Dogs and cats are very perceptive and we have seen Louella isn't much of an animal lover. The dog undoubtedly senses her distaste.
The real question here is why did she agree to watch the dog if the woman isn't even a friend? What's her angle?
Why does the small dog at Louella's bark?
A.) It's mad their owner left them there.
B.) It's warning people to stay away from this strange woman.
****
On another note, wouldn't this be a great time for some doggies to have some late night or early morning bark and howl sessions?
Now we know about the mystery man asking about places to eat and it turned out to the boy's benefit as well.
It's more than a little hypocritical for Gramps and Pops to admonish them over Louella since they've participated in some of the past hijinks on the witch. I'm sorry for that poor dog.
With its Latin root, delighted can be one of those puzzler words for people who try to decipher meanings by breaking words down. One might think it means something was unlit, as in, the fireman quickly delighted the fire with an extinguisher.
I don't recall what diverted me from finishing this, but I made it back.
Very different from Shirley Jackson's brooding tale and more uplifting.
The lotteries so many obsess with now give dreams of escape to some tropical isle, while in reality you'd be inundated by moochers, both known and unknown peddling guilt trips from hell.
A very nice and well told tale.