The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-01

I
boys had they not been all excitement
over this piece of news, and asked num-
berless questions about the wonderful
animal.
"Where did he buy it? What did he
pay for it? How large is it? What
color? What breed? What is his name:
| What can he do?"
Drop couldn't tell, but would ask his
mother in his next letter, and would write
to her Immediately. The next letter
came in due time, and the seven eager
boys gathered wide-eyed about the eighth
| to hear the news.
Father bought him of blind beg
gar boy" read Drop, glibiy, land paid
fifty dollars for him, enough to pay the
blind boys fare to Boston and to have
his eyes dOctored"
That's just like father" said Drop
parenthetically, looking up from the let
ter.
81 wish I could send the blind boy
something, said Bean, the crooked nose
boy. "And l." "And Im "And II
chorused all the boys, generously feeling
in their pockets, and not finding any
thing but cotton strings and marbles,
and such like school-bOy commodities.
Then they withdrew their hands, and
turned their attention once more to the
dog.
He's a big black and white St. Ber-
nard dog" went on Drop, big enough
for me to ride upon as l would a pony"
81 tell you father wouldn't buy me no
little dog, commented Drop again.
The dog used to carry the blind boy
on his back from house to house. Mother
says the day he came there it was rain
ing, and lsaaC-that'S the blind boys
name-was sitting on Highjinks' back
that's the dogs name-and Isaac was
holding an umbrella over his head, and
and mother says she never saw anything
so funny in her lifem
"How good you do read writing" said
Hess, admiringly, land call all the big
words. have to study out all the long
words in mine"
oh, mothers writing is just as plain
as print" said Barney, examining the let
ter into his pants pocket; anybody
could read it."
Father has hired dog trainer to
come out from the city and educate High
jinks," rapidly read Drop from his next
letter, as the boys were grouped around
him, under the shade of a large apple
tree near the school-building He
comes two days in the week, and mother
says he says that there is nothing but
what the dog was capable of doing. He
dances like bear, and climbs like
monkey, and runs like a fox, and grunts
like apig, and gobbles like turkey, and
beats like a sheep-and he's learning
him to say Barney. l tell you, boys, l
want to 90 home and see that dog"
The boys were wild over Drops dog.
1t was the sensation of the school, and
Drops letters from his mother were as
anxiously waited for By the seven boys
as by Drop himself
Father has had a carriage made for
Highiinks," the mothers wonderfully
plain print IN her next letter said. "It
is large enough for two to ride. 1t is
painted blue like the sky and yellow like
gold, and there are green and white
lowered velvet cushions, and the har
ness is made of shiny red leather trimmed
with silver stars!
Mother says it's the gayest little
turnout in all that region, and that High
| jinks is just as proud of it as a boz
would be. When he is harnessed up he
banks joyously, as much as to say, If l
am not pony it's not my fault,
but l will serve my young master
as well as if | was one The
other day he took father to the vii
lage in five minutes, and there is
no horse that can 90 over the road in
that time. Mother says he just straight
ems himself right out, and that | ought
to see him dra0 it! He goes just like a
streakw
Your mother writes ever so much
like a boy" said Witt.
i know it" replied Drop, unhesitat-
ingly; it is becauseI hadn't any brother,
and she has always played with me just
as if she was boy, because she didn't
like to have me 90 down to the village
to play for fear should get in with bad
companions"
If it had been told-read, l mean
anywhere but here" said Twiggs to Hess
that night, as they sat on the top of a
high board fence that inClosed the school
grounds, watching for the evening stage,
II should say that Drop spread it on
about that dog pretty thick"
"That's So" said Hess; "but nobody
would dare tell tibs at this school after
hearing the masters lectures about liars.
Drop is good fellow, anyway; he says
he wishes we could all 90 home with
him and see ghjinks."
And the boys all agreed that Drop
was the best boy in school; the owner of
such a wonderful dog was a hero indeed.
Mr.. Toplitf wrote in one of his letters
to Deacon and Mrs. Drop what favor
lite their son Barney was with all the
boys The delighted parents wrote back
entreating that Barney and his seven
mates might come to them and spend the
two-days' Fourth of July vacation. There
would be quantities of roses and straw
berries and fresh milk, and the boys
could fire Chinese crackers with impu-
nifty in the broad meadow back of the
house.
The boys were delighted, and could
think of nothing else. They had Mr.
Toplitf write to their parents and guard
ians, and in few days consent had been
given by them that all the short vacation
should be spent at Deacon Drops.
Ia IL. a. Il, l