DID SPOT PROVIDE THE FEAST?
Court House Clerks Believe They
Know About McClanahan's Fowls.
Every clerk in the circuit court of Jackson county dined on spring chicken at the home of David McClanahan in Independence last night. About the chickens which supplied the feast there was a veiled mystery, which added greatly to the sweetness of the meat. Arthur Kelly is positive he has found the solution to the mystery.
It runs this wise: About two months ago the county court secured two fox terriers for use in the basement of the court house. These dogs were warranted champion rat catchers, and they willingly lived up to their reputations. When the rats had become exhausted and the dogs had nothing more to do at the court house James Fernald, one of the clerks, spirited one of the dogs to his home. But the dog insisted on catching the neighbors' chickens, bringing them to the Fernald homestead and then and there killing them. Mr. Fernald, at his wife's earnest suggestion, brought the dog back to the court house.
Then it was that Dave McClanahan took the dog home. One week ago he told the clerks in the court house that he was planning a chicken dinner for them. Nice, fine, fat, spring chickens. Arthur Kelly smiled and kept still. He knew the story of Fernald, the dog and the chickens. Spike Henessy, champion chicken eater of the court house, began a starvation diet at once.
Yesterday morning Kelly and Fernald, guarding their secret well, called a meeting of the clerks and presented Dave McClanahan with a brand new dog collar. On the silver plate of the collar was inscribed these words: "To Spot, in recognition of his services." When McClanahan read the inscription he turned red in the face.
"Stung," whispered Kelly to Fernald; "that blush is the blush of guilt. Now for our dress suits that we may partake of the sweets."
