The true northerner., 1886-07-29

to have made the rest or the dog jealous.
There was no trace of guile in his face, yet
that dog was capable of the basest ingrati-
tude.
But anticipate.
l got home with the dog about eleven
o'clock that night. My wife had retired
before we reached the house. She is not in
the habit of rising to greet me, under ordi-
nary circumstances, but as soon as she be-
came aware of the dogs presence she got
up. In fact she devoted the greater part of
the night 10 welcoming him into the family
circle. The head-clerk had shown Inc how
the dog could sit up, carry things back and
forth. shut a door, walk ON his hind legs,
lie down and roll over, say his prayers,
shake hands, and perform other common
dog tricks; but before he had been in the
house half an hour my wife discovered
that the dog had far greater accomplish
ments. Among other things she found that
he could, Mt the word of command, look
cross eyed; that he could perform the pc
cular trick of taking his long silken ears
III his teeth and, without other assistance,
tying them behind his head, and that (this
particularly pleased my wife) he would
beat time with his tail to such popular
tunes as "Peek-a- Boo" "Sweet Violets, A"
"See- Saw" and the "NIikado Waltz" at
the same barking the accompaniment TO
them.
L had nearly neglected TO mention the
time of the dogs arrival. 1t was one of
the coolest Saturday nights last winter.
This may seem n trivial, even an irrelevant,
point. Such was by no means the case.
The state of the weather played n most i'm
portant part In future developments.
After continuing to welcome the dog un-
I'll late hour, my wife made bed for him
of my ulster and such soft material as was
near at hand. She then came to bed, first
putting an extra scuttle of coal in the base
burner TO prevent him from taking cold.
Early the next morning she was astir. SO
was the dog. He had EecoAne somewhat at
home by this time, and never saw my wife
more pleased over any visitor in the house,
not excepting her own mother. Breakfast
was unusually late that morning, but as 1T
was Sunday, and as | have made it a rule
never to find fault around the house any
way since my wife once went into Mysteries
because l was in n hurry for a meal, did
not complain. Besides, saw my wife was
enjoying the dogs company, and | did not
feel like casting n shadow over her un-
usually good spirits. The dog. as | said,
took her attentions kindly. He seemed
perfectly con,ented, and my wife remarked
that for a strange dog he was extremely
sociable. This pleased her, for she said
she had noticed that most dogs in new
family were inclined to be bashful and
diffident; but she thought this dog would
be willing TO stay with US right along L
began TO think SO, too, he made himself
so entirely ut home. The way in which he
brushed n bisque vase off the escritoire with
his tail, overturned my wife's waste-baskct,
and helped himself to a bone from the
table while we We're at breakfast, would
have convinced a total stranger that he had
been member of the family for years.
After breakfast | suggested that the dog
might not be accustomed 10 continual con-
tinement III the house, and that perhaps
it would be we'll to let him have a little ex-
ercise outdoors. Ny wife objected at first.
She feared he might get his feet wet and
and contract pneumonia. | pointed out the
improbability of such calamity, in view
of the fact that many dogs are obliged to
hustle around all winter for living
also told her that the cocker spaniel was
fond of water in any form, and especially
of snow. This seemed TO convince her. She
opened the door and called to the dog, but
he evinced no desire to leave n comfortable
bed which nc had made for himself of my
best coat on an ottoman.
My wife at once insinuated that i evil
IDENTITY was not so familiar as ] might be
with the habits of that breed of dog. After
she had closed the door, however. the dog
changed his mind. | made no reply to my
wife caustic insinuation, and she permit
ted him To go.
As he passed out she bestowed n kindly
wo.d upon him, and cautioned him not TO
stay long enough to catch cold. The dog
seemed to understand perfectly. He hesi-
a. Al. L. L.
seldom have seen such an expression, even
upon the face of a human being, and never
upon n dogs face. | shall never forget
that look. His great, eloquent eyes beamed
with affection and gratitude. They said,
as plainly as words could have said: "Oh,
no. never fear. | can never thank YOU
enough; a whole life of love and devotion
could not repay Your kindness. l will be
back in fifteen minutes"
Yet, as | have before limited, that dog
was capable of the basest ingratitude. His
smile was the smile of deceit. His atfec-
ton was, like Prince Lorenzo's gayety, all
upon the exterior.
That dog never returned.
At the end of fifteen minutes my wife
began to worry. When half an hour had
elapsed she became nervous. When an
hour had passed she was greatly agitated.
ana Sne remarked tDat IL was all because OF
my suggestion To let the dog ont, in the first
place. She said she believed | made that
suggestion on purpose. and tha. She knew
when she let him out he would never come
back. She said she had felt certain of it.
| assured her | had no sinister motive in
the matter, and inquired, in my always
mild way, why she had let the dog out at
all if she knew he would not return. She
seemed hurt by this query. She said it was
adding brutality to meanness. / did not
discuss the matter further.
There are two windows in the front sit
ting room that face upon the street. After
my wife had made sure the dog was not in
the back yard she stationed herself at one
of these windows to watch for him. Anx-
ious to remove her suspicious as to the sin
cerity of my feeling toward the dog, 1 took
up position at the other window l at
tempted at first to cheer her by encouraging
remarks and hopeful reflections upon the
dogs absence. but she would not be COM
forted, and / desisted We silently sat
and watched. One of the btterest storms
of winter was raging out of doors. But
for the bowling of the wind as it madly
tossed the snow. or the barking of dog in
the distance, the solemn silence of our
vigil was unbroken. Every time n dog
barked, up went my wife's window, and out
went her head OF course / initiated her
eXamplp I never before had noticed that