The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-01-01

came upon a group OF the village peo-
pile laughing together, end it relieved
me a good deal.
Hes q ~tramp-chap, doctor, who's
been hanging about here, these last
two days. After no good. l think:
said the butcher. "But he's gone off
now, and | don't s'pose he'll come
back"
And was the dog fastened on to
him still?" | said, anxiously.
ooh no, sir" cried another of the
group. Just a he got here he trip
ped and fell, and your dog went fly
ing, with a great bit of the chaps
coat in his mouth.
eyes, and he held on to it, too, and
stood there growing when the tramp
chap got up and limped off. Say,
doctor, if you ever part with that dog,
I'll buy him OF you"
Relieved in mind, but little puzzled,
too, at this display of savagery, and
asking myself whether, perhaps after
all, for my aunt's sake, | had not bet.
ter part with jackson, l went on my
round, saw several patients, feeling as
important as a young doctor should,
forgot all about jackson and nv
aunt, and finally made my way home
pretty tired, and then all at once the
dogs adventure came to my mind.
For, as | let myself into the pas
sage, and was in the act OF hangingup
my hat, suddenly stood as if petri-
fled, for from out of the little parlor,
whose door stood open, came the
sound of my aunt's voice speaking
softly, in a cooling, gentle, tender way,
words such rs l never expected to
hear her UTTER
And he was a dear, good, old, faith
full doggie, then, he was. And he did
lovethe cross, disagreeable aid woman,
he did, he did"
Then there was a low, soft, whining
howl, from jackson unlnistakeable,
for | knew his voice. 1t was Just the
sound he made when he had his legs
broken and l tied up the splints.
Pow-wow-o-o-o-o!
Odd she hurt him then, poor old
doggie? But it will do it good, it
willard comfort it, it will"
Pow-wow-o-o-o.o!
. AZ tSt'i iioiIi llhSCIlt anu UtlcTe
was the sound of water splashing,
while when ! stood In the doorway,
there was my aunt npon her knees by
the fire with a basin OF water and a
sponge, talking tenderly to Jack
son, who was patiently holding his
out, resting his great ugly jowl on my
aunt,s white hand, while she busily
sponged away at n Of his eyes,
which / saw at Il glance was very
much injured, and bleeding freely.
On the hearth-rug there was a large
piece of torn cloth, evidently part of a
collar, and on the edge of the fender
two OF my aunt's clean pocket-hand-
kerchiefs, one folded bandage-fashion,
and the other formed into a pad.
So much matter-of-fact surgery was
being displayed that l stopped and
neutrality-suspicious. at seeing
this newborn affection for my old
friend. And there I stood, while my
aunt went on talking tenderly as she
bathed, Jackson tenderly answering
with a sympathetic howl, never even
h~inching, though he must have been
in n great deal OF pain.
"Ihere!" she said; and now his old
mistress will go and fetch him n
shawl, and she'll fold it up, and he
shall lie on it till he gets well, and-O
George, how you startled mel" she
cried; and | saw that her face was wet
with tears.
"Why, auntie, what's the matter?"
"Matter, my dear? Why, ahorrible
great tramp met me right away from
the village, and begged" she cried,
volubly; land he seemed SO poor
that l took out my purse and gave
him a shilling, when he looked up and
down theroad, and seeing no one near,
ne snacthed my purse out ofmy hand.
Then ne seized my watch-chain, and
tried to drag it off; but l chung to it
and shrieked out, when that dear,
good, brave dog flew at him."
"Wuph- wuph-bow-bow bowl"
barked jackson, tiercely.
"Yes, he did, a dear, good dog him!"
cried my aunt, atfectionatelv; land
the savage man kicked him with his
heavy boot in the eye, and knocked
him down, but Jackson got up and
rushed at him, and the man ran off,
and the dear dog seized him as he ran
away"
AND dld heget your purse, auntie?'
'No, my dear, he dropped it, and
when | got home, the poor dog lay
there with his eye bleeding dreadfully,
and-and | declare, I'll never 90 for q
walk without him again!'
As she spoke she knelt down to pat
and stroke the injured dog, who whined
softly, and then licked her hand.
My aunt did not draw her hand
away, but looked up at me with her
eyes streaming.
Now, look here, auntie," I said one
day, months after, "he's getting 100
tat. | will not have him petted So"
OF course | don't believe in that dog
being Il demon, but I'll make affidavit
before any Judge that that dog smiled
atme and winked.
G.. MANvILLE FEM.