River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-08-01
A PRODIGAL'S RETURN.
The Touching Tale of Donai and
His Double.

His Double.
Ambrose Dorniey lived al Up
pertrooke. Upperbroode is pretty
better than pretty, indeed; one
might almost call If picturesque vii
lage, fully three miles from a railway
station, though within an hour and "A
half from London. Mr. Dornley's
residence (for in this case there is
no avoiding the Objectionable world.
Brooke Hamlet stood at one end Of
the village. l. was scarcely important
enough 10 be described as a place.
yet. as there was nothing Of sub
urbs villa about it, the exact term
Is difficult 10 find. II was an old
house. too. and had belonged TO its
present owners for more shan one
generation. Mr.. Dornley was a man
Of quiet tastes: cOutented with his lot:
neither impulsive or irascible; By no
means ..hOrsey." though such horses
Is he had were Unexceptionable; a
good husband and father. though far
from weakly iudulgeut in either re
latiOn; with but one idiOsyncrasy in
tho least approaching a foib.e, and
that was his dog, his .D0nal'-DOnal
aithout the final ID. . be it observed.
which | am assured Is the true aud
original form OF the Gaelic name.
DOnal, or Don" as the DOrulcy boys
abbreviated il. was. as might be
guessed. a collie. real. thoroughbred
collie of the best, a splendid fellow,
even in the eyes of a dog ignoramus
like myself, on whom doubtless many
of his finest points" were thrown
away, but who nevertheless could
keeuly appreciate his handsC me
physique. his rough yet glossy coat, his
bushy tail. best of all his bright. intent,
loving brown eyes; loving. that is to
say. where his faith and affection were
due, for Don was no fool to make
friends with the first conner. We will
not call him suspicious il is an ugly
word; rather let Us say he was gifted
with fair share Of Scottish caution.
which rendered his confidence. once
acquired. all the better worth having.
All UpperbroolSe knew Don. nearly
an Upperbrooke loved him. and the
dislike with which he was regarded by
the few inevitable ne cr-dO-weels or
sour and grabbed souls ia the little So
ciety. IN itself compliment TO the
higi9-minded collie. never intesiiied into
asv thing like hatred. There was Moth
ing about him 10 cali forth such a senti-
mcut: he never int-rfcrcd when not de-
sired To TO SO: hi, disapprovaI was in
Dictated, but BY q more diguified de-
meaacr, a something in the sweep Of
h5s tail, in the sitter erecting of his
ears. rs in IOrdly contempt he stalked
past. Nor was this silent protest in
cfiicaciou- on all occasions. There ran
legend that a small Dornley had been
brought to the avOwal OF a childish
misdemeanor By DonaTs influence
Don isn't pleased with me, mann
ma. the boy sobbed Quito his mother
who was weIl-nigh a. fond of the dog
as was her husband. lie hasn't said
any thing. bat has looked at me -. and
.quiCked up his ears aud done his tail
Mt me. and its because he knows I've
been naughty.
To dog-iovcrs, at least. even To those
with no very special leaning in this
direction. il will not be difficult to
picture the dismav and CONSERVATION
with which one morning there broke
upon the ears Of the poruley family
the fell news that their Doual was lost.
III news spreads quickly, but in this
ease. uuiuckily. those whom the dis
astcr most concerned We're the last TO
hear ol it, For Mr.. and Mrs. DOrnley
had been away from home for two days
and night only, returning by the last
arain. when. according 10 the servants
opinion, il was too late to do any thing
more than. in the masters absence.
they had already done themselves.
This. III least. was the coJchman's cN-
cu-e when me- by Air DOnley's imper-
atiye rcproach.
Why ,..a yol 10; tell me at once
wher YOU came 10 meet Us at the sta
tiou last uight2"
Then followed the particulars Don
hal been missing since about three
o'clock the day before. at which hour
various witnesses were able To deposc
10 having seen him strOiliug about the
grounds rs usual And. a. worse luck
would have t.. about that very hour
there had passed through the village
and along the highrOad 20 London a
number of vans. travelling menagerie
vans. OF a second or tnird-rate class.
-Trs.rr-srsn~ s7rsfr-.ar= aud
wild-bcast keepers and what not. more
or less OF the rihratf ORDER who ac-
company them.
Mr.. Dornley's face grew stern; Flor
euce. his wife. was already very pale,
biting her lips 10 keep back rs r tears;
the little boys were weeping audibrr.
Yes that was the worst of il. As
the coachmau. determined. now he had
taken the plunge. 20 make a clean
breast OF 1t. related the fatal coinci-
dence. the same thought struck every
one. Faithful. sagacious Donal was
not lost. but stolen.
He Is far too intelligent ever to be
lost" said the dogs master, sadly.
Besides, l heve often noticed that
when am away he has a sort OF ieel-
ing that he is left in charge Don I
You remember. Florence, as we drove
OF the other day, DOnal was on the
lawn with the children. and he came
forward as we called out Goodbye,
and wagged his tail and looked up As
much rs TO say: Trust me I'll look
after them all No. Don is not lost F"