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diff --git a/77634-0.txt b/77634-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..626360a --- /dev/null +++ b/77634-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3133 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77634 *** + + + + + PETER MAKES GOOD + AND STORIES OF OTHER DOGS + _by_ + GERTRUDE THOMAS + + _With + Twenty Full-Page Illustrations + by_ + DOROTHY SAUNDERS + + BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS + CHICAGO + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1929, + BY + BECKLEY-CARDY COMPANY + _All Rights Reserved_ + + Printed in the United States of America + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PETER MAKES GOOD + PAGE + A DOG FAMILY 5 + PETER’S NEW HOME 10 + GETTING ACQUAINTED 18 + PETER ON THE FARM 31 + NEW SCENES 38 + + + THE TATTLERS + + PIXIE AND BOB 47 + JUDGE AIREDALE 61 + PETITE AND BOB TELL THEIR STORIES 76 + POLICE DOG STORIES 83 + FRITZ, WHO KNEW ONLY GERMAN 90 + GYP, THE GARBAGE MAN’S DOG 99 + THE LAUNDRESS’S DOG 107 + THE DEVOTION OF WHITEY 115 + THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS 118 + THE MILKMAN’S DOG DAN 121 + THE WHIPPETS 125 + FIRE-FIGHTING DOGS 133 + THE JUDGE’S STORY 144 + JACK THE TRAVELER 151 + TOM AND DANIEL 173 + THE BLIND MAN’S DOG 177 + + + + +LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + Peter Learns a Lesson 7 + Peter Sees Fluff for the First Time 15 + Fluff and the Three Aristocrats 24 + Peter Tries to Put Out a Fire 29 + Peter Helps Bring the Cattle from the Pasture 33 + Pixie and Bob 46 + “Judge Was Always Being Called Upon to Decide” 59 + Petite and Princess 65 + Gyp and the Dachshunds 68 + The Comical Young Airedale Terrier 79 + Fritz Supplied the Wood for the Fire 92 + Ted Performed Many Stunts to Entertain the Sailors 95 + Simon Peter and Buff 111 + Whitey and Her Mistress 114 + “They Would Chase Rabbits or Any Game They Could Scare Up” 129 + Bill Saves His Master 135 + Duke Wins Honors 141 + “The Fight Was On” 161 + A Battle Between the Two Warriors 175 + Job Was “Eyes for the Blind” 180 + + + + +PETER MAKES GOOD + + + + +A DOG FAMILY + + +The Coleman family were in possession of a roly-poly, fuzzy, +brown-and-white pup named Peter, called Pete for short. Peter was a +combination of several breeds of dogs. He had good and bad relations on +both sides of the house, but his nearest kin, which were, of course, +his father, Shep, and his Scotch collie mother, Susie, were very worthy +dogs. They were not quarrelsome nor dishonest, lived peaceably with the +house cat, and never tortured a rabbit before they killed it. Indeed, +in all dogdom Susie and Shep were considered honorable citizens. + +It was on account of this excellent record of the parent dogs that +these good people were wanting ones of their likely offspring. They +felt sure that a member of a family so worthy would grow up to be a +useful dog. + +Susie had tried to train Pete to be polite, and to observe the Golden +Rule in his conduct toward cats and other animals less fortunate than +himself. His father had given him a cuff on the side of the head when +he found him running off with Betty’s shoe, and told him that “dogs who +wished to grow up into leading citizens in dogdom didn’t steal young +ladies’ shoes and chew the toes off them.” Then he made Pete take the +shoe to his mistress, lay it at her feet, and wag his tail in apology. + +In this way, these parents tried to instill into their son all the +good principles they could before he should go out into the wide, wide +world. In Pete’s case, this meant being taken in a basket to his new +home at Coleman’s. + +Pete’s parting with his home folks was pathetic. All that week he was +favored above his brothers and sisters. The day before his departure, +his father, Shep, took him slyly aside and whispered in his ear, +“Follow me, but do not let even your mother know about it.” + +[Illustration: Peter Learns a Lesson] + +So Pete watched his chance and, when Susie was taking her afternoon +nap and others were playing tag, he sniffed about until he took up +the trail to the garden. There he saw his dad digging in the ground. +Finally Shep unearthed a well seasoned bone. What a treat Pete was +to have, in being allowed to dine with his father off one end of +that juicy, earth-flavored bone! There was no criticism of his table +manners. What if he did fill his mouth too full and make a noise when +he ate? Nothing was said about it, which was unusual, for his dad was +a stickler for correct eating. Another time Pete would have been sent +away from the feast, had he been greedy and asked for a third helping, +but to-day, how different! For once he was allowed to put both paws on +that sweet bone and to gnaw and gnaw, while his dad stood off smiling +approval. + +Peter wished there was no wide world to go out into. Why, he was just +beginning to get along well at home. His brothers and sisters envied +him, and what satisfaction he got out of having them all jealous of +him--so nearly human was this little piece of dog flesh. The other +pups’ eyes fairly bulged and turned green when they saw Susie tucking +him tenderly in, the night before he was to leave his home. + +How fondly she licked him, paying particular attention to his ears, to +make sure they were clean. Now these very ears were always a source +of dispute at other times. Many a cuffing Pete had received when they +would not bear inspection. But to-night how gentle was her touch, +what pathos in her whine, as she bade him good night! Susie was going +through a crisis, such as comes to every mother when her family circle +is broken, and one of her beloved ones goes out from the home nest. She +wanted him to be an honor to her and his father. Would he? + +We shall see. + + + + +PETER’S NEW HOME + + +The next day Peter was transported to his new home. So great was the +excitement over making the change, that many things Susie had intended +to say to him in the way of good advice were forgotten. With a great +lump in her throat, which mothers are apt to have on such occasions, +she bade him good-by forever. + +After the thrill of his first ride in an automobile, Pete arrived at +his new home, where he was greeted by his new master and mistress. They +were a pair of chubby youngsters of four and five years, who looked +enough alike to be twins. There being only one year’s difference in +their ages accounted for this. + +Their names were Mabel and Ralph. Both had brown eyes, and their hair +was almost the color of Peter’s coat. They were delighted to see Peter, +with his brown eyes and his coat of brown and tan, so soft and fuzzy. +They laughed at his funny little tail. And his silken ears--as the +little girl rubbed one of them against her cheek, Peter gave a sigh of +relief because they were clean. + +This episode of the ears reminded him of home and his mother, just +as other sons who have left home for the first time have had their +memories of their mothers jogged. Peter gulped down the lump that +came into his little throat; he must be brave. That was one of the +things Shep had emphasized in his advice. He had said, “Bravery is the +greatest asset for a dog.” + +After each of the children had had a good “snuggle” at him, he was +given his dinner on a beautiful blue plate, all his own. This was nice, +but in all his life he had never before eaten alone. How _could_ he +eat, with no one to push and crowd him, and no dad to tell him when he +had had enough? When he took a mouthful of really good bread and gravy, +it almost choked him. Then, those wide-eyed youngsters were watching +every bite he ate, making him feel so self-conscious that he simply +could not remember his table manners. He put his paws on his plate, +and made a noise chewing his food. At home, every scrap was eaten, and +the plate cleaned in a tidy way, ready for the next meal. His orderly +mother would have been ashamed of him, if she could have seen the mess +he was making of this, his first meal in his new home. + +A survey of the premises was next in order. He was shown his bedroom, +which was a box on the back porch. It was large enough for him to +stretch out in and be very comfortable. It looked about right, but it +lacked the “homey” odor of his former bed. It was too fresh and clean. + +Then Pete had his first touch of homesickness. These youngsters were +all right, as youngsters go, but they were not to be compared for +company to a family of rollicking puppies. What did they know about a +game of tug-of-war with an old sock, or of ball with a lump of coal, +and other delightful dog games? With a contemptuous shrug of his +shoulders, he went on with his investigations. + +Out on the window sill, where the sun shone warmly, was something that +attracted his attention. Going closer to see more clearly, he observed +a creature which was something new to him. It seemed to be a bundle of +fuzzy fur, with a head at one end, and something at the other end that +looked a little like the feather duster the puppies used to play with +at home. + +The head was loose, too, for now it was turning. It opened two eyes, +and then a mouth, and yawned. All at once, something happened. Down the +creature pounced, right on Pete’s back. He was still uncertain what it +was, until it began to spit and snarl. As all cats snarl and spit about +alike, Pete knew it must be some kind of a cat, but how different from +the cats which he had known. All his former cat acquaintances had worn +sleek coats with spots or striped, and they had had long, slim tails, +or no tails at all. A Manx cat he had known had no tail. + +Fluff, for that was the cat’s name, was as much astonished as Peter +was, at what she was encountering. This was something unlike anything +she had ever seen before. Something told her it was akin to her old +enemy, the dog, but how harmless this one seemed! Nothing but the wag +of his ridiculous little tail was at all doglike. + +They surveyed each other for a while. Then Peter remembered his +mother’s advice about following the Golden Rule with cats, especially +when the cat had the advantage, as was the situation now. Turning, he +ran back to his bedroom for a nap, as so much excitement had wearied +him. + +Hopping into his box, he turned around twice before he lay down. Soon +he was asleep. When he awoke, it was dark. Where was he? Nosing around, +he could find no bedfellow, nothing that was familiar, and then he +realized how homesick he was. He wanted his mother and he began to cry. + +[Illustration: Peter Sees Fluff for the First Time] + +Upstairs somewhere, awake in a snug, warm bed, lay a little boy. He +heard that pitiful cry, and felt his own little heart ache with pity +for the baby dog. He listened for a while. Then, unable to stand it +any longer, he slipped out of bed. Tiptoeing his way, so that no one +would hear him, the boy went out on the cold back porch to the puppy. +Taking Pete under his warm bathrobe, he slipped as quietly back to bed. +The puppy was “snuggled” in Ralph’s arms, and soon dog and boy were +fast asleep. Thus a bond of affection was established between these two +that proved lasting and true, as we shall see. + +The better acquainted Peter got with his new friends, the better he +liked them, especially the boy and the girl. With the latter, however, +he felt as if he were not in full favor. She seemed to prefer petting +that presumptuous, fluffy cat, rather than him. He was not quite sure, +but he thought he overheard some such conversation as this between them: + +“Fluffy, you must be nice to our new puppy. You know he is _only_ a +little doggie.” + +There was considerable emphasis laid on the “only.” For some reason +which Pete did not stop to analyze, he determined he would show this +pair, the girl and the cat, a few things, when he ceased to be “only a +_little_ doggie,” and became a real dog. + +Life at this new home was very pleasant for Pete. The little boy and +he had so much fun, that he soon forget the home he had left. He never +knew how his mother missed him, for, although more puppies came to +bless and cheer her heart, still she could never forget Pete. + + + + +GETTING ACQUAINTED + + +The Coleman children went to school every day. The maid went with them +across the street, and called for them when they were to return. This +left Pete and the cat at home together. They were not getting on very +well. Fluff was haughty and disdainful, and she was entirely too free +with her claws, which Pete soon learned she hid from sight in those +soft, insinuating paws of hers. + +After a while Peter became more and more venturesome. Peering through +the back fence to see what was going on across the way, he saw the +home of the aristocratic Boston bull that Fluff feared. Pete would +stand with his nose through the fence, watching and learning just how +a grown-up dog did act, and he wondered if he would ever grow up to do +those wonderful things. + +One day he saw that majestic creature catching flies. Sitting in front +of his kennel, the Boston bull would wait until a fly would light on +his nose. Then, after giving his head a shake to shoo it off, he would +snap it up. This was interesting to Pete. He decided to try it. + +He went off and lay down. He waited a while, pretending to be asleep, +but keeping one eye open. At last he heard a buzzing sound. Some kind +of flying creature was near. It was aiming for a seat on his nose. Now, +a shake, a snap--he had it! How thrilling! He would try it again, but +it would not be necessary to keep even one eye open. He closed both. +Buzz-z-z-z! Another fly was coming. Still as a mouse Pete lay waiting. +Then all at once Pete let out a piercing yelp. The fly had proven to be +a bee. Pete was stung! After the first shock was over, he thought of +something else his father had told him. He had said always to keep one +eye on every venture. Pete resolved not to get stung again. + +The days sometimes seemed very long to Pete. The cat couldn’t or +wouldn’t play. She liked sunning herself in a lazy fashion on the +window sill. He must find some other means of diversion. + +When the laundress was hanging up the clothes to dry, he would help by +taking the clothespins in his mouth and handing them to her. Sometimes +some hidden trait in his make-up prompted him to take toll of the +clothespins when the laundress was not looking. No doubt this was an +echo from some of those inferior relations on one or the other side of +his ancestral house. Still, it was a natural tendency, as all dogs like +to chew clothespins. It sharpens their teeth. + +Pete was getting braver and braver every day, and was learning more +and more about his new home. By keeping his eyes open and watching the +behavior of other dogs, he was developing into an intelligent pup. He +and Ralph were real pals, and what the dog was not able to find out for +himself, the boy would teach him, and Pete’s devotion to his teacher +was marvelous. + +When the children started for school, Pete would follow at their heels +until the curb was reached. In the afternoon he would watch until the +maid returned with them. Then one morning they had to go alone. When +they hesitated at the street crossing, Pete ran out in the middle of +the street and barked in front of all the oncoming cars, thus holding +up the traffic until Ralph and Mabel were safely across. In the +afternoon he watched for them and repeated the performance. + +One morning, when he had seen the children safely across, he discovered +that Mabel had lost her book. Dodging in front of a big truck, he +seized the book in his mouth and ducked just in time to keep from +getting struck. Then he raced after the children to deliver the book to +its little owner. + +The pup grew in grace and charm, as well as wisdom. His fuzzy covering +was gone, and with it had vanished many of his puppy ways. He had grown +into a fine looking dog. One could scarcely recognize the little woolly +pup in this beautiful brown, shading into tan, animal. He had a natty +white vest and one white forefoot. His tail curled over his back like a +plume; but his greatest charm was his eyes. They were brown and amber +now, and they almost twinkled with intelligence when he was spoken to. + +Ralph was very proud of him, and entered him in all the dog shows, +although Pete never won any medals, because of his lack of pedigree. +Had a prize been given for real worth and good character, he would have +carried off the blue ribbon, for Pete was well raised and had good +training. + +Some pedigreed animals, and some pedigreed people are snobbish and +rude. Such was the case with the Boston bull on the other side of the +fence, and with some others in this exclusive neighborhood. This was +brought forcibly to Pete’s attention one morning. After he had piloted +the children across the street, on returning to his own curb, he heard +loud barking around the corner. Curious to know what was the cause of +it all, he ran in the direction of the noise. + +Imagine his surprise and indignation at what he saw! Up a tree, just +beyond the reach of their upturned noses, was Fluff, Mabel’s cat, +driven there by three of the aristocrats, and held at bay by their, to +her, bloodcurdling yelps. The Boston bull seemed to be in charge. His +confederates were a prize-winning Airedale, with a pedigree reaching +back through countless generations, and a German police dog, whose +ancestors had been trained to torment French prisoners, away back +during the Franco-Prussian war. With murderous motives these three had +Fluff surrounded when Pete appeared on the scene. + +Without stopping to consider that he was apparently outmatched, Pete +sprang at their heels, snapping and biting first one and then another, +until he had their attention drawn from the cat. Then he started to +run, with the three in pursuit. This was what he wanted. By keeping +several jumps ahead of them, he got to his own door just as someone was +coming out, and he bounded inside. Meantime Fluff had not let any grass +grow under her feet; she had arrived at the back door first. Once +inside, she did a very unusual thing. Approaching Pete, she rubbed her +sides against his legs, purring her thanks; and she never forget this +act of gallantry which he had performed for her. There may have been +no blue blood in this dog, but this episode proved that there were no +yellow streaks. + +[Illustration: Fluff and the Three Aristocrats] + +Ralph was growing into a big boy, and was engaged in the activities and +sports that the average boy of his age enjoys. He was a member of the +Boy Scouts, and of the “Sand Lot Ball Team”; but his love for Peter was +as great as ever. He always wanted his dog with him in his sports, and +Pete, appreciating this, proved himself a boon companion. + +Any game that Pete did not sanction by a smile and a wag of his tail +was not entered into with much zest. When a game with a competing team +was scheduled to come off, it was talked over with Pete somewhat in +this fashion: + +“Well, old pal, what do you think about it? Are we going to win? You +know Bud Sanders, Pete--he’s one of their best pitchers; but of course +our team can show something just as good. If you say so, we will beat +them.” + +Then Pete would stretch out, yawn, and make a noise that Ralph always +knew meant either yes or no; it all depended on the expression of the +dog’s countenance when he made it. If the prediction were favorable for +their team, boy and dog would start for the diamond, full of enthusiasm. + +Pete would enter into the spirit of the game along with the boys, +and would watch the ball with quivering excitement, when Ralph sent +it flying and made a home run. Before Jack could bring it back, Pete +seemed to know just where that ball dropped to earth, and would beat +the boys to it, bringing it to the pitcher and dropping it at his feet. + +Sometimes an argument would start on the field of combat, and Ralph +would be surrounded by a loud-mouthed, fist-shaking squad. Pete would +edge his way through and take a position near his master, wag his tail +slowly, and listen intently, as if asking what it was all about, and +weighing the pros and cons. Ralph would reach down, pat him on the head +and ask, “Which way was it, old pal?” + +Not always were the other boys willing to take Pete’s decision, and the +matter might be left to the referee; but always Pete stood valiantly by +his master in every matter. + +By this time the bull dog next door had learned to have more respect +for Peter. A boy about Ralph’s age had come to live with his master and +mistress. He was a nice boy, and he and Ralph were very good friends. +Both were good scouts and, as they were together a great deal, the +dogs, after a few encounters, learned to endure, if not to like, one +another. + +They accompanied the boys on hikes and, one day, when the boys and +their two dogs were going gaily through the woods, kicking up the dry +leaves, Pete, the younger and more active dog, ran on ahead and out of +sight of the boys. Soon they heard a great barking. Hurrying along, +they found Pete pawing and stamping in an attempt to put out a fire +that was just starting from a cigarette, which had been carelessly +thrown among the dry leaves. + +The boys finished extinguishing the fire, and then turned their +attention to Pete, whose feet were burned. They knew the burns must +be extremely painful. Feeling very sorry for the dog, and full of +enthusiastic admiration for his splendid courage, they made a litter +for him, such as they would have made for one of their own scout +comrades. The boys carried Pete home, and the bull dog kept close to +his master’s heels, so as not to be left entirely out. + +Peter’s mother, Susie, would have been very proud if she had known her +son was the means of saving the countryside from a destructive fire. + +Shep, no doubt, would have said, “I knew Pete would amount to +something.” + +Reaching home, the boys treated Pete’s sore feet with a healing salve +and made him comfortable. + +[Illustration: Peter Tries to Put Out a Fire] + +It is uncertain whether or not dogs can communicate with each other, +but, by some means, the news got abroad that Pete was laid up, and +every dog in the neighborhood came to call. It was suspected that +the bull had something to do with it, as he seemed to be master of +ceremonies. His admiration for Pete seemed suddenly to have increased. +After each dog had sniffed at Pete’s sore paws, they raced off. + + + + +PETER ON THE FARM + + +It was now vacation time and Pete and his master were anticipating a +good time. Ralph and Mabel usually spent a part of the time on their +grandfather’s farm, and Pete was going along. At Grandfather’s there +were two small dogs, but that would be all right with Pete, who acted +in a big-brotherly way toward them, sharing with them whatever he had +to eat. + +There was just one quarter from which Peter would allow no +interference. That was from a goat that roamed at will over the place. +Until this visit to the farm, he had never seen a goat. His first +encounter with this one had been quite disastrous to Pete’s pride; so, +having no wish to repeat the set-to, he left the goat with the butting +disposition severely alone. + +Although Pete, in accordance with his good mother’s teachings, was +generous with the small dogs, there was one thing he would not permit. +That was their following him to the bone cemetery. This was forbidden +ground. Out in the orchard, under the apple trees, where the earth was +mellow, was his favorite, exclusive spot. + +If Pete observed the others following him to the orchard, he would +chase them back and tell them to stay there. Then he would feast +and enjoy to his heart’s content the gnawing of those delicious, +earth-seasoned morsels. This always carried him back to the time when +his father and he had gnawed the bone in the garden at home. Thus Shep +had revealed to his son the social side of his nature. The small dogs +learned to respect Pete’s privacy and stayed away. + +Peter was trained to help Ralph bring up the cattle from the pasture. +On several occasions, when it was raining, he brought them in alone. +In the lot was Duke, the king of the herd. Usually he was a safe and +docile animal, but one evening something seemed to be wrong. Duke was +in an ugly mood, pawing and bellowing at a great rate, and refusing to +be lined up with the cows. + +[Illustration: Peter Helps Bring the Cattle from the Pasture] + +Ralph struck Duke with a gad, which was a great mistake on the boy’s +part. The animal charged. Ralph ducked and ran for a near-by tree, +climbing up before the bull reached him. + +Pete did his best to help his master. He barked and snapped at the +enemy, but to no avail. He then looked up at Ralph, as much as to say, +“What more can I do?” + +“Get Grandpa,” the boy called to him. + +Off Pete ran, over the fence, and on to the house. In a little while, +back he bounded with Grandfather and the hired man following, with +weapons of defense to liberate the prisoner. And so Peter proved to be +the hero of the day. + +The summer was one of profit and pleasure both to the dogs and the +children. Grandmother knew how to make the most delicious cookies, +which Pete shared along with the children. He helped hunt the eggs. +Finding a nest, he would stand and wag his tail until they got the +eggs. He also assisted in rounding up the young poultry to be shut in +for the night. + +When the work was all done, the children and the dogs would go through +the woods to the old swimming hole. While the boy and his sister +were enjoying the water, the dogs found many things to attract their +attention. One of them would stir up a chipmunk or a rabbit. Then +all would give chase. If the little creature went into a hole in the +ground, it fell to Pete, as the largest and strongest, to dig it out, +while the others would stand off, barking their encouragement. When at +last he would find it, Pete would permit no torturing of their prey; it +must be killed skillfully and at once. + +The time passed all too quickly. School soon would open. Mabel and +Ralph were entering high school. Pete was now a dignified, full-grown +dog, looking like his father, Shep, but having the gentle disposition +of his mother, Susie. + +Although he was not a quarrelsome dog, and never attacked a dog smaller +than himself, still Peter was all dog. In reading these records of +this grown-up puppy’s doings, we must remember that he was without +royal ancestry. He was not registered as to pedigree, but was just an +ordinary, middle-class dog, with a high sense of honor, inherited from +honest parent dogs. + +The bull dog, whose name was Joe, was growing old and slow of gait. He +and Pete had become fast friends. Time had taken some of the arrogance +out of his manner. He had been condescending in his attitude toward +Pete, but now he showed more interest and some affection. It was +pathetic to note Pete’s deference for the old chap. Perhaps that had +something to do with his change of heart. Were they out for a walk, +Pete would run on ahead, and then wait for the old dog to catch up, or +run back to him and walk slowly beside him. + +The time came when old Joe was unable to go out. He would sit outside +his kennel dozing, having not even strength enough to snap at the +flies that bothered him. Pete spent a great deal of time with him. He +would lie nearby sleeping, or would drink in a social way from Joe’s +drinking pan. He did many other little comforting things to show good +comradeship. + +One very warm day the dogs were panting with the heat. Their tongues +were lolling out of their mouths, and they drank a great deal of water, +Pete taking the last drop. Soon poor old Joe, bending down to get a +drink, found the pan dry. Pete jumped up and, taking the edge of the +pan in his mouth, ran to the screen door, where he scratched until the +cook came. Then he lifted the empty pan to her to be filled. + +One morning, a short while after this hot spell, Pete came to see +his old friend, whom he had learned really to love. The bull dog was +missing from his customary place, so Pete looked into the kennel. There +lay poor old Joe, dead. This was Pete’s first experience with that +mysterious condition. His reaction was only normal and doglike, for +he proceeded to eat up the remnants of the bull dog’s supper, drank +all the water, and then ran off to find a live dog to play with. Dogs +seldom show grief for their own kind. + + + + +NEW SCENES + + +The years rolled on. At last the children were grown and ready for +college, and in the fall Ralph was to go to a university. Mabel was to +attend another school. + +Pete was conscious that something was about to happen. His master would +pat him lovingly on the head, and then slip an arm around his neck. +Then he would begin talking about going away, saying, “Well, old pal, +how are we going to stand this? Do you think you will miss me?” + +Pete would kiss his young master, dog-fashion; then he would lie down +at his feet in the most devoted way. + +The university to which Ralph was going was not a great distance, sixty +miles or a little further, from his home. A trip was taken to make +arrangements about entering. Peter, much to his delight, was allowed to +go with his master in the automobile. + +He took an inventory of the place where they went. Nothing escaped +him. There seemed to be some dogs at this school. At least, he saw +several following the young men students, and it certainly was an ideal +place for a dog to be. Storing all these things in his mind, Pete +returned to his home, somewhat more reconciled to have Ralph go from +him, as he concluded that all was for the best. + +Soon preparations were completed, and Ralph was ready to leave, this +time by train. Peter went to the depot with the rest of the family to +see his master off. Ralph was very brave, for he wanted to show that +he was now a man, and he thought any show of emotion was womanish. He +bade everyone farewell. Last of all, he patted his dog affectionately, +saying, “Well, good-by, old pal.” + +All went well for a month or so. Pete would wander around as if looking +for something, but he seemed to be taking his loss in a sensible way. +Then, one morning, he was missing. Nowhere could he be found. Search +and the offer of rewards failed to bring him back. He was given up +as lost. The family came to the conclusion that Pete had either been +stolen or struck by an automobile. Then a letter came from Ralph, in +which he wrote: “Whom should I see on the campus one day, when I was +returning from class, but good old Pete?” + +Maybe you think that was not a joyous meeting! Ralph did not tell +all in his letter, but his mother read between the lines, and knew +there were some tears shed. Ralph was feeling some of the pangs of +homesickness that a certain little puppy once had felt, and the dog +understood and sympathized. + +Ralph by this time was comfortably established in a fraternity house, +where there were other boys with their dogs, and Peter was at once made +a member of the group. Almost any day Ralph could be seen crossing the +campus, his arms full of books, with Pete trotting along at his heels. +These were happy days for the dog. The boy, too, seemed to be perfectly +contented, now that his faithful friend was with him. + +Pete seemed to understand that his remaining at college all depended +upon his good behavior, so he carried himself with dignity. He never +chased squirrels and never frightened the children who came on the +campus to play. He was polite, and moved off the sidewalk to let the +ladies pass, showing in many ways that he had come from a good home, +where the training had been of the right kind. + +Ralph was elected to play on the ball team. Pete had not forgotten the +times back home on the sand lot, when he had helped his master win many +a game, so he was on hand to do his bit on these occasions. However, he +was not so young as he used to be and he was not so agile in bringing +back the ball. As the other members of the team who had dogs thought +they could get along without his help, Pete had to be tied up when a +game was on, much to his chagrin. + +Ralph, who had been one of the best players on the high school squad, +was given a place on the team when the football season commenced. All +went well until one day, when there was a close game with another +university, Ralph was injured. The track was wet and slippery, and +Ralph’s ankle turned, throwing him and wrenching his back. + +This unfortunate accident kept Ralph confined to his room, and on his +back for some time. But for Peter, he would have spent many lonely +hours before he could again go to classes. The dog would lie on the rug +in front of the gas stove, where he could keep one eye on his beloved +master. + +On the night of the oratorical contest all of the boys were gone, and +Ralph and Pete were alone in the house. Having read until he was tired, +Ralph closed his eyes, and soon he was sound asleep. Pete was lying in +his customary place before the stove. The door leading out into the +corridor was open; also one leading onto the fire escape. Suddenly +Peter began barking and pulling at the covering on Ralph, who awakened +to find himself nearly suffocated by smoke that filled the house. + +Ralph realized that the house was on fire, and felt his helplessness, +as he was not yet able to walk since his accident; but something must +be done, and quickly. Dragging himself off the couch, he managed to get +his arm around the dog’s neck, and in this way the two of them made +their way through the smoke to the fire escape. From there, Ralph gave +the alarm and was rescued, just as the walls crumbled. The fire had +made such headway that nothing could save the house. Had it not been +for this prince among dogs, Ralph’s life would have gone out while he +slept. Susie and Shep had sown good seed when they taught Peter that +bravery was a good trait for a dog to have. + +Peter was growing old. There was no doubt about it; he was getting +stiff in his joints, and his hearing was not so good. When he was +alone, he found it difficult to keep from being struck by the +automobiles, whose careless drivers had no regard for life of either +dog or child, but would come tearing along at reckless speed. + +One day Pete was crossing to the campus, when a car came in sight. It +was one of those that college boys seem to enjoy driving more than any +other kind, a rickety old bus, without top and not much else but wheels +and an engine. In this semblance of a car were as many boys as it would +hold. They were having a hilarious time, returning from a game. + +There was so much noise, as they went zig-zagging through the street, +that poor Pete became confused and was caught under the wheels of +this death trap. Thus a precious life went out. This was the closing +of a career of one of the most faithful of God’s creatures in the +animal kingdom. He was one who laid no claim to anything but ordinary +ability, natural instincts, and a reaction to kind treatment that paid +a hundredfold. + +Ralph felt his loss so keenly that, after laying Peter’s broken body +away, he conceived the idea of writing a book about dogs. He would +depict only the good qualities or instincts, which, if developed, +would make even yellow mongrels into decent dogs. To the memory of +his beloved Peter he would dedicate a collection of really good and +true stories, with the hope that other boys would derive, from the +companionship and knowledge of dogs, such inspiration as had helped +to develop his own character, making him an ardent defender of all +faithful creatures. + +So this is how _The Tattlers_ came to be written. + +[Illustration: Pixie and Bob] + + + + +THE TATTLERS + + + + +PIXIE AND BOB + + +It was a beautiful street where the dogs all lived, lined on one side +by stately palms. The lawns were smooth as velvet, and always green, +in spite of the fact that it seldom rained in this country. Flowers +and clinging vines helped to enhance the beauty. The owners of the +homes on this well kept street were rich and could afford every luxury +for themselves, as well as everything appropriate to their respective +positions. + +That anyone or anything could be unhappy in such environment seemed +unbelievable. However, one little heart was aching there. It was that +of a poor little rich Pomeranian, so tiny that the amount which had +been paid for her would cover her nicely, were it in bills. + +Notwithstanding the fact that Pixie, for that was her name, was fondled +and petted, wore beautiful clothes, slept on a silk pillow at the foot +of her mistress’s bed, and won all the prizes at the fancy dog shows, +indeed, had every wish gratified, she was very unhappy to-day. + +Pixie’s owners, who had bought her in London, were proud of her long +pedigree, which they never failed to mention, and also that she was +registered along with dogs belonging to the King and Queen. This +was exceedingly gratifying to everyone concerned, and the awe with +which people expressed their admiration for a mite like her that had +hobnobbed with royalty, was astonishing. + +She was in this lovely home, and had nothing to do but go through a +few silly tricks, such as sneezing when she was told to, whether she +felt like it or not. To be sure she would be rewarded with some little +bit of sweet for performing. But the worst was to have to sit up on +her haunches, close her eyes, and say her prayers, in order that her +admirers might have a hearty laugh. + +Pixie never felt like laughing herself, as something in her made her +feel cross at such times. Besides, where did her mistress get that +idea of saying prayers in that way? Pixie never saw her mistress say +prayers in that or any other way. If she had, would she have liked to +be laughed at? + +These were only a few of the things this mite of a dog, who was worth +her weight in gold, had to trouble her, for she was possessed as we +have seen of a small organ necessary to her existence, called a heart. +This, we like to think, was susceptible to emotions similar to those of +others of God’s creatures. + +That this “angel dog,” as her mistress sometimes called her, could have +a heartache never occurred to that lady, yet just now Pixie truly was +troubled. Every morning Celeste, the French maid, whose ancestors came +from the same country that was the home of Pixie’s, would take her out +for exercise and fresh air. Pixie loved going to the park nearby. At +the entrance, the maid would take the leash from her collar and allow +her her liberty. + +Celeste would stop to visit with other maids who had brought either +children or dogs with them. The one with whom she was holding +conversation to-day was the Judge’s maid, who had a young Airedale pup +in tow. This young dog was also allowed to run at large. He was so +homely and awkward that Pixie was ashamed to be seen with him, although +he, like herself, was supposed to be of blue blood. Yet since he +belonged to their set, she felt that she must be polite to him. + +He became familiar and this put Pixie on her dignity. They started out +together, but the Pom was haughty and disdainful. + +“He is so common and ugly,” she thought. + +Pixie was not wise in her reasoning, or she would have wanted just such +a background to show off her own beauty. How her lovely, golden-brown +coat glistened in the sun, and how stiff, bristly and fuzzy the +Airedale’s coat looked in comparison. And such ears! And was there +anything more ridiculous than that stub of a tail? Why, that must be +why he was called Bob. Such were the observations that Pixie was making +to herself. + +Still Pixie was trying to be polite, as one in her position in dogdom +should be, but she resented the Airedale’s friendly advances, and when +Bob challenged her to a race, she became very cool indeed. She felt +that sometimes one’s standing required the toleration of “impossible” +dogs, but one did not have to lower her dignity in doing so. + +Bob must have sensed something of what was in this haughty lady dog’s +mind, for he began bragging. “She wasn’t so much after all.” His master +lived in a larger, finer house than hers. Besides, his master was a +Judge, who knew about everything and owned two dogs, real dogs--himself +and his father--both with pedigrees and family trees planted in the +north of England. They were grafted onto an Irish terrier branch, and +noted for a lot of things. He failed to say that one of the traits for +which they were noted was their quick tempers when they were young and +undisciplined. + +Bob had some things of which to be proud, too, so he began strutting +before Pixie, which only made matters worse, as far as their ever +being friends was concerned. + +Then Bob, who, you must remember, was young and thoughtless, began +making insulting growls, which meant that he knew a few things. “Hadn’t +Celeste told their maid that Pixie’s great-great-grandmother was a +wolf-dog, and that she had one of the largest families? She was known +to have had twenty puppies, and she had to leave them to look after +themselves while she helped Pixie’s great-great-grandfather shoo off +the wolves.” He wound up by saying, “And my master says it is true. He +looked it up in the book.” + +Now Pixie was a “perfect lady,” yet there remained in her +blood a taint of the fighting propensity that had enabled her +great-great-grandparents to shoo off those hungry wolves, and she +was not going to stand for any such unkind remarks from a mere Irish +Airedale terrier pup. + +She flew at him, snapping and biting his awkward legs, and barking her +loudest, which only made Bob smile, though it is hard to believe that +Airedales do smile, so solemn are their countenances. He decided to +show her what real barking was like, and the big bass bow-bow that he +let out so frightened Pixie that she scampered off to the French maid. + +In this way the morning was spoiled for the little Pom, who shed tears +when she thought of her poor great-great-grandmother having to leave +those dear little puppies to help shoo off those terrible wolves. +Looking around at her surroundings, she thought how different was her +condition. She had everything to make her happy. She could sit in her +mistress’s lap and eat off her plate if she wanted to. She would never +have a large family of puppies to bother with; and of course there +would never be any wolves to disturb her. + +As this brought her thoughts back to the happenings of the morning and +that dreadful Airedale pup, a shudder went through her small body. +“Will I always have to encounter that dog when I go to the park?” she +wondered. + +There were many dogs at the park, but with most of them Pixie must not +play. She could associate with only the dogs in her particular circle, +and give these others only a haughty stare when she met them. + +The Airedale pup, not used to being snubbed, was taking this slight +seriously. After Pixie left him, he felt he was in need of sympathy. +That Pixie was a lady and had very sharp teeth prevented him from +demanding an apology. Had she been one of his own kind, and of his own +size, Bob would have fought it out. He would have had the apology, too; +but as it was he must have advice. + +Looking across the park, he saw the gleam of a brass-studded collar +which looked like the regulation collar for dogs in their neighborhood. +Going over there, he found three dogs, all belonging in his set. They +were taking the air while their attendants sat on the benches and read +the morning papers. + +Bob, who was still smarting from Pixie’s snub, told them his tale of +woe. + +“I have been mistreated by a pert little flapper of a Pom, with a +ribbon around her neck--and such superior airs she was assuming, when +she is only the great-great-granddaughter of a wolf-dog, who, away back +there in the old country, raised dozens of puppies and shooed wolves!” + +His hearers sat around on their haunches, with their tongues lolling +out, and listened intently. Being unable to get an expression from them +collectively, Bob questioned them one by one as to what they thought of +Pixie, and what he should do about her behavior to him. + +All except one expressed opinions. The exception was a young police +dog, whose family tree was flourishing over there. If he was not +mistaken, there were traditions in his family which bore some relation +to the story about the little Pomeranian dogs being able to frighten +his own ancestors, when they were hungry and weak, and wanted only a +good meal from the poultry pens. Yet he hoped there was some mistake +about the story. It did not seem possible that a mere Pom could +frighten a noble wolf. Yet he admired Pixie. + +The next dog consulted was a little pug, named Ruby. She was quite well +acquainted with Pixie, had met her abroad, and had come home on the +same ship with her. Both of them had been prize-winners at a dog show +in England. Their respective mistresses had bought them from the same +kennels. There had been considerable discussion as to the merits of the +two dogs. Both had wanted the Pom, and quite a bit of feeling arose +between the two ladies on the subject. In fact, the pug’s mistress, in +a polite way, claimed the other lady had used questionable methods to +procure the coveted dog. However, nothing could be done about it now, +as Pixie’s mistress was better able to pay the purchase price. + +So the pug was taken; but Ruby always felt there was a lack of +sincerity in her owner’s voice when she declared to Pixie’s owner, “No +amount of money would induce me to part with my dear little pug. She is +the smartest, brightest dog I ever knew.” Then too, Ruby had overheard +Pixie’s mistress telling some one that pugs were stupid dogs who did +nothing but eat and snore. + +Considering these facts, it was not difficult for Bob to enlist Ruby’s +sympathy. Aside from this, Ruby was envious of Pixie’s beautiful fur +coat. It was so soft and warm. Pixie had no need to wear an overcoat +that made her look like a stuffed sausage when she went riding. And she +didn’t snore when she slept. The pug at once became Bob’s ally. + +The other one in the group was a little French poodle who was fond of +Pixie, because, notwithstanding that one was of German descent and +the other of French, they got along nicely together. Though unlike in +color, they had many traits in common. Both had ancestors who were +valiant and courageous. Having this beautiful French poodle, whose name +was Petite, to champion her cause was favorable for Pixie, had she +known about it; but Pixie was blissfully unaware of the controversy. + +Petite’s and Pixie’s mistresses were old friends, and both dogs had +heard complimentary remarks about each other, so Bob could not count +on the French poodle’s sympathy. She was decidedly for Pixie. Nothing +could be settled with the weight of opinion so unequally balanced. + +Bob’s pride had had a jolt, and the matter must be adjusted. He would +take the case to his father to decide. The elder Airedale was one of +those large boned, solemn looking dogs that always look as if they were +thinking deeply on some subject of importance. At the same time, there +is a comical twist to their countenances that harks back to some trait +in their Irish ancestry. Because of these characteristics, and the fact +that his owner was on the bench, this old Airedale was called Judge. + +[Illustration: Judge Was Always Being Called Upon to Decide] + +Besides being Bob’s father, Judge was also a sort of father confessor +to all the dogs in the neighborhood. He was always being called upon to +decide the rights of the case in the squabbles of the dogs. Was there +a scrap over a bone, or had some of the dogs mistreated a cat that +was unable to defend itself, Judge would administer a cuffing to the +offenders. Even his own son was granted no mercy when he was brought +into court for some disturbance he had caused, but was given a good +cuffing if Judge found him guilty. + + + + +JUDGE AIREDALE + + +With some misgivings, therefore, Bob approached his father on this +subject. He decided he would wait until he was sure his dad was in a +happy mood. After the noonday meal, when they were both comfortably +full, and Judge had had his nap, was the most likely time. Then, +cautiously, Bob broached the matter of his wounded pride. Having no +mother to smooth the way for him, Bob was at the mercy of his father’s +candor. Judge, realizing this fact, became interested in learning about +the case. + +He inquired as to how many families were acquainted with the story, +and how much had really been said about the personal appearance of +his offspring. This was a delicate subject, as there was a strong +resemblance between father and son. Just how far into the family +records had Pixie delved? Of course, no one in this neighborhood +knew of the family skeleton. That was safe. Bob was very brief about +his part in the encounter. He mentioned nothing about his terrible +bow-wows, which had so frightened the pert Pom that she had turned pale +under her heavy coat. + +Judge, rubbing his chin with his ponderous paw, said, “I will take +up the case, but I will defer a decision until more evidence can be +procured. Meantime I will investigate.” + +In the interval each of the dogs that knew about the affair related +it to every other dog they met. It was discussed not only in the best +families, but the garbage man’s dog heard of it, and he told it to the +laundress’s yellow mongrel, who met the milkman’s shepherd collie. As +the latter traveled around town, and was an excellent reporter, the +news spread and the story grew and grew, until the owners of the dogs +were also involved. When at last it came to their ears, they were +puzzled to know what it was all about. + +Judge, hearing about how the news of this little affair had grown until +it was called a scandal, decided he must act quickly to settle the +wagging of those busybodies’ tongues. He would hold a session and call +the whole neighborhood of dogs into court. The police dog was to summon +them. Each one that had a share in this matter, regardless of what was +his standing in society, must appear before him to be punished. + +It was an outrage that a dog of Judge’s high standing should be so +maligned, for at last the story had grown until it was unsavory, and a +great injustice had been done to the father of such a promising son. +Summoning the German police dog, Judge made a list of those who were +responsible for the wide spread of the story. Among these were Ruby, +the pug, Petite, the white French poodle, and those to whom they had +told the interesting bit of news. + +In their set was an English bulldog named Bill, who was a distant +relative on the terrier side of the Airedale family. Bill felt that it +would be disloyal not to support the Airedales in their contention, +especially as the matter had been laid before him by Ruby, who gave her +own version of it, adding as much local color as she could. + +Bill, in turn, told a friend, a Boston bull, and so it went. Among +their select set, everyone who repeated the tale added something to it. +It was left to dear little Petite, the fluffy French poodle, who always +wore white, to defend the little Pom. With tears in her eyes, Petite +told all her friends how that “impossible Airedale pup had insulted +her dear friend, Pixie.” She wept on the shoulder of a stately Russian +wolfhound, named Princess, who had been “over” only a short time, and +who was bewildered by Petite’s show of emotion. For some time indeed +Princess was unable to understand what it all meant. + +[Illustration: Petite and Princess] + +Expressing her indignation in a dignified and charming way at the +effrontery of the Airedale, the Princess promised to call on the little +Pom and extend her sympathy. She passed the sad news on to a water +spaniel, who just then emerged from the drinking fountain basin, where +he had been taking a bath. Although he shook the water from his wet +coat all over her, which at another time would have been good cause for +a show of temper, even from a lady dog of noble birth, she passed it by +unnoticed, so eager was she to enlist all her friends in Pixie’s cause. + +On up the street these two went to where lived two squatty little +dachshunds, whose ancestors, like Pixie’s, were real warriors. It was +said of them that they attacked badgers, an action requiring great +courage. They too had a friendly feeling for Pixie; and then the +Princess was so sweet in her manner and so eager to clear her little +friend’s name of any suspicion, they could not resist her, even though +they saw that the chances of the Airedale were growing slim, and that +it was scarcely fair for all of his friends to turn against him. + +It was through these little, sociable dachshunds that the story spread +to the other element of society in dogdom. The garbage man’s dog, Gyp, +who always accompanied his master on his collection trips, was a good +watchdog. He was watching the empty cans while his master stopped +to chat with the laundress. He had his hands full with the dogs who +pestered him for a chance at the tidbits left in the cans. Finally, +Gyp, being of a practical turn of mind, began bartering with the +dogs for an exchange, just as boys do. The dachshunds had something +desirable in this story they had heard, and promised they would give +the details as an after-dinner speech, if they could come to terms, +which they did. + +While they were delivering the purchase price of their lunch, the +laundress’s yellow mongrel listened in. Gyp was emphatically against +the Airedale. Once Gyp had fallen into the hands of the law, and had +almost been taken to the dog pound, so he was bitter against law, and +everyone connected with it. This, of course, included the Judge. + +[Illustration: Gyp and the Dachshunds] + +Such was not the feeling of the little yellow mongrel, who was of no +particular breed. He was just plain dog, and did not mind it one bit if +he was. His mistress gave the Judge two days of her time every week, +and he knew the Airedale quite well. The Judge’s folks had been kind +to him, giving him many meaty bones after dinner. Sometimes the boys +played with him, too, in the back yard, where it was nice and private. +The fence was so high no one could see them. For all of this, he was +most grateful, and intended to stand by the Judge. He was not going to +say anything about it to anyone, except the milkman’s dog, and he must +promise not to repeat the story. Anyway, he lived away on the other +side of town, where they would probably not be interested. + +This is how this contention, which, in its beginning was just a +misunderstanding between two inoffensive dogs, grew until friendly +relations were strained to the breaking point. + +Having arranged for a hearing on a certain evening, when all the dogs +were again in the park, Judge impaneled a jury. Then, upon examining +the jury, he found that not one of the members was fit to serve, as all +had gossiped about the case. There were not “twelve good dogs and true” +to be found in the town. + +Because of this state of affairs, some other plan must be followed. +Judge decided that he would punish all of the worst offenders. The +principals, which meant Pixie and Bob, he would talk to privately. +Pixie no doubt by this time was very sorry and ready to apologize to +Bob. + +The gossips he would attend to first. Since they were so eager to tell +stories about other dogs, he would require each of them to come, one at +a time, and tell him a true story of some brave or clever happening of +which they had heard. Perhaps there were family traditions that were +worth repeating, as in the case of Pixie and the dachshunds. It would +be a good way to train their minds, and to teach them to look for the +good and to ignore the bad in all dogs. Besides, it would keep them +busy. As their outings were limited to about two hours each day, it +would be possible for them to hear no more than one long, or, possibly, +several short stories each time. + +The police dog, being next in importance to the Judge, was required +to begin this series of punishment. The Judge, after the class in +story-telling had paid the penalty and the law was satisfied, was +to tell a very interesting story himself--one containing much human +interest and moral advice. + +Although he was somewhat vain and pompous, the Judge was at heart a +good dog. He desired to raise the standard of morals in dogdom, and +knew that the only way to do that was to fill the empty heads of the +dogs with something besides gossip. A research story-telling campaign +he hoped would prove the first step toward reform. + +A program was arranged. Each one was, in his or her turn, to tell +whatever story he or she knew on a given subject; or they could relate +anything of interest that had occurred in their own families. Detective +stories would be in the German police dog’s line. Also stories of +German country dogs. One very interesting story he knew about a large +Dane that could understand nothing but German. + +All the dogs were so interested, and so eager to begin, that they +ran around in circles. The court session having adjourned, the police +dog escorted them out of the park, and requested that all of them be +on time promptly the next evening. A happier group of dogs passed out +of the park entrance to go their different ways. No haughty airs were +assumed by the blue-bloods. All were interested in one theme, a common +interest--the paying of a court fine, which makes all kin. + +So used were the dogs in the beautiful homes on that exclusive +street to having everything done for them that they had become mere +puppets, and it required considerable effort for them to do any real +thinking. Most of them were foreign born and several had peculiar +habits, different from those of their American cousins. Although their +ancestors originally came from Europe, the latter had become true +Americans in every sense of the word, and were losing their love of +ease and indolence. + +Although the owners of these blue-blooded dogs had them registered and +pedigreed, and all that, what did they really know of their families? +It was by mere accident that Pixie heard that bit of history about her +great-great-grandmother. Her mistress never spoke of the little Pom’s +past, except to mention about the dog show in London and Pixie’s having +associated with the nobility. Now that Pixie knew about her people, she +was proud that she had such plucky forbears. + +The rest of the dogs, after hearing how Pixie felt about it, were +anxious to know something about their own family histories. This +story-telling campaign was going to afford them just the excuse they +wanted to get the desired information. Surely some members of their +breed had won honors for themselves somewhere or somehow. Just how +or where were they to hear of these things? Now the chance was to be +given, for every dog was to help every other dog with his story. If the +shepherd dog knew of a good story about a bull dog, he was to tell it; +but it must be such a story as the bull would be pleased to know. Then, +if the bull dog knew anything that would add to the happiness of the +shepherd, he in turn would make it known. + +Satisfied with this arrangement, the dogs went diligently to work +unearthing stories. + +It was early, and the Judge was on his bench under a tree at the far +corner of the park. It was a quiet place where the children, who +were playing in the sand piles or swinging, would not disturb them. +The Judge, not needing an attendant, was allowed to roam at will. +The others would have to wait to be brought, except, of course, the +middle-class dogs, who would presently come romping in. + +Had the respective owners of the dogs on the beautiful street been +aware of what was taking place, in all probability they would have +tried to buy the Judge off; but this one was not that kind of a judge. +His belonging to their set would not have influenced him in the least. +Back in his own family history were some sterling qualities, chief of +which was honesty, that had descended to this offspring, and these, as +well as other admirable traits, were manifest in all of his dealings. + +The dogs were assembled at last, even Pixie, who was seen trotting +along beside the Airedale pup. The police dog was keeping order and +seating the class. When the gavel, which was his left paw, fell, +everything was ready. + + + + +PETITE AND BOB TELL THEIR STORIES + + +PETITE’S STORY + +The white poodle told her story in a winsome way. One of her sisters +had attended the wedding of one of the nobility in France. The bride +was so fond of her little pet that she wanted the poodle with her on +this, the happiest day of her life. + +The tiny poodle was bathed and combed until she looked like a fluff of +cotton. Around her neck a pink ribbon was tied and arranged in a smart +bow between her ears. She behaved beautifully, never stepping on the +bride’s train, nor did she blush as the groom did. She made only one +little break. + +After the ceremony, when the groom kissed the bride, she let out one +little growl, which she could never refrain from doing when this +occurred. For her nice behavior, she was given a piece of the bride’s +cake to put under her pillow to sleep on. + +As she was a very smart poodle in many ways, she seemed to understand +everything that was said to her, and she answered one and all with +the tail language. This is the accepted lingo of such favored dogs, +especially as they have such fine, feathery tails, that show to +advantage when waved in a wig-wag message. + +When the poodle was asked if she wanted to go walking, she would hop +onto a chair, and look toward the place where her leash was kept and +wait for her mistress to put it on her neck. As soon as it was put on, +she would jump down from the chair, run to the door and wag her tail, +as if to say she was ready. + +On the street, she would walk along beside her mistress in a nice way, +never running on ahead nor pulling on the leash, as do some rude dogs. + +Petite was exceedingly proud because she belonged to such a fine breed +of dogs; she waved her beautiful tail in acknowledgment of the applause +which was given her. + + +BOB’S STORY + +Judge required even his own son to relate a story, in punishment for +his rudeness in barking that terrible bass solo at Pixie, which a well +mannered dog should not have done. The father had had Bob rehearse just +what he would say, to make certain that nothing in regard to the family +skeleton would be disclosed, although almost every family has some such +secret to guard. However, Judge thought it best to be on the safe side +in regard to theirs. + +Right now I will tell you what this great secret was, but it must +go no further. Some ancestor of Judge’s was killed for slaughtering +sheep. That was about the most disgraceful thing of which a dog +could be guilty--to be called a kill-sheep dog! Of course younger +generations had done honor to the Airedale name, and nobody would hold +them responsible for what had occurred in their family so long ago. +Still, they seldom mentioned it among themselves, and never, never, to +outsiders. + +[Illustration: The Comical Young Airedale Terrier] + +Bob was inclined to be boastful, and was more than anxious to square +himself with the little Pom. After asking his father many questions in +regard to their family history, he finally succeeded in ferreting out +some very interesting facts. + +The Airedale family are noted for their ability to look after their +own welfare, and as guards for children and for property liable to be +invaded by burglars. They are not beautiful, but what is of far more +value, they are useful. As they are partly Irish, they have a sense of +humor and do many comical things. + +As an instance of the cleverness and humor of the Airedale terrier, one +that was young liked to dig holes in his master’s front lawn. He had +been repeatedly punished for this naughtiness. Yet whenever he saw the +tracks of a ground mole, he would forget everything and start digging +until he had made another large hole. Then he would stop and look at +what he had done. Feeling guilty, he would run to the porch, where +there was a large door mat. This he would drag to the place and cover +the hole. Satisfied that his guilt was hidden, he would run off to play. + +Another of Bob’s stories was about a clever dog named King who took +care of a baby. + + +KING + +King and Junior, a baby boy, were devoted pals. When Junior was in +his pen on the lawn, King would take his place as guard and master +of ceremonies. While the baby was good, King would lie quietly by, +with one eye always on the child. If the baby got tired and fretted, +King would jump up, run around the pen and bark to attract Junior’s +attention, and would keep it up until the baby would smile. + +One day when Junior’s teeth were hurting, he was unusually fretful. +King did his stunts in vain. Seeing that he must try some other way to +comfort his pal, he stood in thought for a moment. Then he bounded off +down the street to a place where another family with children lived. +Presently he came dashing back with a woolly dog in his mouth, which he +dropped into Junior’s pen, much to the delight of the crying youngster. + +Bob also told another story about a dog who was fond of scrambled eggs. + + +SCRAMBLED EGGS + +Snappy was a small Irish terrier who was fond of scrambled eggs. As his +owners were obliged to buy their eggs at a good price, he did not get +one as often as he would have liked. So he would go to the back of the +lot and lie there until he heard a neighbor’s hen cackle. Immediately +he would crawl through a hole in the fence, and presently return with +an egg in his mouth. He would carry the egg to the kitchen, lay it +very carefully on the floor, and wait patiently by it until some one +had time to cook it for him. No objections were made, as the neighbor +thought this was so clever of him. + + + + +POLICE DOG STORIES + + +All were eager to hear what the German police dog would have to tell, +as they knew he must have been able to gather from his grandparents +some thrilling tales, because they went through the war and were at the +very center of activities. However, he was unable to get many of the +facts from them, as their experiences had been so painful that they had +come to America to recover and to forget about them. + +One member of the family, however, had been cited for bravery, and they +loved to sing the praises of poor old “Marne,” of whom they told the +story. All of the dogs wept upon hearing about this war hero. After +their eyes were dry, they asked for another story from the police dog. +This time it was a detective story, with old Tip as the hero. + +The police dog was a born story-teller, and his contact with so many +different kinds of dogs and men had given him a store of knowledge +far beyond his years. So he was applauded until he responded with a +narrative about one of his own country’s species, Fritz, who was German +through and through. + +After this story, the police dog, who had consumed all of the time at +this session, was excused and relieved of any more punishment. The +Judge was pleased with his conduct through it all. + + +MARNE, THE WAR HERO + +It is a long reach from the battlefields of France to the fashionable +dog show at a notable hotel in southern California, but one of the +veterans of the World War made it. With sad and solemn eyes, he viewed +the scene around him, reminding one of those old men who turn up from +retirement to march or to be driven in the parades at the reunions of +the Grand Army of the Republic, aged and worn, so far as looks go, but +with dear old souls washed white with deeds of bravery. + +Thus it was with our war hero, who, surrounded by yelping, barking +blue-bloods, was “sitting in” at the dog exhibit, not “listening in,” +for he was almost deaf from his injuries received on the battlefield. + +Marne was an ambulance dog who served with gallantry throughout the +recent war. He came through, and was accepted and decorated by the +French government for bravery, but for his glory he paid a dear price. +He had been gassed. This, as many who served in the war can testify, +takes something out of the very soul of a man. It had the same effect +on Marne, who at ten years of age was an old dog. + +He was lying silent and dignified among the other entries, but with an +accumulation of wisdom impossible to any of the pedigreed dogs about +him. + +When he was only three months old, this heroic dog was given to the +French government. After six months’ training, he was sent to the +battlefields to find the dead and wounded. From these trips into “No +Man’s Land,” he would come back with either a button or a stone on +his stretcher. A button meant a wounded man, and a stone bore mute +testimony of one having “gone west.” + +Both the British and the French are under obligations to faithful dogs +for service on the fields of battle. If these dear, brave dogs could +talk, what stories they would tell! + +Thanks to the gentle heart of a dear lady who appreciates real worth +and brave deeds above mere good breeding in a dog, Marne has been +given a pleasant home, and his wounds that have never healed are given +proper care. Though there is a far-away look in his eyes, and he has +the appearance of one who has known sorrow which he cannot forget, this +dear old comrade seems contented. + + +OLD TIP + +Tip was not much of a dog, so far as looks go--never had been, even +in his young doghood days. There was too much of just ordinary dog in +his ancestry. He was part hound, which gave him those floppy, big ears +and that long, lean body. His tail, which was not long enough for a +real, honest-to-goodness hound to have, was somewhat like that of his +grandmother, who was a mongrel with some shepherd blood. From this tail +Tip acquired his name, for on the end of it was a white tip. The rest +of his body was brown, shading into yellow, which, had he been of more +aristocratic lineage, would have been _golden brown_. + +Fate often picks just ordinary men in the lowly walks of life for +the laurels. Such was the case with Tip, who was no longer young, +and moreover was afflicted with rheumatism, caused by his having no +suitable place to sleep on cold, dark nights. He was chosen in his old +days to perform the crowning act of his life and to become a hero. + +The old corncrib with the leaky roof was Tip’s bedroom. He had only +one old grain sack to lie upon. On one of those cold, rainy nights +in November, it happened. It was just the time of year when every +farmer’s wife is counting on returns for her summer’s work, through the +marketing of her nice, fat poultry; and it was also the season when +poultry thieves thrive and are busy plying their unlawful business. + +Tip had only that evening helped his mistress round up every stray fowl +on the place, and she had shut them securely in the chicken house, to +be ready for the buyer who was due in the morning to purchase the fat +hens and turkeys. Tip had inspected the premises for the last time. +Then, considering it safe to do so, he had turned around twice, as is +the habit of all dogs, and laid down to sleep. + +After his first nap, he awoke. Did he hear or scent something? Not +yet really wide awake, he sat up, flapping back his big ears in order +to hear more clearly. Surely that sound was something worth giving +attention to. He would investigate. Stretching his long body to awaken +it fully, he looked out, and what he saw was a small light on the end +of something that looked, to him, like a stick. It was up against the +poultry house door. + +Now, as I told you, Tip was old and had gained wisdom with years. A +younger dog would have been more rash; but not Tip. He was cautious. +Slipping around the corner, he waited to see what would happen. Soon +he saw the door open and two men enter the poultry house. Now was his +chance for action. Bounding behind the door, he slammed it shut. As he +did so, the bolt slipped into place and, as the key, which had been +left in the keyhole, fell out at the same time, he had his prisoners +secure. Then he did some lusty barking. Such whoops of “bow-wow!” such +howls did he set up, that in a short time he had the family aroused. + +This action of his was the means of breaking up an organized band of +poultry thieves in that neighborhood; and this feat also earned poor +old Tip his laurels. + + + + +FRITZ, WHO KNEW ONLY GERMAN + +(_As Told in the Presence of the Police Dog by a Lady_) + + +Once when I was motoring through the middle states with my husband, who +had dealings with the farmers of that part of the country, we drew up +to the door of a German-American farmer, who, on seeing us, came out +to ask what was our business. As he did so, out bounded the biggest +piece of dog flesh I had ever seen. At first I thought it was a calf, +but when a huge mouth opened and let out a “bow-wow,” I saw it was an +immense Dane. On the dog came, ready, it seemed, to tear us to pieces; +but the farmer caught him by the collar and, talking to him in German, +led him back into the house. + +As it was a cold, wintry day, the farmer asked me to go inside where +it was warm. Wishing to do so, but still remembering that dog, I +hesitated. The man insisted, saying his wife would take care of me. I +went. + +These people, like many of their kind, live most of their cold weather +days in the kitchen, where they can cook and keep warm at the same +time. Their cookstove was an old fashioned wood one. The oven, when +not used for baking pies and bread, or thawing out the men’s feet, was +piled full of wood to dry for fuel; I learned that it was Fritz who +supplied the wood for the drying process. + +I entered and was invited by the wife to take a seat near the stove. +I did so, looking around to see where the Dane might be. I spied him +behind the stove, pretending to sleep. Soon the stove needed more wood. +The wife took some from the oven and replenished the fire. Fritz got +up, came around and looked inside the oven to see how much was left. +As he was quite near me at the time, I spoke to him and attempted to +pet him. The look he gave me was discouraging, but he turned to his +mistress, as though inquiring what was wanted of him. She spoke to him +in German. Turning around, he wagged his tail, and gave me a genuine +dog smile, before returning to his place behind the stove to finish his +nap. + +[Illustration: Fritz Supplied the Wood for the Fire] + +Presently the two men came in. The farmer took more wood from the oven. +Fritz was watching the oven with evident concern; at last, when only a +few sticks were left, he ran to the door, and with his paw unlatched +and opened it. Soon he returned with a stick of wood in his jaws. He +laid it down by the stove, and repeated the process until the little +old oven was full again. This done, he went across to the cupboard, sat +down, and barked until he was served with a lunch. His owners explained +that they talked to him only in German, although they spoke very good +English; and they added that no amount of money would induce them to +part with him. + + +TED THE WATER SPANIEL + +Next on the docket was Ted, the water spaniel. When Ted was called to +jury duty, he gave his occupation as “mascot.” He had sailed the seas, +having gone on a cruise around the world on a big battleship. When not +on mascot duty, he was engaged in catching rats that infested the +ship’s hold. He was an excellent sailor and loved the water. The crew, +all of whom were fond of him, enjoyed teaching him many clever tricks. + +He was a good sport and would allow the men to throw him into the +water, which they did just for the fun of seeing him swim back to them. +Also, he was a most comical looking animal when he was wet. He would +dive for an egg in ten or twelve feet of water; and would pick a piece +of money from a pail of water. + +There was not a lazy bone in his body. He was always up to something. +It was a laughable sight to see him, with his long ears and topknot, +sitting up on his haunches to beg for what he wanted. When he was asked +what he would do for his country, he would salute the flag and play +dead. Many other interesting stunts he did to entertain the sailors and +the officers of the big ship. + +When the great guns boomed, he would hide and stay hidden until all the +smoke had cleared away, when he would come cautiously out from his +place of concealment, looking as if he were asking, “Is it all over?” + +[Illustration: Ted Performed Many Stunts to Entertain the Sailors] + +Of his ancestral history, he knew nothing whatever, as he was picked up +from the street in Liverpool by a sailor. Ever since he had followed +the sea; but now he was retired and living a quiet life. Though he +missed the companionship of the sailors and the wide ocean, he was +happy when he could be taken to the beaches. At other times, he bathed +in the fountains, which he was doing on the day when Princess met him. + +The next story, which he related, was one he had heard some one telling +his mistress. + + +BLOOD WILL TELL + +My friends lived on a farm, which was situated in that part of the +country where storms and floods were frequent. A stream, quite a small +river, in fact, divided their land, the house being on one side of the +stream and the pasture lands on the other. The connecting link was a +bridge over the stream. + +On one occasion, after a heavy storm, this stream was swollen beyond +its banks. It became a seething, rushing torrent, carrying the bridge +away, leaving no way, except to make a detour of five miles, by which +the cows could come from the pasture to the barn. A council was held, +and ways and means were discussed. The question was, how were they +to get those milkers across to the other side? Everyone had some +suggestion. Their little mongrel dog, within whose veins flowed a +strain of water spaniel, sat blinking his eyes, and holding his own +council. + +When the family had given up in despair and returned to the house, the +dog swam across to the pasture. He rounded up the herd and, driving +them before him, swam the stream again, keeping the cows ahead of him +until they were safe on the other side. Every day he repeated this +performance until the bridge was built. + +The water spaniel recollected another story about a dog named Prince. +This one he had heard a gentleman telling his owner. + + +PRINCE HELPS HIS MASTER TO GET A JOB + +The actions of this smart little dog show that dogs often display a +degree of reason. + +A young man was searching for a position. He was unsuccessful in +finding the one suited to his qualifications. He returned home, tired +and discouraged, and threw himself on a couch to rest. His small dog +Prince saw with an understanding eye that something was worrying his +master. He went off to his own corner in the lower part of the house, +where the telephone was located, but he did not go to sleep as did his +master. He had to think things over as to the cause of his master’s +troubles. + +Presently the telephone rang. Prince bounded upstairs, two steps at a +time, barking lustily all the way. He pulled at the young man’s coat +to awaken him, and told him as best he could to answer the phone. His +master did so, with the result that he learned that a good position +was open to him--a place of trust with a good firm--which he readily +accepted. + + + + +GYP, THE GARBAGE MAN’S DOG + + +Gyp, the garbage man’s dog, was next. He was somewhat sullen, having +seen life on its seamy side, and he was as full of experiences as an +egg is of meat. + +As has been previously related, he disliked all phases of the law, +and wasn’t enjoying this court scene very much. However, a few more +experiences would make little difference in his checkered life. + +When he gave his name and address, he was asked if he had ever been +in court before, to which he made the humiliating reply that he had, +though he was not to blame for it. As Judges in general do not care +to listen to excuses about the past, there was no chance for an +explanation. Because this was not his first offense, and because he +came from the lower ranks of life, although he had good blood; for he +was a shepherd dog, and shepherd dogs are related to the great collie +family, aristocrats in dogdom. But poor Gyp, being seen daily under the +garbage wagon, was looked upon as a suspicious character. + +Now Gyp was not deserving of this opinion from any one. He was as +honest and faithful as any of them. More temptation had been thrown in +his way, and he had been able to withstand it better than some weaker +ones. He would not lie, would not steal nor cheat. But he would fight. +And it was due to this failing that he had a story to tell. We will +leave it to you, dear reader, to decide if he was not justified at +least in this one case. + +Gyp said he hoped that all dogs were now taking this course in “higher +standards of living.” If they did, there might be no further occasion +for his having to use his implements of warfare. Nevertheless, he would +keep his teeth in good condition, and his claws well whetted. In fact, +he thought preparedness was the best policy for all dogs. They need not +actually fight, but just threaten to scrap if other dogs disregarded +their rights. + +His story was a thrilling one about mistaken identity, and the +innocent having to suffer for the sins of others. His master was his +idol. For him, Gyp would die if necessary. Neither he nor his master +had always been just what they were now, for both had seen better times. + +One dark night a crime was committed. Gyp’s master, though not guilty, +was caught in the meshes of the police dragnet instead of the real +culprit, and he was taken to jail to await trial for the crime some one +else had committed. + +When he failed to return in the morning, Gyp started out to find him. +Taking up the trail, he found it led to the jail. Of course he was not +allowed in the building, but he hung around, leaving only at night and +when he was hungry. At night he had to return home to keep watch over +the little boy and his mother. It was his job to take care of them, now +that his master was gone. + +Gyp had a double responsibility. The wife and little boy must be +protected, and he must be on hand at the jail should a need come for +him there. With all of this worry, he was growing very thin. Also +he did not have enough to eat, for not many luxuries in the way of +meat were brought into the little home now, and he was too busy just +watching, to hunt for stray bones and things like that. + +At last the day of the trial came, and his master was taken from the +jail across the courtyard to the room where the hearing was to be held. +That was Gyp’s opportunity. Following the crowd into the court room, +he slipped in before any one knew he was there. Waiting his chance, he +edged his way to where his master was and lay down at his feet. He was +hoping he would be allowed to stay right through to the end; but he +was disappointed, for hardly had he settled himself when some one took +hold of his collar and roughly dragged him out, giving him a kick. Just +who was the _dumb brute_ in this case? That was the last he saw of his +beloved master for some time. Do you wonder Gyp did not like courts and +trials? + +He returned home, for now he must devote his whole time to the family. +The little boy must be protected when he went to the corner grocery. +Gyp would not permit another dog to come near the child. It was at this +time that the dog’s fighting blood rose. He would go ahead of the boy +when he was crossing the street, and the kindly traffic officer, being +their friend, would hold back the crowd until they were over. + +One day, after having piloted his little charge safely home, Gyp took a +walk down the street past some fine houses where a small dog was lying +on a nice lawn. He saw a big hound dog come from another direction and +go up to the small dog, sniffing and mumbling a war-growl. Gyp stopped +to see what would happen. Presently something that gave offense to the +small dog passed between the two, and he set his teeth in the left hind +leg of the big dog. Then the trouble started. Seeing the small dog +was getting the worst of it, Gyp entered the fray, letting the little +fellow out of it, and he and the hound rolled over and over on those +fine flower beds. + +The ladies who lived in the house were screaming over the phone to +police headquarters. But in their nervousness they succeeded only +in making the chief believe some one was being killed. At once that +official dispatched the police wagon. It came, bringing along with the +police a newspaper reporter who wanted to get _first_ news for his +paper. All were disappointed. As the hound had sneaked off, Gyp was +left to bear the entire blame. The police summoned the dog catcher. + +The only protector of the little family around the corner was about to +be taken away, when who should appear but the friendly traffic officer, +who knew Gyp and came to his rescue. He testified to the dog’s good +character and vouched for his keeping the peace. After being patted +on the head and admonished by his friend “to be a good dog,” Gyp was +allowed to go back to his post of duty--watching the little family. + +Time dragged around to Christmas. Then the governor learned that a +mistake had been made in the case of Gyp’s master. The master was +released from prison and permitted to go home. + +It was a joyous holiday for them all. The judge who had tried the case, +desiring to make amends for the error, offered to help the good master +to get work in the city’s garbage disposal division. But the poor +fellow was so humiliated, and his health so broken, that he decided +to go to a warmer climate, where he could be out in the sunshine and +regain his strength. + +The judge, feeling that an injustice had been done the man, wrote to +the mayor of this southern town where Gyp and his master had gone. This +recommendation caused the master to be put on the pay roll, so the +faithful dog and his beloved owner were now partners in this business +of gathering the waste of the city. + +It was through those friendly little dachshunds that Gyp had become +involved in this mess. Now, however, there seemed to be a better +feeling established among all of them, and the story which Gyp told +them had the effect of enlisting their sympathy and admiration, so +that things looked brighter for him. + +Presently Gyp was not “only the garbage man’s dog.” He was counted a +real hero by the better class of dogs, and if they were free to follow +their own natural inclinations, they would be real friendly with him; +but there were their owners to contend with, and for their amusement, +they would, they supposed, have to go on suppressing their good +impulses. At any rate, all of them promised themselves that they would +speak to Gyp when no one was watching them. Yes, they would even go out +to the garbage wagon when they could, and they would not feel “uppish” +toward him any more. + + + + +THE LAUNDRESS’S DOG + + +The laundress’s dog was, as everyone said, just a yellow dog. But he +was one of those creatures whose “yellow” was all on the outside--there +were no yellow streaks under his skin. Being just plain dog has a +significance all its own, as, in order to be any kind of a dog, one +must have forefathers. It is highly probable that some of those +ancestors were worth while in the case of this dog, and had handed down +to their offspring some good traits. + +Mandy, the colored laundress, had found him one morning, when she was +on her way to work. He was a little fellow then, and he was cold and +hungry. They lived in the state of Texas where the cotton grows. No +doubt, the pup had started to follow some worker to the fields and +became lost. When Mandy coaxed him to follow her, he did not hesitate, +especially as her clothing was scented with breakfast bacon. + +Together they had lived ever since, with Sam, Mandy’s husband. Now, Sam +had ambitions above being always a cotton field hand. He had heard +there were better chances for colored people in the north. Tales of +wealth accumulated by chauffeurs and waiters with nice, fat tips, had +filtered through to the cotton field workers, and they were leaving as +fast as the price of a Ford car could be saved. Mandy helped by going +out as many days as she could spare from her home and church duties, as +she was a very devoted church worker. + +Buff, as Mandy called him, on account of his pale yellow color, had +fallen into a good home. With Sam’s ambitions and Mandy’s piety, things +ran smoothly in this home. + +Having purchased a car, they loaded into it everything it would hold, +and started north. Buff’s quarters were close, but he managed to be +comfortable. It was better any way than riding on the running board. +The chickens were riding there, while, on the other side, the family +goat was enthroned. Sam was a good provider and his family were never +in want of something to eat. + +Having at last become fairly settled in their new home, Mandy and +Buff would go out to work several days each week. One of the houses +where they worked was the Judge’s, so Buff was quite well known to the +Airedales. + +Buff’s story, while not dealing with his ancestors, was interesting. +He knew many stories about clever dogs, with whom he was acquainted, +and he had done some fine things himself; but, being a modest dog, and +having always been looked down upon in the south, where he came from, +he was known only as Sam’s and Mandy’s “yaller cur.” All of this was +depressing and made him self-conscious and bashful. + +The Judge, understanding how poor Buff felt, drew him out to talk +about himself. Buff, too, had his ambitions, it appeared. Always he +had desired to be a hunter. How he had longed to accompany Sam and his +neighbors on their coon hunting trips! But Sam would not permit it. +Buff was too small. It took husky dogs, like the hounds, with their +big, floppy ears. Buff must remain at home. + +Lying in front of the fire, he would stretch out, fall asleep and +dream. His body would tremble; the muscles of his legs would twitch; he +would prick up his ears, and go through all kinds of contortions. Then, +jumping up, he would run out of the house, and bark in answer to the +baying of the hounds, miles away. Back he would come and lie down, with +a satisfied look at Mandy, as much as to say, “We got him!” This was as +near as he ever came to having his ambition gratified. + +The Judge requested Buff to tell about the time little Simon Peter, who +lived next door to Sam and Mandy, fell in the water. So embarrassed was +Buff at having to face all these eager eyes and lolling tongues, that +he stood first on one foot, then on another. In his modesty, he made as +little as possible of the part he had taken in the affair. + +[Illustration: Simon Peter and Buff] + +Simon Peter was a little pickaninny, who would lay his woolly head on +the sleeping dog and take his afternoon nap. One day, Simon Peter’s +mammy was washing, as she too was a laundress, but of the home-loving +variety. The pickaninny loved wash day. He and Buff were left in the +kitchen, where the laundry work was done, while his mammy hung out the +clothes. It gave him an opportunity to get into lots of things which +otherwise would be forbidden. + +On this particular day, his mother had stopped to hold a bit of +conversation with Sister White, who lived at the back of their lot. +There were some matters concerning a church festival of which she must +know the particulars. + +In the house the little brown baby and the yellow dog were having a +happy time. With a dilapidated looking Teddy bear in his arms, Simon +Peter was investigating everything. Among other things which the +laundress had been using, was a candy pail. In it was some water. It +was clean water, for, when Simon Peter looked into it, he saw a baby +and a Teddy bear. Reaching for the bear, he lost his balance. + +Just then Buff, who was busy gnawing a bone, looked up and saw a pair +of chubby brown legs sticking up out of the pail. Sensing what had +happened, he climbed up on the side of the pail, and, adding his weight +to that of the baby, managed to tip the bucket over, and the pickaninny +crawled out. + +Buff then ran to where the two “sisters” were in the depth of a +discussion about church matters, and commenced jumping up and down, +and running back and forth to attract their attention. Sister White +took notice and inquired, “What’s the matter with that fool dog?” +Simon Peter’s mammy took the hint. Running to the house, she found her +little brown baby sitting in a puddle of water, and she saw that he was +dripping wet. + +This was such a good story the dogs wanted another from Buff, and he +promised that at the next session he would tell them about Whitey, +another mongrel of his acquaintance. So when the time came he told his +second story. + +[Illustration: Whitey and Her Mistress] + + + + +THE DEVOTION OF WHITEY + + +Whitey was only a mongrel, a cross between a spitz dog and an English +bull. + +We can imagine that Whitey had inherited from her gentle, affectionate +spitz mother, the devotion which this occasion brought into play. This +trait, coupled with the persistence and tenacity of her English bull +father, enabled her to enact the part she did. + +Whitey’s mistress, who was getting along in years, was alone in the +world, having only her faithful dog for company. So the two became +devoted to each other. When the little old lady went out on errands, +Whitey guarded her most carefully. + +One day the sun was very hot and the old lady seemed more unsteady than +usual. Whitey, looking at her mistress, noticed that she was very pale. +Then she saw her mistress sway and fall. The dog was frightened and +barked furiously. Seeing a policeman down the street, she ran barking +to him, and then back to her fainting mistress. + +Understanding what had occurred, the officer called an ambulance and +started with the little old lady to the hospital. Whitey, who was no +longer young herself, gathered herself together. She was not invited to +ride in the ambulance with her mistress. As a matter of fact, no one +noticed the anxious, woe-begone little mongrel. So there was nothing +for her to do but follow the ambulance. + +As it threaded its way in and out, shrieking and making ear-splitting, +frightful noises, Whitey followed. Dodging the traffic as best she +could, and dreadfully tired, she followed her mistress to she knew not +where. + +Arriving shortly after her mistress was carried into the hospital, +Whitey stood at the door, sniffing and barking. Finally she heard +some one coming out of that door. This was her chance. In she sprang, +nearly tripping up the big policeman, but getting in where her beloved +mistress was. Yelping joyously, she wagged her tail with satisfaction. +Her happiness was short-lived, however, for, in an instant a rough hand +had her by the back of the neck and yanked her out to the street. + +Then the English bull portion of Whitey manifested itself. Such +scratching and clawing as she did at that door! She begged, she +entreated to be admitted, until, finally, she was allowed to go in. +All afternoon, she lay on the foot of her mistress’s cot, looking her +sympathy and love, and hoping she would soon help to take the dear +mistress back to their home, where they would again be happy. And +indeed it was not long before this hope was fulfilled. + + + + +THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS + + +Princess, having been “over” only a short time, and being unaccustomed +to American ways, could tell only of her far-away Russia. + +Her story was so sad that all were glad it was not a long one. They +hoped that after she had been longer in our beautiful America, she +would be able to forget those dark days of her own country. They hoped +too that Russia, where these graceful hounds live, would see better +times, and that no more cruel wars would wreck her government. + +Princess was made acquainted with all the dogs in the park. Each in +turn gave her a welcoming sniff, and assured her they would try to make +it pleasant for her, so she would forget the tragedies of her native +land. + +She became a noted figure when led along the paths in the park. No one +could look at her without their minds reverting to that terrible war +and those helpless princesses of Russia, and the brave women who took +up arms against their enemies during the reign of terror. + +The story Princess told was one she had heard in England. When she was +a puppy, she was taken by an English sailor, who was returning home +from the far East. At the kennel where she was finally left, she looked +more like a young sheep than a dog. With her long legs, long tail, long +head, small ears, and soft, silky coat, she was entirely unlike such +dogs as Pixie or Ruby. + +At the English kennels, which belonged to some of the nobility, she +was well cared for. They were reluctant to part with her, but being in +straitened circumstances since the war, they needed all the money they +could get. So, when her present owners were traveling in that country +and offered a good price for her, she was allowed to come to America. +That was how it came about that she now was telling her story to a +group of American dogs. + +In discussing the merits of the wolfhounds to prospective buyers, the +keeper of the kennels would tell that Princess was related to the +beautiful Russian hounds belonging to the Czar. Often, he would say, +before the war, the lovely princesses were seen leading these graceful +white creatures through the park around the royal palace at Petrograd. +When the royal family was destroyed, these dogs were scattered to +the four corners of the earth, as they were sold or carried off by +marauding armies. The Princess was fortunate in falling into the hands +of the English, who are great lovers of dogs. She could never think +of her ancestors, and of how fond they must have been of those sweet +princesses, without deep emotion; but, as there were no princesses in +this country, she would try to forget. + + + + +THE MILKMAN’S DOG DAN + + +The milkman’s dog Dan was half and half, shepherd and collie, his +father being a full-blood shepherd, and his beautiful mother, whom he +did not remember, being Scotch collie. Shep, his father, lived all his +life--and he attained a ripe old age--on the place where he was born +and raised. + +Dan loved the dairy farm. The fresh, foaming milk that remained in +the straining pails was always his, and the cats had all they could +drink of it. Also there were lots of rats and rabbits to chase. In +fact, it was an ideal place for a dog of his tastes to live. He knew +all the cows by name. It was necessary only to tell him to bring up +the cows--“all but Bess and Jane,” and he would do it. Starting the +herd ahead, he would get in front of those two young heifers, and, +separating them from the rest, chase them back to the woods pasture +again. + +The trip into town to deliver the milk--how much fun he got out of +that! It was no hardship to be aroused from his comfortable, warm bed +in the straw, and to have the driver say, “Come on, old boy, we are +ready to start.” + +Dan would stretch himself, yawn, and indicate by this that he, too, was +ready. He would sit beside the driver, and off they would go through +the early dawn and the frosty air. + +Dan was always pleased when they delivered milk to houses where there +were little children, and at the hospitals where the patients were +waiting to have it for their breakfasts. At one house the driver would +leave a double portion, because there were twin boys there. Dan hoped +that some day he would get to see these little boys. Then one day +something happened that they were delayed. It was later than usual +when they were returning home, and, as they were passing by the house +where the twins lived, Dan had his wish, for there they were, sitting +on the lawn. Each had a bottle of milk, and they were drinking away as +contentedly as could be. + +How happy Dan was to think he had helped in this way to furnish food +for those adorable twins! + +They drove on down the street and passed the children’s hospital. +There, out in the sun, he caught a glimpse of wheeled chairs with +children in them. On stands beside many of them were glasses of milk, +perhaps from Dan’s dairy. (At least he felt a proprietary interest in +it.) Also at the school-lunch counters, he saw the children drinking +milk. Then he got to thinking, what if he did have to work rather hard +bringing up the cows and helping around the barn, wasn’t it worth +while? What would become of all these children if he didn’t work? + +The other dogs hoped he would keep on at his present occupation, as +most of them liked milk themselves. Especially were Pixie and Petite +anxious that there should always be milk for making the good things of +which they were fond. + +Few of them had ever seen the milkman’s dog before, as he made his +trips before it was their hour for rising. They were eager for him to +tell more about himself and his family, so he promised to tell the +story of his grandfather, Sandy, who had been a useful and faithful +member of dogdom. + +In the days of horse-drawn vehicles, some dogs had a foolish habit of +running in front of every horse they saw coming, and barking at their +heels. Of course, none of the dogs in this group knew anything about +this bad habit. It was before their day. Now, Sandy despised this +ill-mannered action, and would stop it every time he had a chance. The +young dogs on the place where he lived wouldn’t have dared to do it. He +had them trained. But some other dogs were not so well raised. Sitting +at the corner where two roads crossed, he would watch, and, whenever a +dog would start barking at a horse, he would go after the dog and give +him what he deserved. + + + + +THE WHIPPETS + + +One evening, while the story-telling class was in session, there came +into the park two men and two dogs. All looked tired and dusty, as if +they had come a long way afoot. + +The men threw themselves down on the grass to rest. The dogs, who were +different from the usual park types, were lean and graceful, clean-cut +racers. They were whippets, or, as some call them, “snap dogs.” + +They were indeed tired and had come a long distance to rest. After +taking a drink from the fountain, they too stretched out beside the +men to take a nap. But, being unable to sleep after the thrilling +experiences of the day, they started up and began investigating the +park and the people in it. First they visited the different groups and +watched the children at play. Then they wandered over to the corner +where the dog’s court was in session. + +The whippets had just come from a country fair, which was being held +in an adjoining county. There, besides the horse races and automobile +races, one of the attractions was a whippet race, in which they had +taken part. + +They approached the court corner, and stood at a respectful distance +until Ruby was through with a story she was telling about two little +Skyes. During the applause, the whippets drew nearer. In making +observations as to the size of the dogs assembled there, they noticed +that the Judge was a much larger dog than they were. Also there were +others there that would be more than a match for them should any +unpleasantness arise. They, however, could get away from the others, +with no danger of being overtaken, so swiftly could they run. + +As the Judge exhibited only the friendliest feelings toward them in his +welcome, they joined the circle. This, thought the Judge, is to be a +test of the sincerity of the desire of the dogs in the class “to live +and let live,” and he was much pleased with their behavior. The good +seed he was trying to sow was taking root, and they were losing some of +their selfishness. + +The story which Ruby had just finished was about two little Skyes, one +of whom was vain and jealous; so, if Ruby could realize how wrong it +was to permit such feelings to exist in one’s nature, it was a good +indication that the Judge’s plan was a good one, and they would all be +better dogs for it. + +The dogs all agreed to have the whippets with them during their stay +in the park. The Princess recognized in them distant cousins. She too +could do some sprinting when occasion called for it. + +The whippets, looking the crowd over, and scenting nothing to eat at +this picnic, concluded, if these other dogs could have such a gathering +in a park without eating, there must be something else very absorbing +about it to hold them; so they decided to remain. + +When they were asked how they came to be racing dogs, one of them, +who was less bashful than the other, told of their being trained when +they were puppies for this very thing. They were encouraged to play +tug-of-war--which all little pups love to do--and they were given a +strong piece of cloth, or a rubber shoe, and they would pull and pull. +This strengthened their muscles. Then a ball was thrown for them to run +for, and the one who returned with it was given something to eat. Then +two balls would be thrown and they would race after them. The one who +had to go the farthest was rewarded. As they grew larger, they were +taken on long hikes over the fields and country roads, where they would +chase rabbits or any game they could scare up. + +Later, they began racing with horses and bicycles, farther and farther +each time, until they could run two hundred yards, the handicap +distance. + +One sorry thing about being a whippet is that these dogs never get to +eat all they would like, as their weight must be kept down to fourteen +pounds, or they become too heavy to run. + +[Illustration: “They Would Chase Rabbits or Any Game They Could Scare +Up”] + +At the Fair it was advertised that the Whippet Brothers, famous racers, +were to run and had challenged two other equally swift dogs for the +race. A large purse was made up and the betting became lively. The +other two whippets were not brothers, and were unused to team work, +but, in every other respect, they were a match for the brothers, being +of the same weight and age, and having had the same training and all. + +The bout was set for the morning, before the horse racing started. The +crowd gathered around the grand stand, from where the dogs were to +start. Each dog had been groomed and sleeked and their feathery tails +were combed. All were clean-cut, snappy little dogs, ready for the +start. The crowd was roped off on each side of the track. Then, one, +two, three, the gong sounded, and they were off. Neck and neck they +went until halfway to the goal, when one of the odd dogs crossed to +the center of the track to get a better footing. This distracted his +running mate for one fatal second. His partner leaving him alone on the +off side of the road made this dog lose his grip on himself. He, too, +tried to change his position, but in doing so, he tripped and fell +head on. Gathering himself up, he came limping after the racing dogs. +Of course he lost out, but he was game to the end. The other three kept +pace, on and on, until within a foot of the goal, when the odd dog +shot across the line, amid the cheers and shouts of the onlookers. The +Whippet Brothers lost the race, but it made no difference to them that +their backers had lost money on them; they had done their best and had +played a clean game. + +Running back to where the lame dog was, they both licked his sore leg +and showed their sympathy. They were much better sports than their +masters, who grudgingly lost to the other men, and took their ill will +out on the dogs, kicking and abusing them, and, tired as they were, +bringing them the whole distance to this town. + +During the description of this race, the group of dogs became so +excited that it was all the police dog could do to prevent a small +riot. The dogs who had any racing instinct in them, like the Princess +and Gyp, could scarcely make their legs behave during the narration. +All were whining and yelping, and jumping up and down. It was useless +to think of their quieting down again, so they were dismissed. + +All clamored for more from the whippets, who, traveling as they did, +knew some very interesting stories; and they agreed, if their masters +remained in this place long enough, and if the kind-hearted dogs really +desired them to do so, they would tell the story of two setters and a +mastiff they knew about. + +The whippets did remain over for another day, and they were on hand for +the next session of the story-telling class. They were called on to +tell their story first. They said it was a sad one, and they thought +it was too bad that all dogs could not have the advantages of the good +training these dogs were getting. Also, if they could do anything +toward making the world better, they meant to try, always keeping their +motto in mind. + + + + +FIRE-FIGHTING DOGS + + +JESS THE FIRE COMPANY’S DOG + +Jess, who was the fire company’s dog, was anxious to get as many of the +dogs as he possibly could interested in joining the “Fire Brigade.” +Membership in this organization was open only to dogs who were brave +enough to risk their lives to protect life and property when these were +endangered by fire. + +Jess had been the first dog to join, having become a member by adoption +of the city “Protective League,” and a life member of the city Fire +Department. Jess had a good record in his home town for courage, and +this helped to establish him in this place, and at once he began +working for the interests of the Brigade. + +He read to the dogs a report of some of the cases he had found among +their fellow dogs, saying he felt encouraged that there would be no +difficulty in enrolling a large percentage of the dogs. + +Only that day he had heard of another case. A big retriever was often +left in charge of a large home when the family was absent. He was never +confined. He always had the range of the house. On this occasion the +folks left early, to be gone all day. Not long after their departure, +the neighbors heard the dog barking. Looking toward the house, they +saw smoke issuing from the roof. The alarm was turned in, and soon +everything was out of the house. + +But the dog refused to leave. Returning to the gutted house, he +stationed himself on guard until his master came home. The smoke and +the excitement, however, were too much for him. He survived the fire, +the falling timbers and the heat, but his lungs had become so inflamed +from the smoke that he died. + +“Such heroism,” said the Fire Brigade’s chief, “gets into our blood and +makes all of us want to do something great.” + +[Illustration: Bill Saves His Master] + +The only requirement, in order to become a member of this noble order, +was to report some act performed in prevention of fire or loss of +life. All of the dogs agreed to keep their eyes open for opportunities +to do something in this line. + + +BILL BECOMES A MEMBER + +The very next day the Boston bull had his chance. He belonged to a +young bachelor who lived alone, with only his faithful dog, Bill, for +company. Now Bill was a privileged character who had the run of the +place, and, during the day, had to receive all comers. His owner was +the best of masters, but he had one fault. He would smoke in bed, +lighting his pipe and reading until he fell asleep. Bill never approved +of this. He was always expecting something to happen, and himself slept +with one eye open as long as he could. Then, one night something did +happen. The lighted pipe fell out of the sleeping man’s mouth. Bill +smelled smoke, and jumped up just in time to pull the burning pillow +off the bed, thus saving his master’s life and home. + +Bill became a member of the Fire Brigade. + + +THE FIRE BRIGADE + +We hear many stories of dogs being the means of saving property and +lives in times of fire. They seem never to lose their heads, as it +were, but generally do the most sensible thing under the circumstances. + +Here are some instances of heroic efforts on the part of these little +benefactors, in recognition of which they are being enrolled in the +Fire Brigade. + +Lady, a German police dog, who will be the only member of our company +of her sex, is entitled to first place on the list. She put out a fire +all by herself in a most heroic manner. Left alone in the house, she +discovered a burning paper under a gasoline stove. Drawing the fire +to her, she tore the paper to bits, pawing it until the fire was out. +In so doing she burned her nose and paws severely. When her mistress +returned and sat down, the dog laid her head in the lap of her mistress +and whined most pitifully with pain. Needless to say, her injuries were +carefully anointed and bandaged. + +Another member of the fire brigade won his honors by alarming the +family when something from a shelf above fell down on the stove, +catching fire from the lighted pilot. He was alone in the kitchen when +it happened, and ran barking into the other part of the house, and then +back to the kitchen, until he succeeded in getting the family to follow +and put out the fire. + + +THE TRAMP DOG + +And here is what was once a tramp dog, but we know he was not a tramp +from choice. This dog did a good deed in return for a kindness shown +him, in observance of the Golden Rule, which we should all remember. + +This poor dog, who was alone in the world and desperately hungry, saw a +man come out of a butcher shop with a package of meat. Hunger had made +his sense of smell so keen that even at a respectful distance he knew +the stranger was a fair prospect. So the dog trotted along behind the +man until he reached his home. + +The dog, being a tramp, knew his place was at the back door; so he lay +there to wait until he should see some one come out to the garbage can, +which soon happened. This person not only gave him the remains of the +nice, juicy steak, but also spoke a kind word to him. Feeling that life +was, after all, worth living, the dog decided to spend the night with +these kindly people. During the night a fire broke out. The tramp, as +he was called, ran to the window of the room where the man slept, and +awakened him just in time to save his home. + +Needless to say, he was no longer a tramp dog. + + +SMALL BUT BRAVE + +A lady was making a call on a neighbor next door, leaving her husband +asleep on the bed, and her small dog to keep guard during her absence. +She felt that all was secure. However, she had hung some stockings over +the gas oven to dry, leaving the gas turned on. The oven became very +hot and set fire to the stockings, and the flames spread to the window +curtains. The dog, seeing what had happened, ran to the bed barking, +but failed to arouse his master. Then he caught the covers in his teeth +and pulled them off the sleeping man, who awoke just in time to save +their home from a bad fire. + + +DUKE + +A dog named Duke saved a large factory from being burned by giving the +alarm to the watchman. The man and the dog had just made the rounds and +had seen that everything was all right. Then, after the watchman had +punched the time clock, they left that part of the factory for another. +The dog, who was watching every move that his master made, returned +with him to the office from where they started. There they settled down +to take a nap, until the alarm clock would arouse them to make the next +round. + +The watchman, who was a sound sleeper, was soon snoring away, but not +so with Duke. He seemed nervous and alert to every sound. In a few +minutes he sprang up and barked loudly, waking his master, and ran to +the door in an excited manner. The watchman, on going outside, saw a +bright light at one corner of the factory. Running to this spot, he saw +two men hurriedly leaving, with the dog in pursuit. + +[Illustration: Duke Wins Honors] + +He turned in the fire alarm, and when he telephoned to the police +headquarters, what he heard in reply was, “Men taken. Holding your +dog for identification.” When Duke was reinstated at the factory, he +was given a new brass-mounted collar. He was also given a pension for +life for having performed this noble deed. This fine fellow is doubly +welcome in the Fire Brigade. + + +JESS + +In one of the smaller cities is a fire company that has a tawny-colored +Irish setter named Jess, who is a great favorite with all of the men. +Jess knows all the “ins and outs” of the fire-fighting business, and is +as helpful as it is possible for him to be. When there is no call for +action, he lies contentedly in the sun waiting for the summons to duty. + +When an alarm is sent in, Jess is the first to respond. He runs first +to one and then to another of the men, spurring them on to action and +haste. Then he jumps into the chief’s car and seems to love to go +tearing through the streets, having the right of way over everything. +The ear-splitting screech of the siren is music to him. Arriving at the +fire, he takes a position affording the best view, and where he will +be the least hindrance to the firemen. He takes an intense interest in +every move that is made. + +Once he entered a burning building. Going in by the back door, he ran +up the stairs in that part of the building and aroused a man who was +asleep, thereby saving his life. It was for this that Jess became a +life member of that fire company; he was serving without pay, just for +the love of being useful. After a fire is put out, he rides home in +triumph on the fire engine, wearing a fireman’s hat. Jess will be an +honorary member of our “Fire Brigade” if everybody is willing. + + + + +THE JUDGE’S STORY + + +When the other dogs had finished with their stories, and the Judge was +satisfied that they had done their best, he thanked them, and said he +would now tell them some stories. First he would go back to his own +family history, of which Bob was not able to tell a great deal, as he +was young and not expected to take much interest in such things. + +“The Airedales are a very old and famous family of dogs,” proceeded +the Judge. “The name is romantic, having originated from a river in +Yorkshire, England, the River Aire. It is something to be proud of, +to have a name suggested by a river; and then, to have a dale, which +means a valley, attached to it. I close my eyes,” said the Judge, “and +imagine I can see that beautiful green valley, with the river winding +through it, and my ancestors living so peacefully there, enjoying a +free and easy life, chasing rabbits and rascally badgers, with which +the hills are infested. + +“It is said of the Airedales that they were good swimmers, and how they +must have enjoyed a plunge in the River Aire on a warm day. They were +trusty, too. Baby could be left in their care with safety. So many good +qualities are seldom found in just one breed of dogs. + +“While they were not noted for their beauty, nor for the sweetness +of their voices, their many other good traits make amends for that. +Beauty, after all, is only skin deep, and if there are no virtues below +the surface to give it luster, it is not even skin deep. Whatever +beauty the Airedale dog can lay claim to, is brought out by his inborn +cleverness. Good deeds and good behavior have resulted in making a +really homely dog into a world-wide favorite.” + +While the Judge was making this modest claim for his clan, little Pixie +hung her head and blushed with embarrassment to think that she had ever +been ashamed to play with Bob, because of his personal appearance. +She then and there resolved to be more courteous to both Bob and his +father, of whom she was becoming very fond, thinking him a wise judge +and a good counsellor for all dogs. + +The Judge went on to say that it was recorded that one of his ancestors +had won the first prize at a great dog show. The people of the country +where this happened acclaimed him “King of the ring and King of the +country.” Because of the fine qualities of the Airedales, he added, one +of their number once became a member of the animal family at the White +House, and was a favorite of the President of the United States and his +lovely wife. + +“Were medals to be issued to dogs for bravery in saving lives, the +Airedale family would have many souvenirs to hand down to their +children. A noted musician tells of his dog, Buster, having saved his +wife’s life not only once, but five times. + +“The almost human instinct of this tribe was manifested when one city +was holding its election. One of the amendments to be voted on was the +curtailing of the liberty of all dogs. To run at large, they must be +muzzled, or they must be leashed when on the streets. Of course, all +dog lovers were opposed to this measure. The dogs themselves, having +heard so much discussion on the subject, seemed to sense that something +was going to be done which concerned them. + +“Such remarks as these were addressed to one Airedale, whose name was +Jerry: + +“‘Jerry, old pal, they are talking of interfering with your personal +liberty, and not allowing you the run of the town, without a string +tied to you. Now you must not think we are going to stand for any +nonsense such as that. We will go down to the polls, Mother and all of +us, and we’ll put this thing over strong, and show those dog haters a +thing or two.’ + +“Jerry would look interested and try to wag his stiff tail, as much as +to say he would like to do his bit to help. He had no vote, although +there were some who had, who in his opinion were not deserving of it. +One man he knew of hated dogs, and when he had something in him--Jerry +did not know what--he was abusive to his dog--and also to the little +boy who loved the dog. Yet that man was one of those who wanted all the +dogs killed or tied up, and would vote for that cruel measure. + +“Jerry slept over the matter, and when morning came, bright and early, +he was at the polls. Taking up a position under the table where the +workers were, he lay down, to see that everything was properly carried +through. There he stayed until it was almost certain the dogs were +going to win, when he left, satisfied that he was no longer needed.” + +The Judge told the dogs they were all very fortunate to be living in +this wonderful country, “where we are loved and well cared for, as +there are many places where dogs are despised and mistreated, and even +left to run wild, becoming scavengers, just because they are half +starved. They fight and quarrel among themselves, and make the nights +hideous with their howling. To be unloved and have no friends would be +cause enough for howling. + +“Then there are the Eskimo dogs. They too have a hard life, as they +have to draw the sledges and do the work that horses and automobiles +perform in this country. They are harnessed together with leather +straps made from reindeer skin. There is also a long whip, made of +thongs of the same leather, the lash of which is chewed by the women to +make it pliable. Then it is braided to make the handle. This is lashed +over the dogs’ backs to make them draw harder and go faster.” + +“How terrible!” barked all of the dogs, shrugging their shoulders in +pity. + +“Probably their masters love these dogs, but this seems a strange +way to show it. The people of that country are dependent on these +faithful dogs, as they are the only means of transportation. They have +no horses, no automobiles, and no airships--nothing but their dogs, +so their very existence depends on these brave animals. We, with our +loving masters and mistresses, can scarcely realize how differently +these other dogs have to live. And how much they must miss being loved +as we are!” + +So much sympathy was expressed for the other kind of dog life that the +Judge felt gratified to see that these getting-together parties the +dogs were having were creating a good effect. + +Even little Ruby, who seldom thought of anyone but herself, unless it +was to envy some one, was becoming less selfish. “Oh, the poor things!” +she exclaimed, licking her white forepaws while she was saying it. She +gave those paws particular attention, and the habit was so strong with +her that, perhaps, it didn’t lessen her sincerity. + +The Judge told them he thought that, as not many of them ever had a +chance to travel, he would tell them a story about one dog who was a +great traveler, and also a very clever fellow. This dog was a setter +and his name was Jack. + + + + +JACK THE TRAVELER + + +Mr. Wheeler’s home was broken up, for Mrs. Wheeler had passed away, +leaving no one but her husband, as there were no children. + +Mr. Wheeler was alone but not lonely, for he still had Jack, his +faithful setter; and there was a cat, but she had been Mrs. Wheeler’s +pet. + +His dog Jack was a good hunting dog, and hunting was his master’s +favorite sport. So they two, having similar tastes, were on intimate +terms, and at all times were quite congenial. + +After disposing of his little shop, Mr. Wheeler decided he would follow +the trail to California. He purchased a Ford with money from the sale +of his small stock of merchandise; he rented his home and, leaving the +cat with the Widow Higgins, who lived next door, was ready to pack for +the trip. His gun was cleaned, and his camping outfit made ready. All +necessary equipment for an extended trip was gathered up, and a supply +of provisions laid in. + +How eager Jack was about all these preparations! He felt very +important, too, having been given to understand that he was a partner +in this enterprise. + +Jack, being a pointer and setter, as most hunting dogs are, would _set_ +in the evening, after the day’s work was done, with his nose pointed +toward the setting sun, while he dreamed of the great times they would +have when they did finally get started. + +The cat was on hand and wanted to go along, it seemed. But Jack saw to +it that she was left behind. He chased her up a tree and barked good-by +to her. + +Dogs of this kind, although loyal friends, are of one-track minds. In +Jack’s mind was just one idea, and that was to be in the game with his +master. He had no regrets at leaving the old home where he was born and +raised. The master was all that counted. Home to him meant only to be +able to eat out of his master’s hand and to lie at his master’s feet. +That the dogs he was used to playing with would miss him, affected him +not in the least. + +Finally, Jack was perched on the seat beside Mr. Wheeler; the gun +was handy; they were ready to go. Giving everything a final looking +over, they started on their trek across the intervening states to +California--gun, dog, man and pipe, all essential to each other’s +happiness. + +It was about the first of October, the most delightful time to travel. +The days were ideal. The trees were in their most gorgeous fall +colorings, yellows deepening into rich browns and tans, vivid scarlets +softened to maroons; greens of every shade--one glorious riot of color. + +The master’s eyes took in these autumnal glories, but most of the time +they were fixed straight ahead on the road, to make sure of good going. +As for Jack, what did he care for nature’s color scheme? The color of a +chipmunk or a jack rabbit meant much more to him. + +There were also many other things of interest to look at. Of course +the dogs were the chief attraction. Jack had not known there were so +many kinds. He saw big dogs and little dogs of every description; and, +wonder of wonders, one small dog was actually being carried along the +street in a lady’s arms! Another was all dressed up, with some kind of +a coat on, and a brass collar. Poor things, to be so hampered! + +In one town, he saw a little fluffy white thing coming down the street, +with a ribbon bow on top of its head, just like the little Higgins girl +wore. A dog dressed up like a girl! Could anything be worse? He tried +to pat himself on the back, so glad was he that he was just a common +dog. + +School was out for the noon recess as they passed a large school +building, and Jack was astonished at seeing so many children. He didn’t +care particularly for children, not having been raised with them. He +liked to romp with the little Higgins boys once in a while, when there +was nothing more interesting, such as a hunting trip, on hand. Those +boys were good sports, who could throw a ball just about right for him +to see it stop, so he could get it easily and take it back to them. But +this noisy, scrapping crowd--they might be all right, but he was glad +there were none of them in his family. + +Now they were leaving the town and, driving up under some trees, +they stopped for lunch. Eating lunch in the car with his master +was a privilege. Not many dogs enjoyed one like it, but his was an +exceptional master. + +Once more they were on their way, and there would be no more stops +until camping time. He might as well turn around a couple of times, lie +down, and go to sleep. After this nap, he felt refreshed and more alert +to passing objects. So many automobiles, where were they all coming +from, and where were those others all going? Big cars and little cars, +of every make and description, all seemed to want to get there first. + +How glad Jack was that his master was in no hurry! In fact, Mr. +Wheeler never was known to be in a hurry about anything. This jogging +along just suited Jack, too, and gave him time to make observations +that would be impossible if they were tearing along. In every way his +master was a comfortable person to live with; he would always stick to +this good master. + +Some of the other cars had dogs in them, and some were loaded with +children. One fact that impressed Jack was that the larger, more +comfortable, and apparently softer cushioned cars contained the +smallest dogs, while the poor old flivvers, with the floppy curtains +and wheezy engines, seemed to carry all the tired looking women and +children. Also, if a faithful dog were brought along, he was compelled +to ride in the most uncomfortable position on the running board, +getting dust in his eyes and cramps in his legs. + +While Jack pitied these poor unfortunate fellows, he was thankful that +such was not his fate. + +There was one large car that fairly dazzled his eyes with its shining, +silver mountings. A negro was driving, and, as the car passed, Jack +noticed that the only person in it was a very fat lady. On a silk +pillow beside her was a mite of a dog, no larger than a skinned rat +would be, but it was covered with a bushy coat of soft, silky hair, +and looked like an over-grown, woolly worm. Jack was fond of teasing +woolly worms, and that was why he thought of the comparison. + +They were now approaching a long stretch of open country, and getting +further away from familiar scenes. The cornfields, with corn in shocks, +and yellow pumpkins strewn over the ground, bordered both sides of +the road. Jack rabbits, quail and chipmunks were scampering in all +directions, stirring Jack to a quiver of excitement. Wouldn’t his +master stop and take a shot at them? + +Then, just in front of them, sitting in the middle of the road, with +its back to the oncoming car, he spied a fine specimen of a jack +rabbit. Stopping the car, Mr. Wheeler cautiously took aim, and up in +the air went the cottontail. With a bounce, Jack was there to catch it +as it came back to earth, and he brought it to the car. Now, they would +have fresh meat for supper, and how hungry he was! + +They established their camp in a byroad. While the tent was being +pitched, Jack was as helpful as he could be, lying on the loose ends +of the canvas to keep the wind from blowing it away; at least, that +was his idea of it. To be sure, his master said he was in the way, but +masters are sometimes mistaken. Everything being set, and the rabbit +browning nicely on the little camp stove, the smell made Jack’s mouth +water with anticipation. + +Then, what should drive up but a rickety old flivver, with a tired +looking, thin lady, and a number of hungry children along with a +cramped-up dog! They were a sorry lot from “York State,” bound for the +“land of sunshine,” where the thin lady, who was really ill, hoped to +regain her health. Jack was wishing they had hastened along. + +Mr. Wheeler, being a kind-hearted man, welcomed the newcomers. As there +were little children, and the mother looked so ill, his ready sympathy +was aroused and he asked them to join him at his meal; and he was glad +that he had something nourishing to offer them, in the way of coffee +and rabbit, with plenty of bread and gravy for the little ones. It made +him happy to see these hungry travelers eat until they were satisfied. + +Jack did not enter with his master into the spirit of this benevolence. +Instead he grew sulky, as nothing had been left for him but a few well +picked bones. Feeling that Fate had played him an unkind trick, he +felt revengeful, and that he must have satisfaction from some source. +So he proceeded to take it out on the stiff-jointed dog. Going to the +side of the car where the poor fellow was lying, Jack began sniffling +contemptuously. All of his virtuous feelings concerning this crowd were +gone. The other dog assumed an indifferent air, which only aggravated +Jack more. + +He began snapping at his victim’s heels, and that started it; the fight +was on, which showed there was some spunk left in the other dog, even +if he did not look the part. Over and over they rolled, snapping and +snarling, and biting at one another. Jack, being the larger, seemed +to be gaining on the under dog, when the blood of his adversary, who +was part bull, began to boil, and grasping Jack by the neck, he held on +with a death grip. At this turn of the battle, the owners of the two +dogs came running up. They brought with them pails of water, sticks, +and everything at hand that could be used to separate the fighting +canines. Each began by beating the other’s dog, protesting that if one +must be killed, it must not be theirs. + +The lady brought an umbrella and helped, notwithstanding her weakened +condition. Forcing the umbrella between her dog’s jaws, she managed to +loosen his hold on Jack’s throat, by spreading it enough to break his +grip. Jack then, feeling that the victory was his, retreated to have +his wounds dressed. + +This little unpleasantness was a dampener on the newly formed +friendship between Mr. Wheeler and his guests. He felt that no longer +did he wish to continue the acquaintance of these people, so he asked +them to move on. They refused, and so he decided to break camp. + +[Illustration: “The Fight Was On”] + +Mr. Wheeler made ready to continue on his trip. By this time the +moon had risen, and, as there was less traffic than during the day, +he decided he would drive on, as he would really make better time by +doing so. He felt depressed by the circumstances that had forced an +unpleasant ending to a perfect day; but he had learned a lesson from +these events that would prove valuable on the rest of the journey. + +Jack was trying to sleep on the back seat cushion. His back was sore; +his pride was hurt, and, if that dog on the running board had been any +stiffer than he felt, he hoped to know it. + +The night driving was pleasant. The roads were smooth, and only +occasionally Mr. Wheeler had to pull out for a passing car. Soon his +spirits rose and, as they went on through the villages, he noticed the +lights were cheerful. At some places there was music and dancing, and +the ring of merry laughter filled the air. + +It was after midnight when our travelers drove into a sheltering clump +of scrubby oaks to spend the rest of the night. Mr. Wheeler, rousing +Jack from off the back seat, curled up there himself and went to sleep. +By morning, Jack was feeling better. Being in good health, he soon +recovered from his skirmish with the strange dog. His throat was still +sore, and the skin was torn, but it was healing nicely, and so was his +pride. + +The next night was uneventful, so they rested and were refreshed. They +pushed on toward town for breakfast. Jack was allowed to eat on the +back porch of the restaurant, after which he hopped into the front seat +beside his master, ready for more observations. + +They were now going through the prairie country, and they saw prairie +dogs sitting on their haunches, looking like sentinels beside their +homes. Jack would have liked a chance at one of them, to give it a +good shake, but his wounds would not allow him to attempt it. Two jack +rabbits were shot. Even in this sport, he was not feeling “peppy” +enough to take part, although by supper time he was sufficiently +recovered to enjoy his share of the good cheer. This time he got real +meat. The bones were left, not even buried, which showed he was not +really himself yet. + +By the time the city of Denver was reached, Jack was fully recovered +and very alert. Mr. Wheeler ran the car into a garage for repairs, and +they started out to see the sights while waiting. As they were near +the Capitol building, Mr. Wheeler thought he would like to go to the +top, as all tourists do. Of course, Jack was not allowed to accompany +him. An officer gave Jack permission to lie on the lawn and watch the +squirrels at play. + +Though he did not feel quite right about going without his dog, Mr. +Wheeler began the ascent. When he reached the topmost balcony, he +looked down to where he had left Jack. Imagine his horror at seeing the +dog chasing one of the squirrels up a tree and barking his lustiest +at it. He also saw an officer running toward Jack, and then beating +him with a club until the dog howled louder and louder. Mr. Wheeler +descended as fast as he could, which, on account of the narrowness of +the steps, it was hard to do; and he found that the dog catcher had +been called to take Jack to the pound. Nothing would do but that Mr. +Wheeler must go along and settle with the chief. + +Jack was loaded into a cage with a lot of other dogs. They were all +snarling and snapping, but at heart they were very good dogs, who had +been guilty only of some thoughtlessness, or some small fault perhaps +that they did not know was wrong. Poor Jack! + +The waiting room at the chief’s office was filled with irate men and +women who had come to claim their various pets. All were sure a great +injustice had been done; a great mistake had been made in taking up +_their_ dogs. + +Time dragged along for poor Jack. He thought he had been having trouble +enough, since he had started on this pleasure trip, without this; and +it all came about just because he was following a natural impulse, +something for which he was in no way responsible. What a nuisance their +old laws were, anyway! + +Finally the room cleared, and Mr. Wheeler had a chance to present his +case, and get Jack released. How glad Jack was that his beloved master +had been watching, and was able to go with him and help him out of his +predicament! + +The next problem was how to get to the car, as the pound was in the +outskirts of the city, and Jack would not be permitted to ride on the +street car. Also it was much too far to walk. Something must be done +quickly, for it was getting late. Beside the dog pound was a settlement +of a certain class of merchants of the street, venders of old clothes, +rags and old iron, necessary commodities of a sort, and there the +horse-drawn vehicle was the mode of transportation. + +While Mr. Wheeler was debating in his mind what to do, along came one +of these merchants driving a half-starved horse. Noticing the look of +perplexity on Mr. Wheeler’s face, he inquired, “What’s the trouble, +Boss?” Then a bright idea entered Mr. Wheeler’s head. He told the +man of his desire to get to another part of the city, but that he +had no way to do so, and he wondered if it would be possible for the +merchant to take them. The merchant, having had a rather bad day in his +business, consented, thinking that here would be a way to make accounts +balance. They did some quibbling over the charges, which Mr. Wheeler +thought very “steep,” for he was asked to pay two fares for both of +them. As he could not very well help himself, he agreed to the price, +and they started. Thus they returned to their lodging. + +Next morning, after both had enjoyed a good breakfast, they set out on +the last lap of their journey. Following the old Santa Fe trail, they +found the country they were passing through very interesting. Jack kept +his eyes open and his ears pricked up. + +He was attracted by the Indian Villages, where dogs were numerous and +all seemed to be living happy-go-lucky lives. Really they looked too +lazy to come in out of the rain, if it ever should rain, which it +didn’t; therefore they were deprived of even this exercise. + +For a long stretch nothing much occurred to interest them. + +By noon they were nearing another town, a Mexican settlement. More lazy +dogs were seen lying under any shelter that afforded shade from the +blistering sun. Jack wondered what these dogs lived on. They looked +well fed, for Mexican dogs, that never get fat. Seeing strings of +something red hanging on fences and from nails driven into the houses, +he wondered if it was meat. If so, where did they get it? If only his +master would stop long enough, he would have liked to sample some of +this drying beef. But Mr. Wheeler was getting very tired, having all +the driving to do, and was anxious to get to his journey’s end. He +would welcome the sight of the green pepper trees he had heard so much +about. He was planning on stopping for a long rest at the first tourist +camp they came to, and so he did as little stopping on the way as +possible. + +At last our travelers reached the land of sunshine and flowers. They +were tired and travel-stained, but glad to be at their journey’s end. +Their first night at the camp was a new experience. It seemed like a +neighborhood meeting of some sort, all were so friendly and willing to +tell of their experiences. Almost every one Mr. Wheeler met had either +been through the town of Woodville, Iowa, or knew some one from there, +or some one who had passed through there, so he felt quite at home +among them. + +Many had brought their dogs along, but Jack, after his experience with +the strange dog during their trip, was more cautious about making +advances. He had learned that the best policy was “to live and let +live,” and so he got along very well with these dogs. + +After getting rested and learning where was the best place for them to +locate, man and dog moved into a pleasant suburb of one of the larger +towns, taking rooms with a friendly widow, who was fond of dogs but +cared very little for cats, which was agreeable to Jack. Now, he would +get plenty of good things to eat and lots of attention. Although Jack +was strictly a man’s dog, the arrangement suited him very well indeed. + +One of the first things his master had to do was to buy a license for +Jack. The dog must wear a collar with a number on the back, or some day +the dog catcher would get him again. Jack was not very proud of his new +collar, but, since collars were being worn, he must conform and get +used to being a city dog. + +Jack and the landlady, whose name was Mrs. Weir, became quite good +friends, though he refused to be trained to any new habits. His old +ones were good enough for him. + +Mr. Wheeler, having good prospects of going into business, concluded +to return to Woodville, sell his home, and locate permanently in +California. Therefore he made preparations for the return trip and was +soon ready to start. Jack, of course, was disappointed at not being +included in the arrangement. He was left with Mrs. Weir, who was to +give him every needed attention. He was tied up till Mr. Wheeler was +well on his way, and did some lusty howling, which he kept up until +the neighbors protested, and he was given his liberty. + +No sooner was he loose than he took up the trail in pursuit of his +beloved master. However, as Mr. Wheeler had several days’ start, it +was impossible, even if he had made no stops, for Jack to overtake +him. Jack did stop many times. He got very tired and hungry, having to +depend on his own efforts for food. Most of his nights were spent in +prowling around, hunting for a possible loosely covered garbage can, to +get a meal. When he was out in the open spaces, he would catch any wild +game he could. This all caused delays, so that, by the time he reached +his old home town, his master was well on his way back. + +Jack was very glad to see all the Higgins family, even the cat, and +never once during his stay did he chase her up the tree, nor in any +way annoy her. He had seen much of the world since last they met, and +travel had broadened and made him more considerate of others, as a well +mannered dog should be. + +He was not satisfied--the place wasn’t the same--and he missed his +master. So in a few weeks he was missing. Then, some months later, +Mrs. Higgins received a letter from Mr. Wheeler saying that Jack had +returned to California. Though very thin in body, he seemed none the +worse for his adventures. + +All the dogs thought this was a very fine story, and begged the Judge +to tell them some more. So, at the next session, he told them a couple +of brief narratives, one about a puppy and young turkey, and another +about a blind man’s dog. + + + + +TOM AND DANIEL + + +“Many of you dogs who have never lived on a ranch or a farm, may not +know that a dog and a tom turkey can be just as unfriendly as a dog and +a cat,” said the Judge, as he thought of a story which illustrated this +point. + +“There seems to be a sort of jealousy between them, which manifests +itself at a very early age, and develops into bitter hatred as they +grow older. This was the case with Tom and the collie I am telling you +of. + +“The puppy and the turkey came into the world at about the same time, +and the little lady who owned them divided her attention between them. +Young turkeys are delicate little creatures and require the greatest +care to get them started. The puppy was usually at the heels of his +mistress when she fed the turkeys, but, instead of pretending to help, +as he did with the little chickens, he would bark and snap at them, +frightening them. + +“In the flock there was one young Tom who early showed a disposition +to defend himself, and his puppyship got many a peck on the nose. Thus +began the trouble which led to war, and many a battle royal was fought +between them, but there was never any bloodshed. + +“Their maneuvering took place around the woodpile back of the house. +The turkey would be strutting in all the glory of his brilliant plumage +and war paint, arrogant and ready to battle any intruder. Along would +come Daniel. With a war whoop of a gobble, Tom would start after the +dog, and round and round the woodpile they would go, with Daniel just +a few steps ahead of his pursuer, until, tired out, he would hop on to +the woodpile and bark insultingly at his enemy. The turkey would puff +up his feathers, drop his wings, spread out his tail, and look as if he +were bursting with rage. + +[Illustration: A Battle Between the Two Warriors] + +“When he could stand it no longer, Tom would fly at Daniel, who knew +the tactics of the bird, and would dodge to one side, so that his +majesty would land on the other side. This was just what Daniel had in +mind when he mounted the fort; and now it was his chance to be the +pursuer instead of the pursued. Again around and around they would go, +until both were almost exhausted. + +“The lady decided to sell the young gobbler, and he was taken several +miles to a new home, and Daniel was left to his possessions. + +“One day, several months after Tom’s departure, the lady had occasion +to go to the place where the gobbler was sold. She took the dog with +her and left him in the car while she did her errand. + +“Returning to the car, she found Daniel gone. Then she heard a familiar +bark, answered by a warlike gobble, and she saw that a battle was on +between the two warriors, as of old. Instead of the woodpile, a small +building was their fortress this time. Not only a dog never forgets, +but a turkey gobbler seems to be neither a forgiver nor a forgetter. + +“That is all of that story,” the Judge told his audience, “and next +time I am going to tell you about a blind man’s dog.” + + + + +THE BLIND MAN’S DOG + + +At his post on the corner, not far from the park entrance, was another +little dog, whose occupation would not permit of his attending these +gatherings, if he had been invited, which he was not. + +As the park dogs went by, either led by their attendants or chasing one +another, as some were never free to do, this dog, from his place by +the side of his master, would look in wonder at them. Where were they +going, and what would they do when they arrived? How strange they all +looked! He was anxious to know if he resembled any of them. He looked +over as much of his body as he could see without turning a backward +somersault. + +He had four legs, as they had, and his coat, which was white where it +was not black, and black where it was not white, was smooth and sleek. +But his tail--there was the difference. None of them had his kind of +a tail. Some of theirs were bushy, others were short and stiff. He +wondered how they could ever express their feelings with such tails. +One little pom had her tail curled up over her back like a doughnut. +No, his tail evidently was not in the prevailing fashion, as none of +the park dogs were wearing his kind. Not beautiful, but how useful was +this straight, tapering tail of his! How easily he could express his +every mood with it! + +If he were happy, how fast he could wag that willing little tail. +Should any one be harsh or unkind to him, down would go that same +little indicator. So, if his tail were not in the popular style for the +season, it answered his purposes, as a gauge for his feelings, which +was more important. + +His ears were small and stuck up on the top of his little head like +sentinels, sensitive, alert, always pricked up to hear every sound that +came through the air. Then those piercing black eyes--they were his +chief asset. There was special use for them, and it was important that +they have sharp vision, as he must be “eyes for the blind.” + +His beloved master looked to him for protection, as he moved about from +one place to another; and the dog had to pilot him to his place of +business, where his firm sold papers. The firm consisted of himself, +Tony, his partner, and the dog, Job, so named on account of his +characteristic patience. + +Man and dog were inseparable. They had lived together ever since Job +was small enough to go into the blind man’s pocket. At that time, Peg, +Job’s mother, was the pilot, and she had trained her son for the work +when she should grow too old and feeble to do it. + +Every evening they would start out from the small cottage, where +they lived with the blind man’s dear old mother. Job would lead on +cautiously to the corner. Here they would stop, waiting for the signal +to cross. Then Job would lead carefully to the middle of the street, +watching the lights, and over to the high curb on the other side. This +he would mount, turn around and pull on the leash, so his master would +know that the other side of the street was reached, when he could +measure the height with his cane, as he must step up. On the dog would +lead, through the crowd to the soap box on the corner, where his master +would open up his business for the night. + +[Illustration: Job Was “Eyes for the Blind”] + +Tony would be there already with his supply of papers. Each of the +partners had his own kind to sell. Soon the blind man would call, +“Morning Times--all the latest morning news!” although it was really +early evening. This call would be heard along the street with +Tony’s clear soprano cutting the air with “Extray--Extray--Evening +Herald--Evening News--read the latest, all about the game!” Meanwhile +Job, the personification of patience, would take his position near his +master, to watch for any stray pennies that might drop from the hands +of his master when a purchase was made. + +Tony kept an eye on the blind man’s business to see that no one took +advantage of him. This did not often happen, however, for those +wonderfully sensitive nerves in the blind man’s fingers had become very +acute, and the sense of touch was keen to the value of the coin that +was given into his hands. He was not easily fooled. Seldom was Tony +called on for anything except to get more change. + +The blind man was a youngish looking man, not unpleasing to look at. He +was clean, of fair skin, and had all the marks of having been injured +while helping to make his country a safe place to live in, which was +indeed the fact. + +In Tony and Job he had two faithful allies, the former having no claim +to such a relationship, other than a fellow feeling of helplessness +that Tony was experiencing when they first met, which had been entirely +overcome through this partnership. It had helped Tony to forget himself +in helping one more unfortunate than himself. + +Tony didn’t belong to any one in particular. Now, since he had adopted +Job and his blind master, he felt he had something to live for, and he +ceased to feel the need of _belonging_. He told the blind man when he +first met him that his father was dead, and his mother had married a +man with a houseful of children. Tony had been told to get out, and to +make his own way. + +Small and under-nourished, the lad went forth, his first stop being the +corner where the blind man was being harassed by a gang of newsboys, +who were trying to drown his feeble voice, and loudly hawking their +papers. The confusion and noise were great. Tony came upon the scene +just in time to help his present-day friend out, by going to his side +and beginning to sing. + +It was no classical song that he sang, but it had its effect. As “Yes, +we have no bananas to-day,” rang out sweet and clear amid the hubbub, +everyone passing took notice of the situation; and Tony could sing! + +Among those whose attention was attracted was the owner of the building +in front of whose premises this all occurred. Driving off the hawkers, +so as to give the blind man a chance, he permitted Tony to help him, +and in this way the partnership was formed. + +Tony slept at police headquarters that night. The next day at school +arrangements were made for him to live at a boys’ refuge home, with +the privilege of selling papers in the evening with the blind man and +Job as partners. Now that Tony was not always hungry, his voice was +growing stronger. Calling “Extray” had helped to develop his vocal +cords. + +At school he could be depended upon to lead the choruses. His clear, +sweet notes, as they sang “Star Spangled Banner,” could be heard above +the rest of the singing. One day the choir master from one of the +churches came to hear them, with the idea of finding some material for +a boys’ vested choir for his fashionable church. + +After hearing the children sing, he asked that Tony be allowed to sing +alone. This the little Italian boy was proud to do, and he sang so +sweetly that the choir master engaged him, and asked him to meet with +the choir for practice on Saturday afternoon. + +This was the beginning of better things for little Tony. The boys’ +choir was to make its first appearance on Easter morning, and Tony was +to be the soloist. + +The blind man and Job had heard about it several times, for Tony was +full of the subject, so full that he bubbled over. He would start out +with “Evening News,” and trail off up into high C, ending in “All love +excelling,” before he came down to earth again. + +His partner, too, was fond of music. His beloved Violin was his only +solace. The sad appealing notes that he was able to produce on that +old instrument went straight to one’s heart. Then there was Job. Maybe +he didn’t love music, but he would stand before his master, listening +intently, ears pricked to sharpest aspect, body tense, and tail +oscillating with measured beat to the rhythm, and when the tension grew +too strong, a dismal howl would relieve his pent-up feelings. + +The practicing had been going on for several Saturday afternoons. The +next Sunday was Easter. The blind man was not in the habit of going to +church, although his dear old mother was a regular attendant, but there +was an inducement to go this Easter morning that he had never felt +before. Tony was to sing in the choir. He would go just for that. + +The church was beautifully decorated for the occasion. The choir +boys in their vestments marched to their places, singing a stately +processional. Proud mothers filled the pews, each looking with adoring +eyes at her own beloved boy. Tony had no one to care. All were +strangers to him, so he thought, as he looked over the throng. Then +away to one side, in a pew alone, he saw something that made him happy, +for there were his partners, Job and his master. + +Job paid little or no attention to anything that was being done or +said. The choir had sung one song. Other things had been done, but +nothing that a dog cared about. Then the organ played the prelude, +and a voice, full of sweetness and charm, started out with, “Love +Divine, all love excelling.” This aroused Job’s interest. He sat up +and took notice; his body stiffened, his ears twitched. When everyone +was enraptured with the little Italian’s music, in the pause after +the solo, Job’s over-wrought feelings overcame him. One pathetic wail, +toning off into a dismal howl, broke the sacred silence. + + * * * * * + +The Judge, satisfied with this conclusion of the exercises, dismissed +the dogs with the feeling that the lessons they had learned from this +experience would be beneficial and lasting--that the motto he had given +them, “To live and let live,” would influence all their lives. Bidding +them a kind good-by, he adjourned the court. + + + + +TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: + + + Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. + + Perceived typographical errors have been corrected. + + Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. + + Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77634 *** |