The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-24

HuBBSu ms own Drown n6ad close 10 my
shoulder-don't laugh, that dog was my
friend rolled up my sleeves, and again
went to work with vigor that knew
meant certain success if the vein held
ont. 1t did, and five years afterward /
had a bank account which ran largely to
the thousands. / invested it in land
By that time / was bachelor of 80.
Hard knocks and my own disappoint-
ment had shaken all the romance out of
me, and when 1 again went East it was
on business connected with the con-
struction of this railroad -
And you have quite outlived YOUR
boylsh fancy, as your heart began to
lose Its youth ?" said Ruth, with the
least bit of cynicism in her tone.
4" think Fritz knew said the con-
ductor, quietly. 81 had become almost
a misanthrope for his sake. If 1 left him
to go into society-such as we had-for
few hours, he either whined like sick
child or kept up such an increasing bark
ing and baying that to save him from be-
ing shot as a nuisance ] went to no place
where it was impossible for him to ac-
company me. The old fellow went with
me even to New York, and on the jour
ney 1 often caught myself cogitating
how he, born in a wilderness of wild
mustard, and as fond of camp life as an
Indian, would take to the constraint of
an old city. Well, had not been in
New York a week before there was
strong tugging at my heart to run down
to Philadelphia. Not that it was homo
for me, for my parents had died before
l first left it. / called the desire the
charm of association and it led me-
"There, as I first went down Arch
street, my poor dog lost his wits and the
sober dignity of his maturity. He had
a remarkably fine scent. 1 always knew
that, but no sooner had we turned into
that particular street than, with his nose
close to the ground and rigid tail, he
ran zig-zag to and fro, as though he was
on the trail of AN erratic fox. l called
him, but he gave no heed, People got
out CT his way. The gamins shouted,
and with a wild, shrill bark he suddenly
bounded into the doorway of large dry
goods store. 1 bounded after him in
time to see him rush up to lady In
black, who was examining some gloves,
and danced around her with signs of the
most extravagant Joy. There are tones
that live without the aid of photographs.
Roy Roy Dear old Roy was all she
said, but I'd have sworn the voice was
of Mont Blanc. A white hand was laid
upon his head and my ring was on ths
hand"
He paused.
Yours2 sir. hope you did not claim
it." said the practical cOllocutor.
81 did, and the hand which wore 1t,
Just as originally intended" Nor did
Alexander, In his hours of conquest,
ever smile a more serene approval of
himself than our conductor 1t this stage
of the story.
but the conduct of Fritz, and the
lady's silence, and the queer concomi-
tants which exist only In tiction-how
do yoa reconcile sehem with an DER true
AZ ss~ ne .e sfasR, Ra9 s9FlRs w6o i,a.,
often been csSressed by Jennie before
his young master, Jennie's cousin. go1
the golden fever, when l did, and car
TO California never to return. JeAle
had written, but her letters had ever
reached me- She thought n uenu'
Why the dog came to me VIII =! MS mas
ter died is one of the rides o. IN my me-
which l will disenta,oie III 'he hele'
after" ~,
W. stood u..gting for the answer.
"On onr .anch near Sacramento, and
7 believe one OF the happlest women IN |
the State. We have boy 10 years old
whose name is Fritz, and all the dearer
for the sake of the old friend who has
gone where hope one day to meet the
human of him. I wish you would stop
off bit and see my wife. Queer, isn't
t., that I should have introduced this
pit of private history upon you 4? but the
ruth is-Yes-coming III be with
you again, ladies"
A brakeman beckoned him inside, and !
we had seen the last of our handsome
conductor.
The evening shadows had begun to
engthen. The setting sun bad turned |
the vast plain of the Sacramento valley |
into field of the cloth of gold, end |
the distant peaks of the Sierras, clad in |
their eternal snow, but now rose-tinted |
and glowing, seemed to cleave the azure |
above them as with a wedge of FURNISHED |
silver. 1t was starlight when we reached |
the end of CUR car ride and were regis
tered for the night.
"The conductors story was pleas
ant little episode, Ruth, wasn't it :? Do |
you believe it all happened ?" asked, |
as 1 leaned from my pillow to hers to
leave goodnight kiss on her round
cheek.
81 like Fritd," was the sleepy answer.
There's an instinct about some dogs
that the half of mankind can neither ap-
preciate nor maintain. trust man
whom a good dog loves.