106 CAROLINE.

Beechnut begins the story of Jasper. Doubt about the farmer’s name.

 

 

CHAPTER VITI.
JASPER.

Tue story which Beechnut related to the children, on
the piazza at Caroline’s party, was about a dog named
Jasper. He began as follows:

“The story which I am going to tell you, ladies and
gentlemen, is about a remarkable dog. In fact he was a
very remarkable dog, indeed.”

“ Yes,” said Phonny, “that will be a good story.”

“ Once there was a farmer,” continued Beechnut, with-
out noticing Phonny’s interruption, “and he had a dog
that lived with him in the woods. He was named
Jasper.”

“'The farmer or the dog?” asked Phonny.

“ The dog,” said Beechnut. “I have forgotten what the
farmer’s name was. I only remember it began with a W.”

“No matter what Azs name was,” said a boy whom
they called Robin, “ tell away upon the story.”

“Was it Williams ?” said one of the children.

“ No,” said Beechnut, “ not Williams.”

“ Woodman,” said another.

“It might possibly have been Woodman,” said Beech-
nut; “that sounds like it. At any rate, we will call it
Woodman, and I will go on with the story.”

All this talking on the part of Beechnut about the
name of the farmer, was of course only his contrivance