American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-08-23
The Old Dog who Learned New Tricks.

Ned was fat little baby; he could just
sit alone and amuse himself by playing
with his fingers or his ten little toes.
When he wanted to move about from
place to place in the room, he would lie
| flat down and roll over and over. One
| day another baby was brought to the
| house-it was baby dog; it came in a
basket, and when the basket was opened,
| it looked like great bundle of black,
| silky hair, with pair of bright eyes
stuck in it. The dog was named Tray.
The two babies, Ned and Tray, soon grew
to be fast friends Ned would go to sleep
on the floor with Tray for pillow, and
Tray soon leaned to keep quiet until Ned's
nap was out. When Tray slept, Ned
would pull his hair and pinch his ears
but the sleepy dog would open his eyes,
see that it was his own dear playmate, and
then go back to his nap again. If any
one else pulled him so, he would growl,
show his white teeth, and spring up as if
about to bite.
| When Ned was two years old, and could
run all about, Tray had grown to be a
very large dog, and could take care of
him. When they walked down the lane
or over the fields, Tray kept Oft the cows
| and dogs; along the roads and the streets
the two were always together, and no bad
| boy dared touch little Ned.
In a year or two more, Ned was even
| trusted to go to the river with his friend
at his side; for Tray was fine swimmer,
and if Ned had fallen in, he would soon
have brought him safe to land.
When Ned started for school, he had to
take long walk through the woods, and
Tray always went by his side, and carried
his dinner pail, holding the handle in his
mouth. If Ned wanted romp with other
BOYS, he placed the string of the satchel
around Trays neck, letting it hang down
in front of Trays breast, and satchel and
dinner were sure TO come safely to the
door of the school-house by the time Ned
was there.
While Ned was in school, Tray wander
ed about the woods, but generally turned
up in time to share Ned's dinner at the
noon recess, and again to take home the
empty pail at the close of the day.
But dogs grow old faster than boys, and
so it came to pass that when Ned was
twelve years old and went to a school in
town, Trays school days were over, and
he had settled down into the ways of an
old dog. Every morning he walked to
the gate with Ned, then, slowly turning
back, lay DOING in the sun, only rousing
to get his meals when called, but still
showing some of the old spirit, and start
ing up for little romp when Ned came
bounding and whistling home at the close
of the day.
But the town boys had a fashion of
training their dogs to play tricks" to
spring over Il rod held out at arms length,
to stand on their hind legs, beg, and do
other wonderful feats.
Now Ned wanted a young dog who
could be trained thus, and so one day he
brought home a white dog named Carlo.
Being young and active, Carlo followed
Ned about, while Tray would lie quietly
in the shade and look on. l am afraid
Ned neglected Tray; at least many little
It'd bits that would once have been saved
for Tray now found their way to Carlos
mouth, and for months all Ned's pocket
money was saved up till he could buy a
handsome collar with Carlo" engraved
on it. Poor Tray in his best days had
worn only leather collar, fastened by a
little brass paddock, but the collar had
worn out long ago, and had never been re-
placed.
But Tray kept his eyes open and saw
what was passing, and / think his old
heart longed for the love and notice of his
Young master as in the olden tunes. lie
never failed to watch when Ned trained
Carlo One day, after many trials, Ned
had lust succeeded in getting Carlo to SIT
up on his hind legs, holding stick in
his mouth, and play that he was smoking
a cigar, when much to his surprise, old
Tray, also holding stick in his
mouth, took his station by the side OF
the little dog, and raising his huge length
in the air, sat very soberly in an upright
position, going through all the movements
that Carlo had been taught. l cannot tell
you how pleased Ned was. He Rugged
his old pet in his arms Il think he kissed
him very slyly) and oil he went into the
house to beg bone for Tray with plenty
of meat on it."
Old Trays days We're nearly ended; he
! did not live long to enjoy his triumph, he