The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-04-03
THE DEACON'S
DOG
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Lat
erary Press.

THAT mar is too serene He will
break loose some day and astonish
you all"
The deacon had got TO be fifty years
Did. He was a widower and was look
ny out for a second wife. There was
an old maid over at Grafton, seven
miles away, who filed his eye. and
one day he harnessed his horse to the
rattllng old buggy and drove over
there TO ask her to be his
''Waal. Martha. I've been thinking
this thing all over, and I've concluded
that want you for wife"
But you are just day too late,
deacon" was the answer.
'Hss somebody got you?"
YES gave my promise yester-
day"
Cant you bust it,?
"No. can't. I'm sorry TO put you
30 the trouble Of driving over here.
but can't break my word"
ooh. wal, I'll just have TO look
little further"
"And / hope you VIII find some one
to suit Have cup Of tea. deacon|
"No, ] guess not"
But it's a dusty drive, deacon. and
I don't want you to go back entirely
empty handed Have you got dog?"
Never had one"
There's one here that came along
two weeks ago He's lost dog, and
don't want him. Why not take him
home with your
"Why, might. I've heard that
dog gets to love you like everything
after awhile. He's also purity good
company for lone man"
The deacon was taken out into the
back yard to view the canine, 1t was
a big one eyed dog with stump tail.
He was a blend of different colors,
and he shambed when he walked.
No other man in the state would have
taken him. hut he Just hit the deacon's
fancy. and he also felt the sentiment
connected with the gift. He had come
to ask a woman to marry him, but
was a day toq late. She seemed TO re-
yret ii and wanted to show that there
we're no hard feelings by presenting
aim with one eyed dog
IF the deacon had figured on taking a
month to get line on that CANNES
character he soon discovered his error.
IN driving the seven miles back home
sixteen dogs belonging to sixteen diff
ferent farmers came rushing out to in
terview the strange canine and make
him wish be had never been born.
Each and every one Of the sixteen was
duly and thoroughly chawed up and
half killed
"Rayther forward in his views-ray-
Their forward said the good man to
himself after about the eighth conflict,
'but mebbe 1t is better so"
For two days after reaching what
was to be his home the dog, which
was named sambo by the deacon,
stuck to the back yard and the soil
tude Of an empty barrel. Then he
went forth TO see the town. AS was
natural, the village dogs approached
aim either to welcome or throw out a
hluT. II made no difference which TO
sarabo. He treated all alike. His
one eve burned like live coal, his
hair stood UP like bristles, that stump
tail ceased wagging, and with a roar
like lion he descended upon the ca
nine before him and made things sad
for him.
There are dog owners that viii stand
by and see their dogs rolled in the dust
and more or less crippled and make no
sign. but such men are few and far be-
tween. In one day the deacon had
more men down on him than in all the
years before. They even forgot what
good man he was and swore at him
and threw stones at his dog. AS 1t
was on the first day. so it was on the
second and third. Then every dog in
the town had been licked, and none OF
them would pass beyond the gate II
there was hero In Derbyville 1t was
Sanbo Goodhue. He was a detest-
ed hero. however The deacon was
told that If he didn't get rid OF him
the dog would be shot or poisoned of,
and It was then seen that he had
spunk back of his serenity. He took
the side of the dog. He talked right
back to those who talked to him. and
once he spat on his hands and was
about to take or his coat.
The deacon had broken loose at last,
and the prophecy Of the peddlOr was
being realized. There were wonder and
in Derbyville that night. !
Folks thought the climax had been
reached. but It hadn't.
A crowd of fifty men came to kill !
Sambo. The deacon shed his coat and |
vest and sailed in. He whooped and !
he yelled. He struck and he kicked |
He rolled up the enemy before him. |
and behind them was Sambo to do his |
full part. The full moon came up TO
look down on the broken and the bit
ten, and tie deacon didn't stop yelling /
Tor an hour afterward.
Then sambo was missing. He hsd
come and seen and conquered. He had
cleaned up the town and set out foy
other worlds to conquer. His mastes
whistled and called, but In vain. y
was year later before they started
10 forgive the deacon and three years
before his reputation for serenity and
good nature was restored. but it came
at last. and when death called him be
had a funeral procession half mile