appear to enjoy most, for
they play it most is "The Den of the
Wild Beasts"
Each player represents some feroc-
,ous wild animal, such as panther,
wolf, lion or bear. Each chooses a
tree or post or stone for his particu-
lar den. AS a signal for the game
to commence all make terrible noise,
initiating the animals they pretend
to be.
The most venturesome then leaves
his den and advances toward the mid
die of the playground, where he
dances around, trying to entice the
other animals from their lairs. Sup
pose the wolf come out first. Per-
haps a lion and a tiger will imme-
diately follow. Then the wolf calls
out, I'm after the lion!" The wolf
starts in pursuit, and the lion tries
to get home to his den before be-
ing caught. If the wolf catches him
he takes him back to his own lair,
and there the lion has to stay through
olt the rest Of the game, unless the
wolf himself is caught.
No two are allowed to chase the
same animal at the same time, and
the chase belongs to the one who
calls I'm after sO-and-so!" No animal
can be taken while he is bringing a
captive home
It often happens that all the ami
mails are in the field at the same time,
each In pursuit of his prey. Then
it is most exciting. Whenever the
captor Of an animal is himself cap
tured the prisoner is free to leave the
den and go back to his own lair. The
game ends only when all the animals