CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12240, 8 April 1903, Page 3 (Supplement)

CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

1 ' GRAINGER'S BULL TERRIER, ; ' G RAINGER'S BULL TERRIER, 1;;.' . yytow I took to Grainger from the first -'■ 60 r lnrl anything to do with him. tiiflP * J I•■ :'i'v , t + i,;T,k; the story about his bull terought to be tola. ■ I The re never was a chap like Grainger I | or anything odd or new. I've heard it "'"■ ■d'tb.at to give a boy to ° much pocket >. - Sa oD .er is generally to spoil him, but I I ■ • money that it spoiled Grainger. Sound n ' t . know that it spoiled <_Traingev. bound I ■ ! a bell and straight as a die, you never 1 i .''JL ff him do anything mean or shady, 1 ! • though probably he bad more money to I " "Lnd than any other fellow in college out 1 """'■• f the sixth. He was always buying some- § - thing new and expensive. "dust down. I .- from London, y'know," as he put it. i • It makes me smile even now when I reI rail that early meeting with him. I was, 1 . '? remember,' strolling across the empty 1 fi-es-courts one Wednesday afternoon when 1 I met him sauntering down from, the big W ; schoolroom, where I had seen him just be--1 ,' ' ore opening a small postal parcel under 1 the 'lid of his desk. " Hullo, Jones!" he remarked. " How '• 'I : ffy'do? * Seen my breast-pin V ""No, have you lost it?" I asked, simply. flVdo'.' Seen my breast-pin V ""No, have you lost it?" I asked, simply. "Why, no, you silly! Can't you see :.'; I'm wearing it?" he replied, sticking out , ,\ liis chest. ''I meant I'd a. new one, that's all Just down from London, y'know. What do you think of it, eh? It's a Sphinx's face in bronze, and very unique. Have a squint at it." Bending unsuspiciously forward I examined what appeared to be a rather scrubby copper breast pin in the shape of ft Sphinx's face stuck in the centre of Grainger's flaring red tie. Then, all at once a"jet of water shot out from its mouth and filled my left eye,, sending me stag- > gering wildly back. ■ "Not bad, eh?" laughed Grainger delightedly as I wiped my dripping face. '"You see how it's done? I have an indiarubber tube here inside my vest attached ~ behind the pin, and connected with a ball of water in my pocket, which I squeeze when • J want it to work— this." A second jet caught me in the ear, as, like an idiot. I bent forward to examine the dodge, and again I backed wildly away to the accompaniment of Grainger's noisy chuckles. It was impossible to be annoyed with a fellow like Grainger, though, and, as I have said, I took to him right away, though this las nothing to do with the bull terrier. • It was about a year later that Grainger ,bought the dog, and, all things considered, it was about the most expensive [■purchase he ever made, not so much for the two pounds which he gave Bill Rawlins, <the dog fancier, for it, as for what if cost 'iim afterwards. I Dogs of course weren't allowed in the [college, but Grainger arranged all that with ißawlius, who was to keep and board the 'terrier for two-and-sixpence a week, which 'seemed cheap. First of all, though, he . [christened him Agrippa, which we thought 'rather good, considering it gripped everything it could lay its teeth to. To come, ■ however, to the story itself. It was on a Saturday that it occurred, I remember, and that morning Grainger had received a sovereign by post, which was lucky, considering that he owed Rawlins two weeks' ;, payment, for Agrippa's board, not to men- ! tion extras. He was looking over the accounts for the previous week when " Fog" Wilson, Dorring-ton-Smith, and myself, who were to go with him and Agrippa to Jarratt's farm ricks ratting, joined him just after dinner, but his face wore a bland smile. "Ah, here we are, chaps," he declared. "I was just studying Rawlins' account for last week; but I'm all right now with the remittance, unless the pup has run me for some fresh expense." He tossed the bill towards us as he spoke, and leaning over the desk we studied it with • a chuckle. \ : Here it is : — MR. TOM GRAINGER, ESQ., TO W. RAWLINS. s. d. To keep of dog. 1 week ... 2 6 „ Ett 1 pare of slippers... 1 0 „ Chawed rip corner of hearthrug ... 0 9 4 , Ett 1 Bunion's Pilgrim's Progress ... 2 6 ( , Damage to Jim's britches and sticking plaster for bite in leg 0 9 ';■■,.: 7~5 With compliments. }■': "Not half bad, eh?" laughed Grainger. ' But come along." Reaching Rawlins' shop we met Bill himself smoking at the door; and at the sound of Granger's voice Agrippa's yelp of delight could be heard from the kitchen. "How has he been this week, Bill asked Granger anxiously. "Moderate," said Rawlins. "He did get hold o' 'British Battles by Land and Sea,' . and— r "Well, I shan't pay," asserted Grainger loudly. " I told you last time it was your • own look out if you let him get hold of books." :;;/'• "Right," said Bill. "Right, Mr. Grain- ': ger." - "I am getting pretty well stumped with all these expenses," explained Grainger, ' drawing forth the bill, "if this sort of thing goes on I shall end in the Bankruptcy Court." "Or the workhouse," suggested Dorring-ton-Smith. Paying the account, which with' the week's keep came to ten shillings Grainger hitched his new leather strap to Agrippa. who . ; barked noisily. ;'■'-' "We're oil" round to old Jarratt's farm - * to-day," explained Grainger, "after a few ' • of tho'se 'we've seen about the bean stacks. , I suppose he's good for rats, Bill?" I "Well, he ain't strictly a rattin' dog," ;•;:, replied Rawlins, "but it's little that comes ■ ' amiss to him." 11. /'. • We had pretty good proof of it right away. Making .our way outside, in the narrow passage we got mixed up a bit with Agrippa and his leash, and " Fog" Wilson tripping Up the terrier had him by the heel in no time. What would have happened it is hard to tell if Dorrington-Smitb in the scrim- .'' mage had not dropped bis cap, which Agrippa immediately commenced to worry. Dragging him into the road by the leash . Grainger rated him soundly; and Agrippa himself, now that Wilson was on his feet, : ■;. seemed to recognise him as a friend, though "Fog" was not satisfied. " Blessed if ever I met such a silly brute ! V he declared angrily. "He nearly had his !• teeth in my calf." ;■• .•" It was a mistake," replied Grainger hurriedly. "He thought you were up to some- : thing, rolling on 'the floor like that; but come along." Making "our way past the college to Jar- ;"■• .'■*. ratt's we branched oil' bv the Netherton and ;' ;; - Carlingford Road so as to avoid being seen l"-' by any of the masters; but we had an ■- encounter rirjht away. ;' . ' "Cave!" suddenly jerked out Dorringtoni Smith as we turned a little copse. .- ' .. Coming along the cross road from the :, college to Carlingford was Dr. Marcheson, his head showing just above the hedge as he walked along" reading one of his everlasting books. Fortunately he had not seen lis, and, jumping at the terrier, Grainger slipped oil' the leash and crammed it in his pocket. With a little sniff of delight s;:: Agrippa bounded forward, and at the very 'V; same instant Hector, the doctor's collie, ': i; came into view round the corner. For a :f\: second they eyed each other face to face; a • then Hector bounced forward with a growl. f). ' My word! It was all Agrippa wanted. >■■■[. In a trice the two were at each others : : throats kicking up an uproar fit for a wild beast show as they rolled over and over, "worrying each other and snarling like a couple of mad hycenas. - "Hector! Hector!" called the doctor as he dashed forward ; and at the row we our- ;. selves rushed up. But it was dangerous to interfere. Once Grainger rushed in and i ':.:• planted two impartial kicks in the collies I ', and Agrippa's ribs, but without effect, as they still fought savagely on amid our helpless shouts. Then all in a second the collie lad had enough and funked it. Turning ' ' away with a velp as Agrippa bit him - fiercely, he suddenly dropped his tail beI ; ■ tween his legs and slunk behind the doctor ; . .' while we ourselves, charging at the ferocious Agrippa, dashed between. ' ' • ■ "Thank you, thank you, boys," cried the ' doctor, delightedly. "Keep him away. Tut. tut, Hector, you silly fellow! Ah, . take care, Grainger, that he does not bite you- A thoroughly quarrelsome and vicious ';• orate evidently. Humph! Do you know whose the dog is, Wilson?;' , "I— er—fancy I've seen him with Rawlins, we.d.og fancier, sir,' 1 replied Wilson.. .

rl.rvS%R ?° nght *° be at large," deaW S e + doctor emphatically. g -Come £&'« Hector, you poor coward. Good afternoon, boys, and thank you!" v f ,? e VaS ahvays ? ne of the coolest fishes yon ever saw alld in another mi we breathed freely, we saw him strolling quietly toward Carlingford calmly reading" heels Hector Slunk close to Li ° u As ■ for , ha "brute" Agrippa, he seemed to think he had done something clever bv the way he licked his lips and circled round alter our narrow escape; and, alter all, he was hardly to blame. Securing him once more we proceeded on our way to Jarratt's bean ricks, and, reaching them some ten minutes later, proceeded to hunt for our rats, but didn't see any We showed Agrippa several holes, both beneath the ricks and in the adjoining ditchside but he didn't seem to have the sense to dig; and once or twice when Grainger urged him on with a hiss, he seemed disposed to set on Dorrington-Smith and myself, Fog" Wilson keeping well in the rear. But there was something more excitinc than rats in store for us. Drawing nearer to the farmyard all at once we come on a little colony of hens sunning themselves in the lee of a stack; and, before Grainger could pull him back, Agrippa had jerked the cord out of his hand, and, amid a cackling fit to raise the dead, was amongst them with a growl of glee. Before we could interfere, as we gazed, horror-stricken, he had laid two fat full-grown pullets dead on the ground, turning rapturously for more. " Stop him, stop him shrieked Grainier, in an agony of fright. "Down! down, Agrippa! . You murderous brute. For mercy's sake grab him, bovs." Between us, with "Fog" Wilson and Dorrington-Smith standing on the trailing cord, and Grainger and myself pulling him back by the collar, we drew him off, with the tail of a fine-looking white Cochin cock in his mouth, as its owner fled ridiculously for its life. Then, to put a finish on all that had gone before, we heard a wrathful shout, and Farmer Jarratt himself, a great burly man that could have eaten the four of us, came hurrying up. 111. "What's this?" he roared. Then, as his eyes dropped on the two dead pullets, his red face changed to a purply blue. " This is what you've been up to, is it?" he bellowed. " You'll pay for this, my lads." "Why, certainly," said Grainger, as he clutched Agrippa. "It was all an accident, Mr. Jarratt. I shall pay for tie damage, of course." " Ay, I'll see that you do," reared the farmer. "Well, I say I will, don't I?" demanded Grainger, angrily. "As I told you the whole thing was an accident. We were after rats " And who gave you permission to go for rats, eh?" broke in the old curmudgeon, fiercely. "Why, most folks would be glad to get rid of 'em," declared Grainger. "Perhaps you wanted to keep them for pets, and feed them on corn and chickens," suggested Dorrington-Smith. " Look here, my young spark, you just hold your tongue," shouted Jarratt as " Fog" Wilson and myself let out a noisy snigger. " I want paving for these pullets, and paid I will be." " Very well," said Grainger, " what do you want for your wretched fowls?" Jarratt bent and picked up the two pullets, looking at Grainger with his close-set eyes. " My damage is ten shillings for the two," he said. Are you sure you aren't robbing yourself?" asked Dorrington-Smith. Jarratt • scowled again; but . Grainger forked out his remaining half-sovereign. " All right," he assented coolly. " Hand them over." " Hand what over?" stared Jarratt. "Why, the pullets," said Grainger. "If I pay for them they are mine." " Money first," said Jarratt shortly. " Here you are, then," said Granger. Taking the half-sovereign, Jarratt drew back with a grim look. " That'll do," he said. " And now get out o' this, every one of you." ""What?" flushed Grainger. "How about my pullets?" "I'll pullet you!" bellowed Jarratt as he caught "Fog" Wilson, who stood nearest, a noisy bang on the ear. " Off with ye!" He aimed a heavy kick with his great boot at the terrier as "he spoke, but just missed him. Then all in a second Agrippa had him by the calf, with a, growl which meant business as, loudly shrieking for help, the . farmer danced around. Dragging Agrippa off, with a great piece of Jarratt's trousers between his teeth, Grainger looked wildly towards us. One glance was enough. Dashing through the paddock gateway into the road we were off, with Jarratt bawling the law on us in our rear, and Agrippa noisily worrying the piece of cloth. Then as we ran we were brought up all in a heap. Just turning out of the field path from Carlingford was the doctor once more. And at the same instant Jarratt came up with us. j "I'll have the law on 'em," he yelled in a fury. " Look here, Marcheson, what sort o' pupils d'y' call these?" And he showed the pullets and "his bleeding leg. "I fear I don't quite follow you, Mr. Jarratt," said the doctor in his cool way." " Kindly explain." . — "Does this want explaining.'' fairly shrieked Jarratt. "They've been chasing and worrying my hens, and now they've set on me." " "'. "Come, that's pretty good,' broke in Grainger. "He himself set on the terrier and it bit him in self-defence; as for the fowls, which the dog killed before it could be prevented, I've already paid him ten shillings damage." ; " Indeed stared the doctor. And why should you pay Mr. Jarratt for the damage committed by another person's dog? Is not this the brute which attacked Hector? " Yes, sir," said Grainger, helplessly. " The fact I—er—that is to say, he is my dog, sir." "Yours?" . . ~ " i_l pay Rawlins to mind him for me, : floundered Grainger. "Oh !" The doctor's eye slowly wandered to "Fo"-" Wilson, who had supplied him with the' earlier information, and drilled him through and through, till "Fog blushed like a peony. Then he turned to Jarratt. "So far 'as I can see, Mr. Jarratt," he began coldly, '-'you appear to have been liberally recompensed for the damage to your hens. As for the dog's attack on you, or vice versa, I do not pretend to know the merits of the case ; but since you so loudry threaten the law I may tell you that as it is at present unfortunately constituted it allows no remedy for the first bite of a dog. All that I can "say is that I am exceedingly sorry you should "have suffered this injury. He turned sharply away. "As for you, Grainger, you will return the terrier to Rawlins immediately and get-rid of it without delay. .Let me hear no more of these foolish dog-fancying proclivities. Then he Wlt was just like old Marcheson. Sometimes be would let a chap off quite easily ; like that for a straightforward lark: but he ; was down, like-a thunderbolt on anything really dishonourable or shady. _ , Nothing came of Jarratt's ravings, o. course. As for Grainger he wasn't sorry, all things considered, to sell the pup back to Bill Rawlins the same afternoon for a sovereign; and that was the last we heard of Agrippa,—Chums.