The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-11
THE MAGIC EMINENT.

All day long the sun had been pouring
Its heat down into Cherry street, until the
pavement was as hot as the sands of the
Sahara. A cool breeze ruffled the surface
ofthe East river, but through those canyons
of brick and mortar, only a stones throw
from the river, not a breath of life giving
air was in motion. But when the lights
were lit on the big bridge, and the sun
went down behind the Goddess of Liberty,
the stars acu the children came out TO-
gether. From every doorway came a
troop of little ones who had been shut III
side the tenements all day as if in ovens.
Such scene Of JOY and freedom ensued as
only the children of the poor experience
when the night comes, for the moon and
stars are more kind to little children in a
big city than the fiery sun.
Glad Shouts echoed up and down Cherry
street as the little ones raced back and
forth from curb 10 curb and under the idle
trucks. Meanwhile the parents of the
children sat in the doorway and watched
the play. The girls were engaged in those
simple games which their mothers had
played when they were little, while the
boys were busy with more athletic exer-
cises, when "A small hunchback boy came
down gloomy Middle alley, followed by
small dog. The boy snapped his fingers,
and the dog began to jump playfully
about him.
johnnie Murphy couldn't join in the
sports of boys of his own age because of
his deformity, ana 50 all the currents of
his nature were poured out lavishly upon
the dog Nip and Johnnie were insepara-
bic. Ever since the boy had found the dog
shlvering ia the alley one cold winters
morning, and had carried the animal up
TO his mothers stove, where the half
starved beast had been warmed and fed
the two had been always together The
tricks which Nip could perform were the
marvel OF the alley. He would jump over
chairs at the bidding Of his master, carry
put OF milk in an open pail without
splitting drop, bark for "a piece of bread
and bring Johnnie his Shoes in the morn
ing. Although Nip was mongrel, his eye
was as soft aud has tail vagged as elo-
quently as that of the finest bred setter
1t was 10 O'Clock when johnnie and Nip
emerged from the alley into the street. an
nour when the children of more fortunate
parents were tucked away in bed for the
night. But still Cherry street resounded
Johnnie seated himself upon a doorstep.
while Nip made Il little excursion into the
gutter. After smiling around for awhile
lie found "A section Of bone which had once
some duty in the shank of a Texan steer.
Lifting it to the sidewalk he placed his
lore paws upon it and contentedly gnawed
1T it.
In the meantime a wagon had stopped in
the shadow of a tall building about 100
:eeU away. A young man. who wore 10
coat and whose shoes were shod with rub
Der, dropped to the sidewalk from the
wagon and came softly down the street,
keeping close to the buildings and care
FULLY avoiding the street lamps SO silent
was his approach that even the sharp eyes
of the children failed TO see him. When
within feet yards of Nip he darted sudden
ly upon the dog, grabbed it by one of the
hind legs and started up street as swiftly
as he could run. Nip began TO "ki-yi" in
q way that awakened the echoes in the
street, and Johnnie sprang to his feet cry
ing in frenzy of grief:
de dog ketchersl Oh, de dog ketchersr'
Men, women and children started in a
mad rush after the heeingman. Hampered
IS he was by the swapping and frantic ami
mai, the dog catcher was unable TO run
fast, and before he had covered 200 feet of
sidewalk he was tripped by an agile youth.
He still retained his hold of Nip however,
but when he regained his feet he was sur
rounded by shrieking mob, which he
Kept at bay 10y swinging the dog around
his head. he lodged just in time to avoid
:. brickbat which grazed his ear, and
backed slowly up toward the wagon. The
women screamed, Kill hinIl Kill himr'
and the men swore terrible oaths as they
pressed upon him from every side. With
Il sudden spring which knocked a would
he rescuer upon the cobblestones, the dog
catcher got under the wagon, the trap
door was thrown open by confederate, a
whip swisned viciously upon the horses
back, there was rattle of wheels, a laugh
ofvictory, and the dog catchers disappeared
Down Pearl street. The enraged dwellers
n Cherry street ran franucally after the
wagon for block, and then one by one
.orrowfully abandoned the pursuit and
Returned to Middle alley to condole with
Johnnie Murphy on the loss of his dog.
The boy was iuconsolable. He was the |
center of group OF fifty children who tried /
10 cheer him with promises Of another dog |
which each one intended TO procure for /
him. But none of these promises gave |
Johnnie any comfort. He wanted Nip. |
There wasn't another pup IN the world as |
smart as him." he faltered out between his /
sobs. Johnnie was carried up the long, 1
winding stairs TO his bed in the arms of his |
father. The play in the street was broken /
up for the nigHt, and one by one the chill j
ireu entered Jae tenementS, and Cherry /
street was deserted.
The incident had aroused 50 much feel 1
ng in the sued, however, that an effort was
made TO rescue the dog by the fathers and /
mothers OF tue children. They knew that 1
Nip would be taken 10 the pound before |
morning and that unless three dollars was
,aised before the following evening the /
light in Nip's eyes would be qUenched for
lver and the eloquent wag OF his tail would
pc stiiled.
And so Roger Doolau took upon himself /
he office OF collector. lie cauyassed the
whole block before he went TO bed, and 1
n2ny a dime which had been LAID away for 4
household necessities found It's way into i
ms pocket. The dog and its deformed |
owner were as well known in the locality /
rs the children aud each householder con-
Irlbuted cheerfully toward the object, re-
serving some very strong language for the
dog catchers And while the collection
was In progress Johnnie tossed Uneasliy on /
bis pillow. He missed the familiar dog |
which Away slept on the quilt beside
him When he dropped into ftful stun
Ter he awoke with start when he found
{ II Mp wss not IN his accustomed place,
anu his grief was naewed ike a tid2I
,S3ve with each asx-1 Ls-srs-
When tie nisJ rolled up from the East
river Roger Dooian started for the pound,
and Johnnie went down upon the walk TO