Year: 1877

Mr.. Plumb, of Nelson street, hav-
ing a strong desire to own a dog, has
been baked in its qualification by
the obstinacy of Mrs. Plumb. Mr..
Plumb wanted a dog for the protec-
ton of his property. Mrs. Plumb
was just as desirious as he to keep
the property from the hands of the
robbers, and was perfectly willing to
secure that object through the in
strumentalitY of dog, if the dog
didn't bark so. But the racket in the
night made her nervous, and through
the day it irritated her. A dog could
not, of course, keep off a burglar
without barking, ,butit was the want
of discrimination in the animal that
disguised her. He barked at every
one coming on the premises. Mr..
Plumb must have had on trial a dog
a month for the past year, but none
suited. They aoOWLd bark. Abont.a
week ago Mrs. Plumb heard of a
dog that would answer the purpose.
He would allow anyone to come on
the premises, and would not molest
him, but he would not allow anyone
to leave until his owner came. He
carried the idea that there was no
harm in receiving visitors providing
he did not let them depart until they
were seen by the proper persons. We
never before heard of dog of that
kind. Neither had the Plumbs. Mr..
Plumb hastened away to see the
owner after hearing the news from
his wife. The dog was just as rep
resented, and he bought him, and
located him in the woodshed, where
he made a bed for him. The next
day was Saturday. Mr.. Plumb went
down town about eight o'clock in
the morning. Mrs. Plumb was busy
with her baking and her dinner. 1t
may be well to mention that Mrs.
Plumb is a model wife. Her house
is as clean and bright as a house can
be made, and she prides herself on
her cooking. In addition to the bak-
ing she was preparing an extra fine
boil dinner. About ten o'clock, find
ing the oven was a little slow, she
went into the woodshed for basket
of light wood. Pinch, the dog, was
there. If Mrs. Plumb had not had
her bread in the oven she would
have stopped to have made his ao-
quaintance, but she was in too much
of hurry to bestow more than
word on him. She filled the basket
and started for the door. Then she
particularly noticed Pinch. He stood
facing her, with his tail to the door,
every hair on his back standing up
straight, and the skin about his neck
drawn very unpleasantly forward.


"MercyI" calculated Mrs. Plumb,
hastily stepping back.


The hair on Pinch's back softly
settled down.


"Pretty doggy" observed Mrs.
Plumb, in a coneiliatory voice.


Pinch made no reply, but stood
there looking at the lady.


ssNice doggy" added Mrs. Plumb
-endeavoring to diffuse a smile
over very white face, and taking
step forward at the same time.


In an instant every recumbent
hair on the dogs back lifted itself,
two rows of teeth glistened forth,
and most depressing grOwl escaped
therefrom.


The unhappy woman gave a cry
of alarm, dropping her basket, soram
bled with all haste to the top of a
box. There, having drawn her limbs
in under her for better protection,
she sat and trembled and looked.


The sagacious dog made no at
tempt to retard this movement; on
the contrary, he appeared to be high
ly in favor of it, and when it was
over he squatted down at the door
and fixing his eyes upon her, licked
his chops in a painfully suggestive
way.


Poor Mrs. Plumb her bread was
in the oven, her dinner on the stove,
and there she sat, an object of atten-
ton to an intelligent and faithful
dog, aud a prey to the most Poign-
ant emotions. Several times she Of
fered him a sop in the way of a
pleasing title. BE made no NANTES.
tation Of disapproyal TO this course.