Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-08
attraction (of which he made great fun),

affection (of which he made great fun) /,
tried her fidelity very hard. Her fondness
for the gentle. affectonate, mother-slight-
ed little lame boy may now easily be I'M
derstood.
Cincnnatus as well as Abel liked the
lonely little woman but they both loathed
her husband, in their different ways. Abel
shrunk from him; Cinclnnatus openly
snarled at him.
Mullins dog was not nearly so good n
guide as Cincinnalus. Fear OF his master
made him attend, though in perfunctory
fashion, to his duties when he was out with
him but when he prolessed to pilot Pat
ty, whom he did not fear. the selfishness
he had caught from Mullins rampantly as
serted itself, and he did not scruple TO
risk her neck to crafty any passing incli-
nation of his own. One day, when he
was out with her, he snatched piece OF
liver from a butchers block, and in his
eagerness to make of with his ill-gotten
spoil. dragged Patty into the middle Of
the road, where she was run over.
Mullins, deprived OF his drudge. talked
as if she had done him great injury in
meeting with an accident. Tor which, after
ALL he was primarily responsible, and
made great merit OF visiting her once or
twice in the hospital. where she lay many
weeks. Dennis and Abel visited her very
often, and Hannah sometimes. Abel
scarcely missed visiting day, going
alone when neither his grandfather nor
his mother could go with him. When
say alone, | do not mean without the dog.
Even ii the timid little fellow could have
plueked up courage to slip through the
crowded streets without companion of
any kind, Cincinnatus would have consid-
cred himself guilty OF grave dereliction
OF duty in suffering him TO do so. Accord
ingly the faithful dog escorted his young
and from the hospital. II Abel
protracted his stay with his invalid friend,
however slightly, beyond what Cincin-
natus considered the proper time, he mani
Tested his displeasure when the boy came
out by trotting off homewards at a rate
which made it difficult for the little lame
lad to keep up with him; but he would be
sure TO relent as soon as he deigned TO look
back at painting. painfully limplng Abel.
Then he stood stock still until his little
master came up and patted him, when he
would give leap and q bark, circle round
Abel, dart on as il he meant to run away
for good, but soon return as swiftly, and
trot beside his master as though glad TO be
reconcied.
Patty did all she could TO protract Abel's
visits. He told her all his little news. he
read to her. he brought her flowers it
was satisfaction simply to hold his hand.
Looking back on his last visit and forward
TO his next wiled away her weary hours.
The glory of Dennis's flowers had be-
come dim before Patty again made her APP
pearance in FIemmng's Row. and when
She did come, she had still to use crutch
and stick Mullins, as well as Snap, came
with her. and her gracious husbend grum-
bled at having to take the trouble.
1.-The dog would ha' brought her safe
enough" he multered. '"Twasn't his
fault I'll be bound. she'd to go to the hos
pital. Might AS well be there now, for
any good she is to me yet. But she's got
nervous, and so | came. Something or
other for the boy she's got, so brought
her that he might have It. I'll come back
for you sometime between this and bed
time old woman
SO having spoken, the churl who, even
when growing at his wife, had tried to
the old man by his reference to
Abel, took his departure with his dog.
81 wish you many happy returns of the
day. my dear" said the blind woman as
she stopped TO kiss her little iaverite. 81
have got something in my pocket as |
worked for you in the hospital. I'll give
EN- to you as soon as I've sat down"
1t was pair of muffetees that Patty had
knitted as birthday 81 for Abel.
(Coutinued 10 morrow