Democratic messenger., 1881-09-17

snow last night and he's waiting for me
now in the old place by the wall. Give
me hand, neighbor, and help me along
a bit, will YEP" So the woman helped
him along to the wall, through the biting
wind and snow, but no sign of Jack when
they got there.
"We'll try the bakers shop" said
Caleb, thinking of their old haunts, and
whether it were possible that the bakers
wife, who sometimes threw Jack broken
biscuit, had taken him in out of pity for
the night.
And while they were in the shop ask
ing after the dog, there came in two
children who had strange story to tell,
a story which froze Caleb's blood IN his
veins as he stood and listened. They
had seen dog, dog for all the world
as like Jack as could be, being led along
the day before by two men who came
out of public house, and who talked
aud laughed loudly as they went along.
Said one :" 1t doesn't do to be too ten
der-hearted in these hard times human
| flesh and blood reckons before dogs
flesh and blood any day in the week. Z"
Said the other "And the doctor will
give us a good 'alf-crown for him safe
enough and ask no questions into the
bargain"
Caleb trembled from head to foot.
Take me to his house." he said in
voice that startled the children, for it
vibrated and twapged like any old harp
sichord with all the music gone out of it.
At the doctors door the two children
Ioft cfa cka
themselves running away and peeping
at him round the corner of the street. A
man-servant answered Caleb's ring.
"My dog" SAID the old man in the
same harsh trembling voice; what
have you done with him? He's white
haired like me, and thin like me you
can count every rib in his body"
Ugh how cold it was The east wind
and sleet blew in the servants face, and
how could he be expected to stand there
talking with an old blind man on the
doorstep! He half shut the door.
Your dog, old man y he said "we
know nothing about dogs here" He
would have shut the door in Caleb's
face, but the old man was too quick for
him, and had got his stick across the
threshold. my dogp he repeated,
louder and louder white-haired, thin
like me you could count every rib he
had |"
A gentleman was coming down stairs
at this moment. He was dressed in the
glossiest of black with the whitest of
ties. He had cleaning smile, thick
square jaw and eyes that changed as
you looked at them. "What is 2" he
said TRANQUILITY, coming toward the door,
"Does the man want money? l do not
like disturbance on my doorstep. A
dog, did you say-white haired-thin
Oh yes, had him with two colleys yes
terday afternoon. The brute he was
not worth the money paid for him
he howled so we had to cut his wind
pipe before we could do anything with
him. / wouldn't have had him if [
could have got third colley; they are
so much more quiet and patient. Vii
lain did you say old man? No, I'm
physiologist-you shouldn't be abusive;
the law protects me, and we must have
subjects. There, that'll do" and he
waved his hand gracefully. "Go away
now. Wants his bodyl' This to the
man-servant "Oh, by all means Jo-
seph, give him what's left of limits
IN the back yard"
And the physlologist, member of at
least one-half the scientific societies of
Europe and high repute throughout
the British Isles for his learning and
humanity, went calmly into his study
TO finish writing down the results of his
experiments over night on the two col
leys and the poor, white-haired Jack.
Caleb took the mangled body of his
old friend reverently into his arms, he
passed his hand tenderly over the
strained eyeballs, the blood-stained
throat, the severed ribs. "My God"
he said, standing there in the snow and
the east wind outside the closed door,
"I can thank Thee now that l have
no sight wherewith to see the wick
edness these Thy creatures have
wrought"
The children came from round the
corner and led him home again, Caleb
still tenderly carrying Jack with his
ragged handkerchief spread over the
poor torn body,
Hours after, the neighbors wondered
why there was not sound of movement
fearing he might be i'll, and there he was
seated on the floor with Jacks body on
his knee, and the words of thanksgiving
still on his lips, "God, l thank Thee
that have no eyes to see this DEVILS
work p
Yes, he lives on, this old man, COM
panionless and alone the neighbors do
what they can for him, and he rarely
wants n loaf of bread or cup of tea
now. Every evening, as the clock strikes
FIVE. he gets up from his rickety chair,
opens his door and stands listening for
the patter and scramble of old jack
feet up the carpetless stairs. Salyl do
you say?-he has gone silly! It may
be SO; I do not know. Often we are
wisest when most we are called foolish,
and foolish when we are thought to be
most wise. Ionly know that old Caleb
stands daily, blind and silent, at his open
door listening for the footsteps that will
never return.
Some day perhaps one may enter in
with message for him-the Angel of
Death. h.-BelgrdUid.
Brace Up.