The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-25

tnnk ne Is SOou; ana love him, don't l.,
doggie? Then, again, papa, was you going
to buy me anything for Christmas?"
eyes, Harrys what do you want?'
VI don't want anything now, papa. | will
| take doggie for my Christmas, only he does
! look so funny, doesen't he? Just as if he had
| never been used to be where there was
| a good fire, and more to eat than he wanted
I suppose he has been drove from one house
| to another, Just like Hannah drove the poor
old cat away that was trying to get some
scraps in the yard, and just cried Itlooked
| back SO sorry off the kitchen fence, and
wanted to pinch Hannah for it, And you,
poor doggle, you have been driven off from
houses, know, and had stones thrown at
you, and-where do you suppose dogs sleep,
pa5pSa i
nice little house made for him if you wish"
"That will be nice; and tonight, doggie
you will sleep right here" making a soft bed
sleep on.
She would have given her best black silk
dress, which she set great store by, had Harry
wished it. When they were about to leave
the room for the night the little dog got up
and limped along after them, and looked at
he begged to have him at the foot of his crib
and from that time no one disputed his right
and he slept there unmolested.
Harry seemed to rally and feel better for
the next few days, and his father would look
at him and say: ut is impossible that the
child is in any danger; he looks 80 we'll there
is mistake; I will see another DOCTOR" and
he would almost believe that there was no
cause for alarm.
1t was a beautiful sight to see the fragile
boy sit, or recine, on the floor, and to see the
intense devotion expressed for him in the eyes
OF the little dog, which was now well. He
would crouch for hours beside the dog, mo-
INF tn nv00l in h S1o
paw and lay it tenderly on the sleeve of his
jacket, or to put his cold little nose softly
| against the thin, bloodless hand; and nothing,
not even hunger, would draw him away The
boy grew more and more fond of him, and
rarely laid down unless he drew the little dog
close and let the little shaggy yellow head rest
| on his breast, while the bright intelligent
| eyes were always fastened on Harry's face,
| with look of more thon human attachment
| and love. Very precious to little Harry was
| the love, silent and so deep, Of his dog, and
| the father used to look upon them until his
| eyes grew misty and dim with tears that he
! would turn away his head to hide.
| Every indulgence that could be given to
| Harry he had, and every whim was gratifed,
and they were many; but he never, for one
| moment sWerved from the protecting love of
| his ugly little dog, and at last it had come to
| be that even the father loved him for the sake
! OF the affectionate devotion to his child that
! showed in every look and motion. month
| had passed since the poor creature had been
taken by Harry; month that had made sad
havoc with the little vitality of the child, who
now scarcely moved off the sofa all day; for
| when he made the slightest exertion the cruel
| spasms at the heart seemed to almost divorce
| soul and body. =
And the father and loving old nurse were
| poWerless to relieve him, and the day was
fast approaching that would release the in.
tense pain that racked the little heart to agony.
r. $50 I,a-, 1.AA1.
would be raised piteously to each in turn, as if
IN entreaty that some thing should be done
| Tor harry, who he knew suffered so. At
length the last hou- came-the fine silver cord
was almost loosened, and the little heart so
long tortured with suffocating pain was about
to be relieved in the calm of death.
Forhours he had lain SILENT the rich, gold
en- hair tossed back on the pillow. and one
clasped in that of his father, the other around
Door "doggie," whose pitiful eyes seemed al
most human, as he would look into the white
little face, solfast chilling to death, and now
agony as the human ones that loved the boy
could have felt.
| Silent and sorrowful faded the light of the
gay before Christmas in thathouse. The rain
tell steadily and fast, and there was little
chill in the air outside, that made it hard to
those, who unprotected, walked along the al
| most deserted streets
Presently Harry Enclosed mis- eyes, and said:
Papa, where is Aunty Mary! l thought
saw her, just now, come in at the hall door.
and you told her to go out. You wouldn't do
that, papa?'
"No Harry I hope she will come, one Of
these days, and live with us. Do YOU feel bet
ter, Harry" =.
Eyes, papa; but feel very tired-different
from any other II. tired ever saw: Oh, doggie,
you here9 OF course, you are. Papa, air't Won
| glad took him? Pm glad you let me. and
| he loves me. always sleep so good when
he is with me. am sleepy now, and I guess
I'll go to sleep. Papa, you love me? You
love doggie, too9 You won't let ANYBODY
hurt him, and tomorrow we will have q nice
Christmas-a nice Christmas" ard here the
blue :vened lids fell, and a dreamy smile be-
gan to settle on the little pinched lips, and the
face to grow more placid and peaceful, the
Mr.. Emmons had been taken from the room
by the Doctor. He gave way utterly, and
father watching it till, when the clock struck
l, he puts his hand on the fair, high brow,
and found it icy cold in the chill of death.
No wonder, then, that the strong man cried
aloud in his agony, nor that the winds walled
outside, or that the clouds dropped tears H.
on that desolate house, or that poor little
ugly dog shivered and moaned on the bed
from whence the waxen form had been borne
for the fulfllment of those last sad ties for
the dead-the dead that lay SO still and peace
full amid the agonized groans of the father
and the louder cries of his fond nurse. and the
servants of the hOuse-unmindful for once of
the little dog that licked the cold hand. often
raising his head to look upon the calm face.