The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-06-26

his memory. lie knew a., was there, ana INT
problem that occupied his mind was, why
had IL become invisiblei Presently, rs 1t re
covered tone, though never shape, no caught
| sight OF it, and then its marvellous metamor
phosis puzzled him even more than its disap
| pearance had done. He remembered the
| operation, no doubt; but probably aScribec
it to some phenomenal intervention OF ma
| ture-the fall OF a mountain, or even OF
comet.
After while. when it ceased to remind
him Of its existence, he forgot all about his
tail and concentrated his intelligence upon
schemes Of escape from his balcony. Fol
weeks he watched at the little gate that
opened upon the steps which led into the gar
den; and after about 5000 observations
about the number Vt times il was shut III ms
face-came to the conclusion that it was no,
intended for canine egress. He then turned
his attention TO the front railing, and, squeez-
ing with great difficulty through its bars
would stand for hours with his head out toI
1t was a very tight fit, and not, therefore,
worth his while to withdraw it in hurry
and contemplate the drop of eighteen feet or
10. Aunt Adela would have il that it was
the beauties of nature that attracted him;
the icicles on the trees, the snow wreaths on
the evergreens, etc /; but Carlo was not such
fool rs that. | repeat, and, indeed, the
event proved it, he was calculating the
drop. Failing to make this les by looking at
it, the astute animal tried the left hand rail
ing which separated my aunt's balcony from
that of her neighbor, and emaRcipated him
self at the first trial The drawing room
door was open, and in two minutes Carlo had
scuttled through the house and into the
street.
Aunt Adela was in despair. She always
used to express whitening scorn for adver-
tisements, and wonder how ''any one in their
sober senses could think of being influenced
by them. But now shs became what the
Salvation army term n prisoner to the
faith" in them. She seemed TO think OF
nothing else; Advertise, advertise, adver-
tise,n was her one cry. | ventured to re-
mark that that business was, with few eX-
ceptions, conducted on the ready money sys-
TEN: upon which she flung me her purse and
burst into tears.
There was only three-and-six pence in It,,
which does not go far in the way of world
wide circulation, but invested it judiciously
in a most respectable print, and within four
and twenty hours it produced a dog stealer.
Never had Acacia villa, the haunt-indeed
the home--of peripatetic preachers AMI mis-
siOnary matrons opened its doors to such
visitor. One cannot say his dress was UNI
seasonable, but it was certainly peculiar.
He wore a fluffy overcoat with pockets large
and numerous enough TO hold a whole pack
of Carlos, velveteen dittos an immense red
WOODEN scarf and u seaiskin cap.
Nevertheless his card, with "Ir William
Blodgers, dog fancier, Whitechape," upon
it, procured him an interview with Aunt
Adela ut once. The herald that brought
tidngs of her lost darling was welcome in
any shape.
had the honor to be present at the inter
view.
Aunt Adela wept tears which might have
been pearls so far as cost was concerned, for
am convinced that Mr. Blodgers increased
his price for every one of them
Had he the little dawg.' Gracious good
ness! (he was much more emphatic in his
CALCULATIONS than than what could have put
that into the good lady's headl He had only
fancy for little dawgS, and having CHANGED
to SEQ this 'un in the neighbOrhood, had
looked in to say So Notwithstan ling, he
didn't doubt that, in case parties acted
honorable and in n liberal spirit e., if no
questions were asked and gl0 note
wers to be paid-Carlo would be forthcom-
ing. y.
'But if were to give you a go note"
objected Aunt Adela, (which is great deal
of money, how do know that should ever
get my dog"
Mr. Blodgers drew himself up with dignity,
and smote his mole-sknneI breast
my word num- he replied, lis as good
- my bond"
Moreover" continued that gentleman
'unless 1 have the money, you may take
your davsy thatyou will never see that there
dawg again"
This last sentence had all the force of a
postscript to lady's letter. 1t contained the
gist of the whole matter.
"What do you think, JOIN" she muir
INJURED to me beseechingly.
"Ib appears to me, my dear aunt" re-
turned |, that you have no choice but to
trust to Mr.. Blodgers word"
From a secret depository in her desk
count, she produced beautiful, crisp ten
pound note, and handed it with n sigh to Mr..
BlodgerS.
And when shall have Cqrle back
again~ pleaded Aunt Adea "To-night:
Oh, do hope tonight
well, Mum, will not deceive you.
have, you see, not myself got the dear little
dawg. | only knows the party as has got
him. But tonight, or tomorrow night at
furthest | hope to return hini TO your loving
arms
When he had gone, | expected Aunt Adela
to "break out, " for she was u woman not only
endowed With considerable solf-respect, but
who practised the stricteSt economy. AS the
worst part of love, like that of wig, is said
to be 1.-THE parting" so it was with her as re-
garded money; she never could bear to de
bankers. And here was Il ton pound note
gone, or as good ms gone in five minutes.
On the contrary, she expressed II favorable
opinion of Blodgcrs,
Il think, John, we can trust that man; he
seems to me to have a certain honesty in his
way"
1t was not my business to remind her that
more brutal bluntne.s was not necessarily
honesty / centented myself with maintain
ing what | considered n ludicious silence con
corning Mr.. Blodgers.
No ono can toll, unless he is the nephew
and not the favorite nephcw) of an aunt
from whom he has gr, az expectations, and
who is the most selfNllied AMI unreasonable
of her sex, what | suffered for the next ten
DAYS.
Late on Christmas eve however, Mr.. Blod-
gers reappenred, with Carlo in his arms. rs
rs new constellation. One
would naturally imagile tAat there would
have.been "a revulsion of feelin. in my favor;
but this was very far from being the case
The food gates of my aunts affection were
opened. and they poured unreStrainedly over
the hairy prodigal and his restorer; but not
one drop of them came my way.
made some allowance, however, for my
aunt's feelings of gratitude. The little dog
had been evidently we | treated and was III
good case: he had been brought back to her
after she had given up all hope of his return
and here was the man who had brought him.
though not, it Is true, withou. a considera-
ton. Moreover, he seemed to have private
regard for Carlo, to judge 10y the way in
which he looked ut him YES, Num- said
Mr.. Blodgers, when my aunt paid him a
TO that effect, "one can't help