The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-11-22
A Belated
Thanksgiving
The Story of
a Faithful Dog
By ADDISON HOWARD GIBSON
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

The call rang out clear and loud on
the crisp November air, followed al
most Immediately by an imperative
whistle, but no Don appeared, and
Tom Wentworth was undeniably an
CRY.
Impatiently kicking from his path
frost blackened dahlia stalk, the an
noyed man stamped into the kitchen
where his pretty young wife was busy
preparing breakfast.
'Have you seen Don this morning?"
he inquired.
ayes" she replied. "he was there at
the door only few minutes ago"
"Then he's run off just to get out
of churning," declared Tom. with a
fierce frown.
Helen Wentworth laughed niefrily.
II don't blame him. l don't like to
churn; neither do YOU
Tom Wentworth had special apt
ness for machinery. His friends often
wondered why he remained a farmer
instead of turning his entire atten-
ton to mechanics. About six months
previous and soon after his marriage
to the schoolma'am, Helen Latrobe, he
had devised an ingenious attachment
to the churn by which Don. the in
telligent st. Bernard. could Go the
work. However, the enormous st.
Bernard heartily disapproved Of the
whole thing, and, though he did the
work obediently, it was with an unmis-
taxable air of having compromised his
dignity to marked degree When
ever his master placed the machine in
readiness Don's brown eyes invariably
took on an expression that said as
plain as words:
Aren't you ashamed to subject a
fellow of my caliber to such a mental
task-I, who come OF long line of
aristocratic ancestors? p
Breakfast over, the inventor, still
nursing his wrath, was obliged TO per-
form the necessary drudgery himself,
and even the tempting aroma of Hell
ems fresh baked mince pies failed to
lessen the deep revenge he meditated
against the rebel when he should re-
turn But the day slipped by, and
Don failed to appear
Before retiring Helen went out on
the veranda to enjoy the mellow moon
light. She was tired with an Excess
sive WEAKNESS such as only the house
wife who has baked and cleaned. all
day can know. But the calmness Of
the night and its quiet starlight rested
her. Suddenly she felt moist nose
thrust under her arm, and a pair Of
brown eyes looked into hers, pleading
for pardon and incidentally for sup
per- OF course he received. a generous
allowance of both and showed his ap-
probation by vigorous wagging of
his TAIL
On discovering the deserter Tom
promptly dragged him to the wash
house and locked him In.
Don't be rough with him." begged
Helen
'I'll teach him to run away from his
work." declared the man.
you'll let him out In the morning,
of course? Don must enjoy his
Thanksgiving with the rest Of u.s.
you spoil that dog, Helen" he an
swered irritably. HE doesn't deserve
any Thanksgiving. No; he'll stay
right there in the washhouse till next
churning day.!
Helen had owned Don ever since her
uncle had brought him, an awkward,
sprawling puppy, to her gil:lhood
home, and his comradeship seemed al
most human. When she had come a
happy bride to Tom WENTWORTH
home she had brought Don with her.
At first when her husband proposed
his working the churning machine she
protested But his insistence, coupled
with repeated assurances that the la-
Dor would not hurt her favorite, had
finally won a reluctant consent
Like a rose set in frostwork the
morning dawned, with just enough
crispness and snap in the air to make
1t typical Thanksgiving day. Helen
rose early and descended to the kitch-
en- just as Tom had started fire In
the range. Don's unused rugs behind
the stove appealed keenly to her, and
she again pleaded for his release. But
Tom stubbornly refused and hurried
| of to the stable to feed the horses and
milk the Jerseys.
Hearing the family astir, the i'm
prisoned dog renewed his whining and
/ kof, IL
the tears as she mechanically prepared
breakfast. The few scraps which Ton
| tossed through the window of the
washhouse seemed an insult to the
prisoner and herself 1t was the firsi
time since their marriage that he had
done anything to seriously hurt hel
feelings, but she was too proud TO say
so or point out how unjust and IN
feeling his action was In her eyes,
The ample Thanksgiving dinner wal
made ready and eaten without much
satisfaction ON the part of either hus
band or wife. When it was cleared
away Tom hitched his sleek grays
to the new buggy and asked Helen Il
drive with him to Meadeville to visit
his father She refused in manner
| so different from her uual amiabilitJ
that he looked at her in wonder, then
without comment drove away.
No sooner had he disappeared dcwl
the road than Helen took a plate o.
choice bits and chicken bones to thu
washhouse and with some difficulty
pushed open the small sliding window
Don was lying on the floor, his heat
resting dejectedly across his paws
When she emptied the plate before hin
! two sorrowful eyes were lifted be
seeehingly to her face. Then as h
ate he wagged his tail in gratitude.
Fearing the effect of commiseration
she disguised her feelings and spok'
| cheeringly to him, then quickly with
drew. But if Tom had not carried tn,
key away In his pocket she would
have defied him and liberated the pris
oner. She thought of the ak; 1t woult
be an easy matter to break the lock
but she could well guess the result o
such an act on Toms quick temper
and she did not wish to provoke |
quarrel.
Returning to the house, she frs
busted herself with some mending
then she took up an unfinished move
and in following the fortunes OF tn
heroine the short afternoon slippe'
rapidly by.
CHANGING at the clock, she saw 1t wa
nearly time for her husband to return
so she laid the book down and wen
to start the kitchen fire. This wa
scarcely completed when the outsid
door was thrown open almost in he
face. Looking up, she saw burly, IN
couth man standing before her. Their
was a threatening CLEAN In his bead
nuas nc he annrna ched. saving: