Year: 1876

Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Posonby, while
busy in his Office, was surprised by the en-
trance Of Mrs. Posonby, who came to say she
was going to take tea with Mrs. Biderback
and would not be home until o o'clock, but
she would leave the key under the mat at the
front door so that be could let himself in
when he went home, and be had better get
his supper down town. Their son Her
bert, would accompany her.


How, It so changed that while Mrs. PCsonby
was thus explaining matters to her husband
her hopeful son was making desperate e'fJrts,
assisted by all the dogs he could whistle up
from the entire neighborhood, to get at rat
he had seen run under the front porch. Mas
ter Posonby punched with long pole and
scratched and dug with a hoe, and the nine
dogs deployed at irregular intervals around
the porch aud along the verbena bed, scratched
with might and main, yeipisx. Historically as
they scratched, and paused from their labors
now and then to fight over the question which
had dug the deepest hole, to the immeasurable
delight Of Master Posonby. But as the sun
went down and the soft light of sunlight faded
into the misty cleaning, he remembered that
he had beed told to lock up and join his ma
at her friends. He put the key under the
door mat, and then with his head still set on
capturing that rat, he brought around an old
steel trap, wicked with dynamite, and having
baited it literally, set it and placed it on the
porch for the benefit Of the rat when II should
come out. Then he carefully dismissed his
allies. and stoned them in different directions
lest they should 90 back to resume the siege
and fall into is torpedo pit.


Mr. Posonby did not come home until quite
late, not until his wife and son had returned
and retired, tired of waiting for him. As the
house was quite dark and quiet when he APP
preached it he naturally supposed bis spouse
had been detained later than she expected
lie fell. under the door mat for the key, but as
that useful little "open sesame" was in the
lock on the inside Of the door, he couldn't
find il. He fit further under the mat, and
then thinking he might have pushed it away,
began to feel around tho porch for il, sweep
ing his hand out in crcliDg swoops, accom-
panying these cratic movements with sundry
exclamations and muttering. In one Of The
vigorous sweeps he thrust his hand into some
thing that almost lifted him to his feet A
terrible, cold, vicious something that shut down
on bis hand like a wild beas, and just raised
him until only histip toes touched the porch
foor. The wall that broke from his pallid
lips siIenced all the dogs in the Sixth Ward,
aud woke up private night watchman who
was pacing his vigilant bea. on top Of salt
barrel just around the corner with bis eyes
shut.


1t awakened his son, who thrust bis head
out of the window and shouted "iire !" in the
most stentorian tones that youth OF eleven
years con command. 1t aroused his wife from
her peaceful slnm bers, who thrust her head
out of another window and screamed "tbieyes|
with all the full piercing visor Of her woman
ly voice. It awakened his neighbors in both
directions, who leaned out Of their windows
and shot at the suffering Mr. Posonby, who
stood on the porch, dancing about 10 an costa
sy of agony, bowling at every jump. In
moment be became calm enough TO investi-
gate he removed the trap, explained, aud
was admitted TO the house. He explained 10
Mrs Posonby, as she bandaged bis wounded
hand, tia. be thought sure it was "snakes."
and when that good lady ridiculed the idea,
and said there was no snakes about here, be
shook his head YEARLY, aud looked at her out
Of the corner Of his eyes with sweet, sad
smile.