Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1884-05-01
ROlLg BRICKS THO FRIENDS

"as since morning-twice going to
and twice coming from school Tas
Tune she had brought a small II, e
Dread anda nouthfulo OF meat from homo
lner folks were poor and could not spare
inorel and coaxiug him, with ont.
s'retcned hand and kind words, TO come
Town the long fight Of steps 10 v,,ero
she stood on the sidewalk. she had fea
them to him, but he had swal,owod
snem IN great haste, aud, with a CRATE.
,uI ave Q his curly tail and a thankful
looA IN ms brown eyes, had buried
back agairs 1t was a dreary place1tbo
building to which these stems beIonoad
: dreary that il seemed -stranga
THAT even a dog would choose
70 linger there. A great
grey building, dark and funeral n
every stone OF its Egyptian architecture
with massive doors and iron barrel
windows, 1t cast a gloom eli abont h
and one looking up al it, strong walls
could not but think with a heart acbs
OF the many poor wretches who had
neen and still were imprisoned within
them. Picnic lived about a block away
in a little, old, tumble-down wooden
house, in dirty, crowded street. Her
father was a 1ongshoreman, and worked
haTd, early and late, to earn enough TO
support his family in the humblest way,
and ner mother, a cheerful, kind heart.
ed woman, had as much as she could do
to look after her five children. all girls
OF whom Picnic, II years old was the
eldest.
Wei, Phenie's to and from school led
past the Tombs, that dreadful place
where criminals are kept in cells SO
that they may do no harm TO their fell
iow~-creatures and one morning-it was
q morning In early September-as she
passed it she saw, as / have already told
you, a little dog sitting at the top Of the
long broad steps. He was not a pretty
dog, not at all a pretty dog. In fact he
was rather an ugly dog. He was COW
cred with shaggy, yellowish brown hair,
half OF once OF his ears had been torn OF.
very likely in a street fight, and he had
the most comical S-shaped tail that ever
curled over adog's back. Picnic glanced
at him kindly as she went by. for she
was very fond Of animals, but did not
give him another thought until when.
on her way TO lunch, she spied him still
sitting in thesame place. Then, think
ing he might be hungry, she won his
dog-heart by bringing him, on her way
back something to eat. School out, he
was there yet. And there he remained
for four days, receiving gratefully each
noon what the child could spare from
her own not too plentiful meal. And
Saturday coming, her morning work
over, she could not rest until she had
run TO the foot Of the steps and looked
mp TO see ifhe was still there. Yes,
there he was, waving his flag at sight
Of her.
II wonder who he belongs to, won
der why he don't go away?" she said &c
herself as she had said many times be-
fore. Il wish | could find out" And
seeing a policeman whom she had long
known by sight stopping to pat the dog
as he came down the steps she took cour.
age and asked him when he had reached
her side, DO you know that little dog ?"
II made his acquaintance n few days
ago. answered the policeman,
"Will you please, if you've got time,
tell me why he stays here?"
"His matters inside" said the police
mar who was a jolly, good.natured fell
low, and looked as though he'd rather
be beaten himself than beat anybody else
with the heavy club he carried.
"His master" repeated Picnic.
"Yes, his master, Rolly Brick, alloy q
little bigger than Won. He stole a ban
ana off a fruit-woman's stand ard they
chased him, the poor Young scamp, as
If he'd stole a diamond. And that dog
up there run with him, both of EN- 60
ing as hard as they could pelt, And
when he was caught that dog tried to
fight for him. But it wasn't any use,
the fruit-woman was determined to send
him up, said twasn't the first thing, by
a jugful, he'd stole from her. And SO
they took him in, and that dogs set
there eyer since. 'Spect they'll kick
him into the street soon's Rolly's sent
away"
stOh! viii he be sent away2" said
Picnic. When"
"In an hour or two l reckon.
"But suppose the banana woman
don't come 10 make complaint against
him?"
Don't half think she WILL" said the
policeman. "She's over her mad by
this time. But he'll 60 all the same,
cause he's a vagrant."
"a vagrant?"
"Yes, a yagrant amt got any friends
or any home
Back went Picnic TO the little old,
tumble-dowl wooden house TO HAYES
long earnest talk with her mother, and
TO make herself as neat as possible, and
before an hour had passed she eiade
Of a throng that filed 7; 9ourS
room where a number of lea t'aaSsrs
were TO be sentenced that MOI mig BaN
she wa not q moment too y Fae
case had been called earlier than the
policeman had thought it wonld be,
and IN the prisoners dock stood a boy
with a bright, dirty face, and in clothes
so battered and torn that he looked hike
animated rag bag.
"No friends, the Judge was Just say
inc. as Picnic, with a great lump IN her
and her heart beating rs though
Il would ay out Of her breast, walked
brayely up the courtroom and stoodbe-
fore him.
please, Mr.. Judge, he has friends,
two friends, she said.
The Judge looked eser his speetaeles
al her. where are they?" he asked.
"One is settin' out on the front stoop,
she answered. Hes little dog, an
he's been a-settin' there eve- since his
master was took up. He was there all
through that awful rain yesterday an
that dreadful thunder storm day before.
An. Mr.. Judge" she went ON, getting
Drawer and brayer as she apoke, "Rolly
Brick cant be such a very bad boy II
such q good little dog loves him so much.
An the other friends me-"
How long have you known holly
Brick ?" asked the Judge.
Never saw him before now, SAID the
sbild. 'sbut the dog en- me IS friends.
An, obi Mr.. Judge, if you'll let Rolly
ri. I'm sure, and SOS my mother that
nv father1l find him something TO do.
all girls at our house, so we cant
zone Of us 20 to the docks with father,
mt he's a boy. and he could