Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-12-31

Even Princes bed had been seized upon.
1t was doubtful if he could hold his title,
prince of Poverty" beside the new tenants
Considering the fact that they were human
their claims were even greater than his
The child's heart was sorrowfuL What
could she do with the superannuated dog
which hung so helplessly upon her charityl
Take him home she dare not. Even the
woodhouse and stable were considered too
good for him by those in authority there
She had heard him discussed and denounced
in the family circle too often. 1t had even
been said that he was too mtidy and un-
slightly to be ''harboredn anywhere. And he
tcGS very dirty. There was no denying that
She admitted it to herself as she looked at
him through her binding tears But he
couldn't help it, poor fellow. Dirt and ugli-
ness seemed to stick to him in spite of him
self And what had he ever done that made
everybody so set against him9 she wondered
Nothing; nothing in the wide world that she
ever had heard of. His only offense seemed
to be that he wasn't good-looking. At this
point OF reasoning she gave way 70 fresh
BURST of tears This world was evidently too
,ean and prosperous for an ugly, worn-out
log, no matter how good heart he had
She wished it were dirtier world-perhaps
{ would be kinder.
She remembered the dingy houses across
he river which she passed sometimes, around
whose greasy doors children, dogs and
chickens played in one common bed of dust
Such houses were not too fine and clean to
shelter even an ugly old dog. She almost
wished she lived in one of them. Anyhow,
she wished her mothers house had bare
doors, instead of rich carpets, and that there
was an old kitchen, or shed, on the place
iirty enough to contain a dirty old dogs
oed
Down the street and across the bridge went
Grace with the dog walking slowly and be-
iewing the way with tears. They moved
along aimlessly, the dog relying on the
child, and the child sad beyond expression
and not knowing where to ask for aid or
what to do.
After much melancholy wandering they
went up the stairs to her fathers Office, and
went in. The child told the story of their
woes with tears and sobs, and the dog stood
by in silent but touching confederation. The
sight would have moved even hard hearts to
pity, and Grace's father was a sympathetic
man. He was kind to rare degree; but
poor Prince, standing there in a crouching,
Spiritless attitude, was so ugly, so repellant
so entirely disheartening a sight that he
could not think of taking charge of him un-
der any circumstances.
''What can l do with him, Grace" said he,
despairingly. 81 cannot have him around
He makes me sick to look at him. He does,
indeed"
"Oh, papa" said the little philanthropist,
with fresh flood of tears. "let him make his
home in the hall, in the very meanest
corner of it. have engaged his board, and
1 will wait upon him He will not take up
much room, and he will be so good. know
he isn't pretty, though 1 told him he was be-
cause everybody else says such cruel things
to him His heart is nearly broken; and,
papa, you know he didn't make himself
maybe God made him as well as me, and
wouldn't like to have him abused just be-
cause he made him ugly"
The argument prevailed, and Prince took
up his abode in corner, more luxuricns
quarters than he had ever been accustomed
to in his impoverished life Grace carried
him food, according to promise, - life
went on for him as smoothly as the nature Of
things permitted. He knew the hours in
which she passed to and from school, and was
always at the foot of the stairs waiting for
her. Something very like joy lighted up his
sorry old face when he saw her coming, and
though he grew more rheumatic and spirit
less every day, he was never too feeble to
escort her part of the way on her journey.
In the mornings he went through the town
with her and never left her until she was
near the school house, and in the evenings he
always crossed the long bridge beside her,
evidently in as high a state Of bliss as his
crushed spirit could rise to. He was neither
protection nor ornament to her, but she en-
joyed his companionship because she knew it
pleased him to be with her, and hideous as he
was she loved him
If dog can worship, that dog worshiped
that child. Nobody else ever said anything
kind and pleasant to him Most persons who
saw him made open fun of his unattractive
presence, not dreaming that his understand
ing of the English language was by no means
trifing, or not thinking that dog has any
feelings which words can wound Grace's
father never spoke unkindly to him, but he
rarely spoke to him at all, and never looked
at him if he could help it.
Autumn slipped away, December declined,
and at last it was the day before New
Years The afternoon was bitter cold, but
clear as winter sun and the crisp winter air
could make it. Prince escorted Grace across
the river bridge as usual When they
reached the point where they were in the
habit of separating, the child paused, gave
the dog his customary friendly pat on the
head, and said: 'Good-by, Prince, nicey dog.
Tomorrow will be New Years. and you
shall have no end of good things to eat.
Yes, and I'll take you to walk, Princey, dear
"a long walk, up to the house, if dare"
The poor brute looked up into her face
with eyes full of anguish, and whined
piteously, without turning to go back"
''oh, Prince, poor old doggy" she entreat-
ed, don't grieve so at leaving me or you
will break my heart OF course you are
lonely, old fellow, but you knolC Pn come to-
morrow"
Still the dog whined, kissed her gown, and
implored her, with his eloquent old face, to
let him go farther.
They went on together, Prince rubbing
against her clothes and looking often into
her face with his bleared and pathetic eyes,
as though there was something he wanted to
say very much if he only could. At last they
arrived at Grace's home, and she again bade
him good-by sweetening the sorrow of part
ing with many a loving word Prince
whined, fingered, wept-Grace was sure his
eyes overfowed with tears-kissed her gown
again and again, then turned away and
started slowly back toward his lonely lodg-
ings
The child watched him with heart full Of
loving pity and eyes glistening with tears.
He had never looked so old, so feeble or so
sorrowful before. Twice he stopped, turned