Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-12-25

| would have been more than human could
she have lived unmoved through the sea-
son that carried her back, more than any
other, to friends and loved ones, and Miss
Dorothy was thoroughly human.
Pose, her faithful dog, lying at her feet,
grew uneasy at her attitude, and licked
her hand beseechingly.
"Yes, Pose, know all you would say to
me, old fellow, and your counsel is good >,
she said at length, patting his black head
s.You would tell me how much truer
nv dumb friends are than those of whom
think; and you are right. My mules, my
calves and you, are all the society / wish,
and I am really content. If you can't
talk the worlds language, you at least
do not chatter meaningless nonsense, and
say what you do not mean; and your
eyes tell me of your love a thousand
times day, and, best of all, you prove
for ali the friends of fashion ever knew.
Now for some music"
Pose Jumped to his feet at the words.
for she had talked to him so much that
he understood every word, and tegan
jumping about with evident delight that
again seated herself, guitar in hand, he
stationed himself at her side, with all
his dogs senses alert to the strain
she would first produce. He had learned
chose. Pose was as much character as
his mistress. He had followed her home
from Board-Hollow one day when mere
puppy, and had forever after refused to
leave her. She had paid for him since, and
named him Purpose. because the old man
a purpose, and Purpose had gradually
been changed into Pose. He could do
everything but talk and read. He could
count correctly, and bring home cattle or
Il IN, l.
way he could sing and dance, and under
stood the English language perfectly. He
was the only dog on the mountains of his
kind, and the people said, Like mistress,
like dog-he is just suited to her." He
never left his mistress, except when her
interests demanded it, but only in the
evening could they fully enjoy each others
society.
His mistress began to sing "Robin
Affair."" Had it been 81 Can Not Sing
wretched, but ''Robin Adair" meant con-
tent and cheer, and he was happy dog.
"You are polite fellow, Pose. Few hui
mans could listen to the same old songs
year after year with such apparent de-
light What should l do without you,
dear?'-here she pulled his long silky ears
out over her hand-"but the time must
come that we must part, and then who'll
take the missing place? The fact is, we're
growing old, my dog. You do not see my
soon my head will need no cap to change
nv appearance, while you are growing
staid and quiet, and life will soon be over
for us both. Only yesterday the COW rang
her bell twice before you heard her, and
your maps are growing longer and more
frequent; but We'll stand by each other till
the last, and then-what then? Shall find
you over there, and have you always?
Who knows?"
Here Pose began wagging his tail vigor-
ously with heavy thumps upon the floor, to
show his hearty response to her senti-
ment, while she continued:
Snow We'll have the last dance of old 'S1
together, just to show we are not SO very
old Who knows what 's2 will bring us?''
She took him by the hand, his two paws
in her two hands, and, humming little
air, they moved round and round the room
together, throwing shadows on the wall
opposite the replace.
Out in the cold, frosty air, just as the
moon was rising, a black figure moved eau
tiously to the window of her sitting room,
hid itself behind bush, and, after mo-
ment, raised itself ON tip-toe and looked in.
1t was just when mistress and dog were at
the height of their frolic. The figure did
not move, and a voice muttered something
about determination of a cap" and for
getting''-then moved slowly off toward
the cedars. An hour later, when Miss Dor
othy's fire had burned low, and she was
sleeping the sleep of the just, the same
figure reappeared in the moonlight, and
could have been seen prowling around the
place so silently that Pose did not awaken.
Was it strange that in her dreams that
night old familiar faces became blended
with burglars, and when she awoke and
her whereabouts, she should
smile and sigh and go to sleep again?
Old men and women, little children and
babies, young men and maidens, all met
together at Miss Dorothy's that memora-
BILE morning of the New Year, 1882 Hors es,
mules, and even donkeys and oxen, had
been employed to carry the people to their
destination. Mrs. Fundy and two or three
neighbors had formed themselves, as first
into committee of reception, and
as each new arrival rode up, they went out
to the 'upper-block," as the horse-bl
was called, and in cordial accents greeted |
the guest with the old-time phrases:
..Howdy! Light an hitch" Before noon |
the house was full to oyerfowing, the yard |
was alive with many men and children, |
and the odors of savory dishes were waited |
far out upon the air, as hint of the feast |
Such dinner as it was! However Dinah !
and her mistress managed to cook so much |
was the mystery; and, though it was nee |
essary to set the tables in both large rooms, |
it took three different sets before all were
helped. At the first were the married peo-
pie; then came the younger ones, and, last |
Of all, the children. Miss Dorothy would |
have liked to have reversed matters, but |
she saw the eager faces of the hungry men
and women, and had not the heart to dis
appoint them; so she sent out apples and
cookies to the children, and told Dinah to
hurry the dinner. There had never been so
many before to celebrate her day, and she
was glad to see among her guests some
who had never before accepted her invita-
lion. They were a people of bitter and
asting prejudices, and at first a few fami-
les had taken offense at what they called
'her airs" and had been for long time
During the past year the
ce had been broken by serious illnesses
where she had nursed patiently and loving
y, furnishing, in many instances, food
md medicine.
While the parents ate their dinner, the
children played blind-man's buff in the
BARN. At four O'Clock the wild turkeys
md chicken pies, the vegetables, sauces
and buildings had been demolished, and
visiting began in earnest. In and out
among this uneducated throng moved their
hostess, Miss Langley, quiet but CHEEKY;
owing, saying but little. She had a word
or all, some bit of inquiry after an ailment
II piece of work, or suggestion that would
lelp in some new endeavor. They never
ired of watching her, this quiet, peaceful
,ut powerful woman, of whom they knew
10 little, and on this day, more than ever
Ter that charmed them. The evening re-
yealed the cause of all the pounding and
for Miss Dorothy treated
hem to a trip to New York with the aid
If magic lantern. She showed them the
niseries of lower life there, it's want and
poverty and crime. She described the diff
erence between life in tenement house
md on the heights of the mountains; in one
place all the earth one could hope to own
vas their last resting-place, while on the
,ther vast acres could be held by the poor
st. Then she told them of high life in the
re hnt -L@.~