The Lakeland evening telegram., 1914-05-28

oo"n 10 stay over Sunday. Old Dan
forth. as he was usually referred 10
was rich and eccentric. He was aks<
domineertng and stubborn.
The fourth night of Miss Vfoia.s
watch was a Saturday night and the
son did not get down until hours aftei
the usual time. The father was
grumpy over this, and about ntns
o'uiock In the evening discovered that
his Old dog was missing. It wamt
much OF dog. but his master went
out and took loag hunt for him. and
then came back to say to his son:
You sit here as II It was Of no tnr
terest to you whether that dog Is fp.
ing or dead"
Why, father. nothing has happened
TO old Buck" was the reply.
You don't know, you don't carei-
But do care, father. II the old
dog isn't home In an hour I'll 90 ont
and look for HIM"
At ten O'Clock the canine had not
returned. Mr.. Danforth was stewfng
about 1t as much as II he had host q
horse, and he finally said:
Robert. you go down the road and
I'll go up, shouldn't wonder II
Buck had gone up as far as Rath-
boneb- That girl Of theirs has got
some skunks or coons or rabbits for
pets, and he may have gone shifting
around"
Miss Viola Rathbone and Mr. Rob-
ert Danforth had never met socially
Accident might have brought about
an introduction, but there had been
no accident as yet When the young
man went out to look for the dog 1t
was far from his mind that there
would be an accident that would af-
feet his future years.
When Miss Viola took her seat at
the window at eleven o'clock she had
slight hopes Of firing handful of
bird-shot over tramp's head and run
ming him into the next county. but
nothing beyond that
Old Danforth walked up the dusty
highway. whistling and muttering, and
hating now and then to say:
IF find the old dog up there III
boot him all the way home. and I'll
go there tomorrow and tell that gtri
what | think Of her! No girl has any
business to keep pets around that wilt
encourage a dog to run away from
home. BY hokey, this world Is getting
wuss and wuss all the time!"
The rabbit hutch was in sight over
the fence from the street
Mr.. Danforth thought he saw his
old dog spooking around. and he whis-
tied
"Ah, it's a tramp's signal" ex-
claimed Miss Viola as she started up.
Darn that dog, I'll go in there and
see what's holding on to him!" NUT
tered the owner
Step! Step! Step!
The gun was softly poked out OF
the window
No dog in sight, but the old man
approached the hutch to see II he
could make out what sort of pets were
inside
In the window above the girl drew a
long breath hoped she might go to
heaven when she died, shut her eyes
and pulled trigger.
Viola had never seen an old man
an eccentric man-an irritable man
receive a charge OF birdshot while
bending over a rabbit hutch or any
other old hutch!
He exclaimed! He roared!
He galloped about In q circle and
turned handsprings.
Twenty seconds after the discharge
Of the gun Mr. Rathbone was in his
daughters room and demanding:
What In the name of Tophet have
you been doing now!"
"Oh, father, have killed tramps"
The devil you have! Let me seei"
He was after my rabbits. WIN
they electrocute me for killing himr'
Il don't believe that's tramp. I'm
going down to see"
Three minutes later he was bending
over the victim and flashing the light
If lantern in his face.
Say" he said, as he turned 10 hfm
laughter, who stood fearful and trem-
bling You have shot old Danforth.-
"Oh-h-h-hp
Yes, she has!" came from the
bundle on the grass, "and she,u go
o state prison for the rest OF her
ife!"
or course, he was taken In and nut
o bed, and OF course the doctor was
allied.
1t was Miss Viola herself who ha6
o ring up young Robert Danforth ana
Hurry right over here! have trgt
hot your father"
Has shotgun and birdshot any
hing to do with falling in lovef II
ertainly had in this case. By the
line the old man could be moved
ONE the young folks were In Iowa.
nd stranger yet the victim OF the
un was glad Of It.
Miss Viola viii not keep rabbits
fter the wedding.
A. -.