River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-08-01

OF no special value or attraction to
themi they had auadrupeds enough
It was quite possible that he did not
know of it, and more than probable
that the thief had already disposed of
his ill-gOtten gain. There was moth
ing to be learned in this quarter. Then
the master of the Hamlet went off to
London; he put advertisements in
every daily paper; posters here, there
and everywhere; visited half the po-
lice stations and all the dogs homes in
the metropolis. in vain, coming home
discOnsOlate, to be met at the station
by Simpkins. the cOachman. and Jeph-
son. the groom, in an equally limp and
detected condition. having each Of
them been securing the country in new
directions on his own account, with a
like fruitless result
Next followed the tantalizing tor
ment OF f;.se-nOt alarms. but hopes.
as quickly quenched as excited. For
| some days every post brought letters
telling of canine waits and strays, the
lOtsam and the jetsam of Dogland APP
parently, all over the country, alike
| but in one particular-their total and
entire unIikeness to the collie so care
fully and efficiently described ia the
advertisements which had called forth
this flood of useless response.
1T must be the high reward you Of
fered. said Mrs Dornley. illogically,
it must be confessed. a. if. as her hus-
band pointed out, any hope of reward
could turn a mastiT or "A pug into a
collie, though some few of the letters
which cOntented themselves with in
forming the advertiser that dog San
swering description" had turned up at
/ Twickenham Ferry or st. Leonard's-
On-Sea were even more trying. For to
more than one of these latter Mr..
Dornley was tempted to reply by "go-
ing himself or sending Simpkins, a
/ proceeding sure to end in disappoint-
ment and indignation at the waste of
time and trouble. as in no case was the
individual produced for their inspec-
Z tion the least like Donal,
1T is no use; we must give 10 up
and try TO forget him. said the collie's
master at last, bitterly. 1T really is
the most mysterious thing. II one
could but be sure the dear fellow was
properly treated. and not suffering in
any way, it would not seem so bad"
He Is surely too valuable and hand
| some to run any risk of neglect or ILL
| treatment" Mrs Florence ventured to
observe. with more success this time.
as her usug,iy sweet-tempered, but Of
late sore! y-irritated. husband allow !.
''thers might be something in that.
And as the days went on the chill
drcl. rs children must. began to for
/ get their old friend little; they left
of crying when they said their pray
ers at night at the special petition
/ they had themselves composed that
/ dear Don might soon come safe
home" and the empty kennel was
/ pushed into a corner of the yard. and
| Simpkins even limited to Jephson that
'.master'd do well to look out for a
good watchdog; 'twasn't well to be
/ without in a country place. and so
many tramps passing; and this time
/ he hoped it 'ud be a kind as was used
/ to be chained up But he had not
got so far as to suggest this to mas
| ter himself. in whose own heart
Don's own corner still ached as if the
I wound were but now inflicted, when
one evening there came out orders to
have the dog cart ready for the station
| 10 catch the $3.50 train the next morn
ing. Mr.. DOrnley was going up to
town.
: This was no very unusual occurrence;
once a fortnight or so the owner of
Brooke Hamlet ran up for the day for
he was not an idle man. and belonged
to more than one scientific or learned
/ society.
Iii speak of new dog tonight
when I'm driving him home" said
Simpkins. Its really not fitting to
be without one. And after all dogs
a dog, 'tisn't like losing a child of ones
own.
"'Tisn't much less. | take il, to
master, said JephsOn. II never, no /
never seed "A gentleman more took up
with four-footed beast than he were
with DOnal. and the creature deserved
it. he aid. tn 90 against me to see
another in his place; can't but say as
/ it will
Simpkins probably felt the same,
though he would not own to it. And
it was to him a sort of reprieve when
at the very last moment Mr. Doraley
\ told him not to meet him on his re-
\ turn; he was not sure of his train, and
would like the walk. The suggestion
/ the man had on his conscience to make
must wait till another opportunity.
1t was now fully three, getting on
I deed for four months. since DOnaps dis
appearance. One or two vel meaning
neighbors going up by the same train
as Mr.. DOrnley and in the same car
riage. hazzarded a question or two. to
which they knew the answer be- it
came.
No. no; 70 news of D0nal. poor
/ fellow" was his masters reply, rather
| shortly given. as he FASTENED TO change
the subject by some remark on last
nights debate or the unsettled state of
South Africa.
Upon my word" said one of these
would-be sympathizers to another, as
7 they shared hansome to the city.
I .'Dornlcy is almost absurd about his
dog His face clouds over. and he
shuts one mp. If one mentions the
| creature. rs if Don had been his dear
est friend.
..Ye-es." said the other. younger
and more impressionable man, per
haps SO. Still. If you've never gone
through it yourself. its a thing you
can't understandable your dog, |
mean. and he heayed n sigh TO The
memory OF some past experience of the
kind.
Mr.. Dornley was signing too. though
not audibly, Is he strolled up Regina
street.
Wish those fellows had helu their
tongues" he was saying to himself
Their commOn-sense might have told
them it wasn't pleasant subject.
wish 70 goodness could forget about
my poor dog ia even give some
/ thing 10 know he was dead.
As he thought thus. from n side
d IL