Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-07-02
THE STORY OF A DOG.
BY NJ. STRATTON BEERS.

IT was great, black dog, wet and be-
draggled with mud and water, and SILVER
ing with cold; it sat snug up in the corner
of the porch, looking the picture of desc
latiOn and woe, of utter hopelessneSs and
despair; perfect emblem of wretched-
ness and hunger, of want and misery.
This was what Uriah Click made out as
he hesitated, with one foot ON the lower
step leading up on to the porch and peered
through the mists Of the gray morning,
whose light was still dim and uncertain,
and lent him but feeble assistance in his
endeavor to make out the dark figure in
the corner. He had just come in from
his faithful watch back and forth, to and
fro, before the great building of Small
wood, Ogden & Co. 'sdry goods store, for he
night after night he kept up his ceaseless
vigil in front of the shadowy old pile of
granite mortar faithful to his employers
interests, and then went home in the early
morning to sleep until he felt himself re-
freshed.
Uriah Click was afraid of dogs; had
always been afraid of them since he could
remember, and long before that, as his
mother could have testified had she been
sworn by the court. In fact, the only real
terror that he ever encountered on his
night watches was when some stray dog,
lost by his master would come sneaking
toward him in the vain hope of finding a
friend; and now Uriah stood looking at
the huge animal on his own porch with a
feeling of INDIGESTION as to whether it was
best to 90 round the house and enter the
back door or to put an end to what evil
IDENTIFY was miserable existence, at the
best, with the fine silver plated revolver
on which his hand had rested from the
moment the shrinking figure had caught
his attention.
The dog whined. 1t was whine that
excited pity in Uriah's heart. Then he
held up one of his fore paws, and the
light, which was growing stronger every
moment showed the man that blood was
trickling from it to the floor; that there
were tracks of blood all over the porch
floor.
Poor fellow! I'll not kill you. I'll go
round to the kitchen and wake the little
woman to let me i'm
He raped at the door with his cane, OF
club, it was rather, so short and heavy
and lead -loaded; then waited to hear the
quick stepping of his wife as she came
down the stairs to the we'll rap oil
her husband.
"Why, Uriah! What made you come
to this door; did you forget your key
Gracious! Where did you find that mon
ster of dog?"
Uriah sprang into the kitchen and would
have shut the kitchen door, in the fright
that came over him at the glimpse he
caught of the limping ANIMAL which had
followed him round to the kitchen door sc
noiselessly that he had not noticed him,
had it not been that Hettie, his wife, not
81 hoCI
caught sight of the bleeding foot,
matter with him." and the sympathetic
woman knelt down on the doorstep and
took the huge paw in her hand.
Don't! Hettie, for Gods sake, don't
He may bite YOU I found him on the
porch, and came round here because | was
afraid to pass him; he is some stray
brute -"
ooh, look here! there is great cut and
a piece-yes, piece of thick glass in it
Do take it out, Uriah."
The dog was licking Hettie's hand and
his bleeding foot by turns, and whining
half to express the pain in his foot and
half the gratitude he feltfor the sympathy
shown him.
"Ah! kick the dog out, Hettie. cam
take the glass out; besides, if we do, he'll
hang round here until shall have to xii
him to get rid of him; blast the whole
race of dogs, any way. wish they were al
sunk in the bottom of the Dead Sea.
won't harbor one of the nuisances about
my place for an hour"
1t was a half howl the dog made now
and the look in his great brown eyes as
he turned them full toward Uriah CLICK
was more human than canine, an6
Weakened in Uriahs heart a feeling toware
one dog in particular, and before hi
words had fairly passed out of his moutl
he had forgotten he had even though
them and he found himself endeavoring
in his kindest, tenderest way, to eXtrac
the piece of glass which still remained il
the dogs foot.
In trice the glass lay out on tn,
ground, and Hettie had spread a rug il
one corner of the kitchen, and escortet
the "poor, dear old fellow to it i'll he
most enticing and hospitable manner
then she had kept Uriah all alone witt
him while she ran upstairs for her bottle
of arnica; some of the latter she poured
on cloth and then carefully wrapped th,
wounded foot
1t took the buXom, CHEEKY little Nine
Click longer than usual that morning t.
get the ham fried and the omlet made
NAlll tnC OItOlOuS IOlACC duu Ult VI SlesaS'
turnip for relish; for ever and anon sh
was obliged to stop and pat the grea
black head and express her syml athy TO
his suffering with many tender, caress
ing word, which are always abundant i
the vocabulary of tender hearte
woman. Then her hands would requir
a washing before she could return to he
breakfast getting; thus it was that over a
ho9r mad passed before the meal was ready
any oIlah began to get fidgety; his nigl
walks gave him grand appetite Away