Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-01-02
!. q MARTINsBURG, W. VA.ssATURDAY JAN. 2 1886.

dog had been banished. Around the door
step which Prince had adorned so long
swarmed cluster Of ragged and dirty chill
dren Grace saw at once that there was
just cause for his expulsion Too many
human mouths were there to be fed to admit
of hospitality to gaunt, ilfavored dog
They looked like very hungry mouths, too
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 charity
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
T! in the family circle too often 1t had even
been said that he was too untidy and nm
slightly to be ''harbored" anywhere And he
tcus 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 hima 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 to fresh
burst of tears This world was evidently too
az a,d ,,,.,s,,o,.o,. e.. -, o~,,
dog, no matter how good heart be had
She wished it were dirtier world-perhaps
it would be kinder
She remembered the dingy houses across
the 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
floors, instead of rich carpets, and that there
was an old kitchen, or shed, on the place
dirty enough to contain a dirty old dogs
| bed.
Down the street and across the bridge went
Grace with the dog, walking slowly and be-
dewing the way with tears. They moved
along aimiessly, 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 cerroboration. The
sight would have moved even hard hearts to
pity, and Graces father was a sympathetic
man. He was kind to rare degree; but
poor Prince standing there in crouching,
spiritless attitude, was so ugly so repellant
SO entirely disheartening a sight that he
could not think of taking charge of him I'M
der any circumstances
What can do with him, Grace" said he,
despairingly. II cannot have him around
| He makes me sick to look at him. He does,
indeed
''Oh, papa said the little philanthropist
with a fresh flood of tears "let him make his
home in the hall, in the very meanest
corner of it, have engaged his board, and
| Twill wait upon him He will not take ap
much room, and he will be so good. know
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 luxurious
quarters than he had ever been accustomed
to in his impoverished life. Grace carried
him food, according to promise, and 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 f.
pleased him to be with her, and hideous as hs
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 unattra tive
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 Graces
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
Ia 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 kno,o I'll come to-
morrow
Still the dog whined, kissed her gown, and
7 l. L - =
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 babe
him good-by, sweetening the sorrow Of part
ing with many a loving word Prince