The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1908-11-28

and insisted upon sleeping on their
bed.
old Guy was a deaf and superan-
nuated hound A kennel had been
fashhncd outside for him, since no
had been a privileged member Of
the family. Az the outer end Of the
httle girls apartment abutted asains.
come high rocks there was nothing
! but the mosquito-bar to prevent his
jumping into their room And as the
mosquito-netting was found TO have
been tern away, the story told by the
children was confirmed.
A cold wind had blown all nigh,,
making the house somewhat chilly
inside. and the little girls complained
that Old Guy had scratched the bed
clothes of them to mako nest for
himself
Ard he jammed his old cold nose
right into my face,V said Essle. and
he lay on Pearl and nearly smovered
her"
Mr. Crawford laughed "Old Guy
mustn't plague my little girls that
way" he said. You must call to
your sister; and Eunlce. keep your
riding-whip in your room, and II you
catch the hound in there give him
n few cuts and drive him out, and
he won't go in again.
That day the invalid, who was al
ready on the way 10 recovery, drove
10 oraibe; but as The road was long
and rough, his strength did not per-
init him 70 retisIn that night, as he
rad planned
Eunice. expecting her father &c
come home. eat up until nearly MD
night, in order to prepare a warm
supper for him upon his arrival. She
busted herself writing letters in her
room.
At about eleven o'clock, as she sat
writing, she heard a scratching sound
from the children's room, followed
by a muffled Jar, as If some crea-
turc had leaped upon the floor.
Eurice listened in silence until
She heard the voice of little Pearl
in a sleepy. Whispering complaint.
Poor dears!" thought the elder
sister. That old nuisance of a Guy |
really deserves to be punished for |
bothering them So" She ROSE soft |
ly and get her rawhide riding whip, |
intending, tendor-hearted tough she |
was, to flick the old kvund harI |
enough to make him remember.
She heard a repetition of the scratch
ing sounds. and again that muffled
thud upon the floor, and in the same
instant, again the sleepy, half
smothered wall of little Pearl. A
chill struck TO her very heart as the
situation dawned upon her. There
were wild creatures OF some sort In
the room. Old Guy had not been on
their bed.
Lynxes, mountainous and bears
were among the hills, and any of
them, coming in easily from the
rocks. might long have used that
room for their lair! How careless.
how criminally careless she had been,
to leave that opening unbarred!
In the agony Of self-condemnation,
she did not stop 10 consider that
81 az 1hO hDuHG hou SitpL Win WlNG- |
open windows month after month.
While Eunice stood, uncertain
whether or not to 80 for her fathers
gun and arouse Aunt Silver and Old !
Guy, third smothered wall appealed
to her. She hesitated no longer. but |
threw the door open and stepped in
TO the room.
She held her lamp above her head,
and the sight, no longer unexpected. |
which met her eyes was certainly hor-
rifying. Near the center OF the room |
stood a great, mottled beast. rs head |
raised, It's big eyes rejecting her
4sht, its fangs barred in a hiss OF
surprise. which deepened immediate
ly TO a thunderous chest growl-un-