Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-06-10
Continued from last week)
CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III
Under the kind treatment of Mrs.
Shane Dobbin had improved rapidly.
and was able to be turned out to pas
ture; but he was still stiff in the
joints and short in his wind. Shane
had succeeded in getting a man from
the village to come with team and
work a few days, but he was far be-
hind his neighbors in getting his corn
planted. This soured his temper more
! than anything else for he was always
ahead of his neighbors in his work
and he blamed it all to his everlast-
ing bad luck
From this time on he hardly gave
his horses time to eat and sleep and
they were worked down almost TO
skin and bone, Dicks temper had not
| improved any and he bore marks of
the whip frequently; for Shane said
the only way to control a horse was
to make him fear you.
About this time it became known
about the farm that Dobbin had call
ed a meeting of all the animals on
the farm to take some measures for
the amelioration of their condition.
| This meeting was to be held on the
Next Sunday. as that was the only
day when the horses could get off.
| Now. the animals did not know ex-
actly what was to be done at the
meeting; but they had great conf
| dence in Dobbin, and attended the
meeting in full force. 1t was held un-
| der the old oak tree down in the
pasture beside the brook. The gath
ering was rather a surprise to Dob
bin, for he had not expected so many
| He had given notice that all the
useful animals and fowls of the farm
should be present, and as the re-
suit all the horses, cattle sheep and
swine were there, and all the chick
ems, turkeys, ducks and geese had
| sent representatives. Towser, the dog
and puss, the cat, were there in per
| son. All the birds of the forest had
sent representatives, and there were
also representatives from the snakes
and toads.
1t was with some apprehension
that Dobbin took charge of this
great gathering, as it was the first
time he had ever attempted to pre-
side over a public Meeting, and he
would have found himself afflicted
with a trembling of the knees if his
knees had not been too stiff to
tremble. More than that. he was
doubtful if all the representatives
present were entitled to seats in the
convention; but he concluded to take
the matter in his own hands without
appointing a committee on creden-
Nls-probably owing to the fact
~Aat he never heard OF such a com
mittee. He concluded to take the
most difficult problem under consid-
GRAFTON first, and called on the snakes
and toads to state their claims to sit
in the convention.
eve are not animals" said one of
the toads, neither are we fowls; but
we do claim to be useful We de-
stroy many noxious insects that
would injure the crops grown on the
farm. In fact, we live entirely on in
sects-such as flies, reaches, mosqui-
toes, worms, and bugs, that would
destroy agricultural crops. And we
have been treated
Never mind how you have been
treated" said Dobbin, eve will hear
that further on. | believe your state
ments to be true, and will allow you
to remain in the convention
And We" said one of the snakes,
live on insects the same as the toad,
and assist in protecting the crops
from these pests.
yes" said the toad, you some
times make a meal on one of my
! Species.
81 admit that such things have
| been done, but | have never been
guilty of such crime" said the
snake.
us not your bite poisonous, and
are you not a dangerous fellow to
have about?" inquired Dobbn
can entirely mistaken idea" said
the snake; there is but one poison
Gus snake in the state and that Is the
rattle snake. We do not associate
with them at all. Although our teeth
are sharp, we have no poison fangs,
and our bite is no more dangerous
than the prick of needle. For the
proof of this | refer you to any scien-
tific investigator Of the age"
"Well, we will accept your state
| ments as true, and allow you to re-