Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-01-13

summer night unseen and unmoestod /;
his heart was humping madly and his hands
trcnbled as he smoothed the black coat Of
the dog and whispered an excited message
ever and anon in the pricked-up silken ears.
At first he did not pause to think that he
could lay no claim to the animal that he
must give him up whether he wished 10 or
not that he was worth almost his weight
in gold-thc shivering bit of life in his
arms The exultant thought Of something
at last TO care for superseded all others for
the time.
But when they were as comfortably es-
tablshed as possible on the bench, the
thoughts crowded up fast and faster, while
above and drowning all others was the sud
den conviction that the dog was not his
apprecative object of affection as he was
save for the few short hours of the night.
The thought was singing it hurt him
brave little soul as he was-more than he
realized at the time. The little creature
nesting close TO his heart in perfect CON
tent-the first living creature for which he
had ever cared-must be put away from
him when the morrow came. There was
the collar with a name and address en-
gravcd on the gold plate around his neck,
and he ran his fingers nervously under it
against the warm throat and pulled the
silken ears, arguing with himself, smother
ing the wild thoughts that would rise Of
many ways in which he might retain the
dog of hiding places where he could he
kept safe from detection of destroying
the collar; Of keeping him in spite of own
ers or detectives or advertisements There
was no reason why he should return TO the
elegantly dressed lady, who had pushed
him aside so scornfully, her lost pet. He
had not hooked" him he had stumbled
upon him there, and finding was keeping
all the fellows went on that principle.
Then over the dogs head his gaze wan
dered TO where, diinly seen between the
quivering leaves of the trees and the glim-
mer Of the lights, the gray monument rose
above the quieting streets.
''Et seems ter me Pm a sorter fool bout
EN-, he muttered TO himself, pressing the
silken animal to his breast dull ache at
his heart, his lips catching a fleeting bit of
the same expression on the stern face down
yonder, but if | amt nothin' ter nobuddy
{ least needn't be shamed o. myseJW
And he resolutely crushed down all re
bellious thoughts that started up in his
mind, and shut his lips and his eyes tight,
and cuddling the dog against his heart, lay
still-almost as still as the granite figures
ht HtAb ii'i iiiE5 linledtl VI btlnE bul
with his papers as usual, he plodded up
town TO the address on the collar, the dog,
grown restless, struggling to free himself
from the restraining arms.
The family were not astir, the servant
said who opened the door for him at No
1913, but they would gladly pay him the
reward offered for the return of the dog,
if he would wait.
But Jack, choking down a strange lump
in his throat, turned away with quaint
air Of dignity as he muttered that he did
MT want no reward-he didn't come fer
nOthin' like that ~
And the maid fastened to close the door
as the dog struggled to return to his new
acquaintance and the boy returned to the
sale Of his papers on the hot, dusty streets,
aud the gray horse and his rider stood i'm
movable at the sunny corner of the square
II. h. LUdium in ChurchmdH.