Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-10-23

He's the most sensible of the two of
you, declare"
The minutes of that afternoon drag.
ged by in most doleful procession.
There was no idea in the little girls
mind that Uncle Joe might change his
Intention and Prince be saved from the
watery grave promised him. When
she saw the hardware dealer come in
TO the yard almost an hour earlier
than their usual supper time she was
not surprised. Nor did she think of
pleading with him for the dogs life.
The little girl watched him askance
Mr.. Stage came directly through the
yard, stopping only at the shed for a
moment. There he secured strong
potato sack. and with 1t trailing from
his hand went halfway up the knoll
to where there wds q heap of stones.
He stopped down and began to Select
some of these, putting them in the
bag.
This was too much for Carolyn May.
With a fearful look at Uncle Joe's I'M
compromising shoulders, she went to
the tree where Prince was chained.
Exchanging the chain for the leather
leash with which she always led him
about, the little girl guided the mon
grel across the yard and around the
corner of the house.
Her last backward glance assured
her that the hardware dealer had not
| observed her. Quickly and silently she
led Prince TO the front gate, and they
went out together into the dusty road.
Il know we oughtn't to- whis-
pered Carolyn May to her canine
friend, "but l feel I've just got to save
you, Prince. IL can't see you
drownd-ed dead like thatl"
She turned the nearest corner and
went up the road towards the. little
| closed, gable-roofed cottage where
Aunty Rose had lived before she had
| come to be Uncle Joe's housekeeper.
Carolyn May had already peered
over into the small yard of the cot
tage and had seen that Mrs. Kennedy
still kept the fl0wer-beds weeded and
the walks neat and the grass plot
were barred and the front door built
up with boards.
Carolyn May went in through the
front gate and sat down on the door
step. while Prince dropped to COM
| portable attitude beside her. The dog
slept. The little girl ruminated.
She would not go back to Uncle
Joe's-no, indeed She did not know
just what she would do when dark
should come, but Prince should not be
sacrificed to her uncles wrath.
A voice, low, sweet, yet startling.
| aroused her.
What are you doing there, little
girI?"
Both runaways started, but neither
of them was disturbed by the appear
ansce of her who had aceosted Caro-
Ign May.
"Oh, Miss Mandy :" breathed the lit
tie girl and thought that the carpen-
ter's daughter had never looked so
pretty.
what are you doing there?" repeat
ed Miss Parlow.
::'We-we've run away" said Caro-
Ign May Mt last She could be nothing
but frank it was her nature
Run away repeated the pretty
woman. you don't mean that?"
Eyes, ma'am, have. And Prince.
From Uncle Joe and Aunty Rose"
Carolyn May assured her, nodding her
head with each declaration.
ooh, my dear, what for?" asked
Miss Amanda.
So Carolyn May told her-and with
tears.
Meanwhile the woman came into the
yard and sat beside the child on the
step. With her arm about the little
girl. Miss Amanda snuggled her up
close. wiping the tears away with her
own handkerchief
Il just can't have poor Prince
drownd-ed," Carolyn May sobbed. "rd
want to be drownd-ed myself, too"
Il know. dear But do you really
believe your Uncle Joseph would do
such thing? Would he drown your
dogY'
II saw him putting the stones in
the bag" sobbed Carolyn May. "And
he said he would"
"But he said it wher ne was angry,
dear. We often say things when we
are angrv-mores the pity which
we do NO. mean. and for which we are
bitterly sorry afterwards am sure.
Carolyn May, that your Uncle Joe has
no intention of drowning your dog"
ooh. Miss Amanda Are you pos
liver"
Positive, / know Joseph Stage.
He was never yet cruel to any dumb
creature. Go ask him yourself. Caro-
lyn May. Whatever else he may be.
he is not a hater of helpless and dumb
animals
Miss Amanda" cried Carolyn May,
with clasPed hands. ''you-you are just
lifting an awful big lump of my heart
I'll run and ask him right away
She raced with the barking Prince
back to the Stage premises. hr. Stage
had just finished filing in with the
stones the trench Prince had dug IN
der the garden fence.