Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-08-09
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caesar.
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(copyrisht. 1s1s. western Newspaper union-l
By VIRGINIA HOOD

"Oh. papa-please, please don't!"
"Gr-rr" half reared, half snarled
Colonel Abner Taylor, and swung his
gold-headed cane at great water dog
ten feet away. Too late Ethel, his
daughter. sought to intervene. The
heavy walking stick grazed the head
of the noble looking animal. For an
instant it's muzzle quivered and it's
white, cleaning teeth showed. Then,
with rather contemptuous look than
a reproachful one, Caesar Strengthened
up with dignity, took the cane between
his jaws, walked over to where Ethel
stood distractedly wringing her hands
and laid. the offending missile at her
feet.
In an instant Ethel was kneeling at
the side Of Caesar, caressing him, her
face, flooded with tears, buried in his
silky coat. She even kissed him.
"And I'd do it to Waldron, too, If he
were here!" she cried, Historically
and defiantly. "Oh, you cruel father!
oh. you wicked tyrant! To try to
hurt poor, innocent dumb animal that
wandered here out Of compassion for
me. Go home. Caesar, and tell Wal
dron love him more than ever did r.
innocent dumb animal-bah r.
snOrted the colonel wrathfully. The
vicious brute would delight to chew
me up. Just as Waldron Revere
would! Man, dog, friends, mail, every
thing appertaining to that young man
will be taboo around this house, can
tell you"
"You won't taboo my love from him
.-never!" sobbed forth Ethel, and ran
into the house, leaving her father feel
ing decidedly uncomfortable.
Once the father of Waldron Revere
had defeated Colonel Taylor in a po-
litical campaign. The election was
fair and decisive. Not so for the beat
en- candidate. He nursed his sullen-
ness into hatred and never spoke to
John Revere again. When his son ap-
peared as the lover of gentle Ethel it
was with supreme satisfaction that her
father declined his advances. A eli
max had now come which developed
some spirit in Ethel and the autocratfc
colonel was uneasy at the open rebel.
lion that had materialized.
He did not see Ethel again that day
and the next morning she came down
to breakfast looking pale and broken
spirited. The heart of the father
snote him, but he resolved never to
unbend. "The son of an enemy shall
not crow over mel! he muttered. Then
he took his fishing rod and went down
to the brook.
There was a favorite spot where the
colonel loved to sit, waiting for a bite.
1t was big rock in the center of the
stream, around which the current
swirled. He reached it with little
skiff, the bow chain of which he Sc
cured under two big stones, and got
comfortably placed with his fishing
tackle, his back braced up against a
smooth fragment of slate.
1t was drowsy afternoon and the
fish were not inclined to take the bait
with any avidity. The sun was hot and
beat down upon the marooned angler,
lulling him into somnolence A ma
rooned man he was, but too indolent
to note that the skiff had drifted
breast, next the fishing rod slipped
from his nerveless hand. He toppled
finally, went his full length across the
face Of the rock and, with senses still
dazed, slipped over into the water with
splash.
His head had struck a half-sub-
merged boulder and the stunning con.
tact completed his befogged and help
less situation. He was conscious of
peril, of fast fading consciousness. He
fancied he made out an object leave
the shore and approach him. Then,
with a choking gurgle in his throat. he
sank under the surface of the water.
A little urchin rounding belt of
timber in pursuit of Caesar, the pet of
half the town, came into view of his
runaway animal playmate to view the
dog in midstream, tugging at and hold
ing to the collar of the coat of limp,
draggled form. The brave, intelligent
animal managed to land his burden
upon the shelving sandy shore. The
lad, terrified at the white face and
motionless pose of the rescued one,
uttered shrill shrek of terror and
ran for the nearest house. It was the
home Of Caesar and his young master
and of the rest of the Revere family.
The .ncoherent story Of the bewildered
and frightened boy was sufficient to
start Waldron Revere and his garden
er in hot haste for the river with sin
cere concern. Waldron hurried his
own movements and those of his COM