The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-03-19
Spur8le's Dogs Demise,
BY FRED LADD.

Heck, as a horrible sound rent the
atmosphere, Hannah, Spurgle's dog
is gittin' Z be tn durndest nuisance
we ever had here in Woodville!"
"Gittin' Z be-" enquired Aunt
Hannah-I 'sh'd say he'd already
become it," The worthless cur OF
the Spurgle place next door now
barked barks number 2222-2322 in
elusive since dawn that morning.
Grim disgust sets its mark upon Uncle
Heck's usually placid features.
"Somethin' hez got L be done" he
said, laying down the shears; Il can't
even trim m whiskers with thet
cussed sound goin' on, an | amt a
nervous man, nuther. Little Jimmy
Green's sick, an his mothers mos
crazy tryin' Z git him L sleep. Tn
durn dog barked all night. Tn
boarders up &c Hank Steele's air goin
t leave town; Mis- Alviry Jones nerv-
Gus prostration is gittin' so bad she
amt rested but a few minits in
week. TIL minister he'd L 90 eout
o. town t write his sermon. An we,
bein' the nearest neighbors of all, air
gittin' intew a condition thet amt
becomin' tew eour time o life an
eour naturally calm disposition an
heartfelt wish not to murder moth
in"
One hundred and ten barks greeted
Uncle Heck's words.
"Oh, Lord, I'm sick of it," he said.
"Yeou might speak t Mister Spur.
GLE" ventured Aunt Hannah; "he
might be reasonable"
Mother" said Uncle Heck, mo
man, woman nor child can be reason.
able thet owns barkin' dog. It's
human nature L git { be like dog
when yeou're engaged in upholdin
an perpetuatin' t dog nuisance
SLurgle'd say ! wuz treadin' on his
rights as an American citizen an in
sultin' him"
In the still, uncanny night, two fig.
ures approached the kennel Of Spur.
gle's dog. Neither of the persons
stealthily nearing the devoted dog
now slumbering for the first moments
In many weary hours-was aware OF
the other. Uncle Heck, for one OF
the persons was none other, bore In
his hand a piece of meat which con.
tanned a powerful opiate. And the
other man had something in his.
Each gazed in tense horror at the
other as the moon broke through
cloud. and disclosed TO Uncle Heck
the Reverend Mr.. Spoak, the Con.
gregational minister of Woodville, in
the act Of throwing a large piece OF
meat close to the dog kennel. And
the Minister saw Uncle Heck as tho
in a lightning flash. Each gentleman
drew back. Yet each knew. They
were common criminals.
Rapidly Uncle Hecks footsteps LED
him from the yard of Spurgle toward
his own residence. The minister fol.
lowed. and caught up with him
"D-Don's say-w-we-we shant say
anything about this?" stammered the
minister, wiping his brow, madly.
Say" said Uncle Heck, don't
you worry. There's a time to pray
and a time L act-you an me had
quit prayin' and wuz actin. Thets
all"
Precisely" said the minister;
goodnight"
Morning dawned No horrible SER
les of yelps greeted Woodville. Peace
reigned. The Spurgle family, going
forth to caress their revered Pet
found his mouth open, but incapaci'
tated. 1t was dead.
Uncle Heck was cOnversing in a
low tone with the Reverend Mr.
Spoak, the Congreg gational minister,
in the latter's study. "Spurgle wu2
tellin' me there wuz fourteen pieces
of pizen'd meat side O the dog-house
seems haf the town he'd designs on
that pesky nuisance
I'VE shall be justified in keeping
our secret locked in our bosoms,' re-
marked Mr.. Soak.
"Jes' So" said Uncle Heck I'm
goin' home an trim n whiskers' -
Puck.