San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-05-15
MY KLEPTOMANIAC.

As the great Sir Walter says, the pub
lie likes the big bowwOw. Yet what if
try whether it may not be interested
also in the little bowwOw?
The little bowwow took an immense
interest in me at first sight. He was
such poor and friendless creature, and
it was such a cold and clustering night
that | had not the heart to shut the door
in his face as he stood wagging his tail
in the stream of light from the open hall
and looking upon me appealingly, with
big, innocent brown eyes, from under a
silky fringe of hair that appeared to hint
of Skye descent, though rather more
than less remote.
Yes, he is certainly mOngrel, this Art
full Dodger of mine. Perhaps if he had
been of good honest Skye strain this tale
could never have been told of him.
However, in he came with me that
night, and out he went with me next
evening for the first of our walks abroad.
1t was only round couple of corners
on an errand to the green grocers about
themorrow's list. which had not properly
been made up, but when l pulled my
glove off at the home door to grapple the
better with the difficulties of the latch
key, | felt a cold nose thrust into my
hand-nay, more than a cold nose, an
apple. which so red and glossy as it was,
l was quite sure my provident friend
had selected from the very basket Of ap-
pies l had just ordered home from under
the green grOCer's counter.
That was excusable enough perhaps
But what followed day by day exhausted
all my stock of apologies for my poor
kleptOmaniaC.
Day by day there was something Of
of my neighbors' goods laid at my door.
One morning it would be prime beef
steak fresh from the butchers stall; an
other, it would be dainty handkerchief
thrust into my hand as we walked to-
gether along Chestnut street. soon
learned to eschew the shopping quarter,
however, when we were out together.
But my Artful Dodger was too much for
me. One snowy day all the neighbors'
doormats were piled up in our vestibule
and my poor little fellow crept out from
among them wagging his tail with a
delighted consciousness Of merit as
came up the steps.
Some Fagin had trained him. There
was not a doubt of that 1t was the
part of a Christian moralist to reclaim
him, not to turn him adrift in his evil
ways, l argued. l seemed, however, to
be the only Christian in the house, or,
indeed, in the whole block. fancy they
would have left my poor little fellow to
go to the bad altogether in another neigh
borhood remote from theirs. But then
he never looked up at them with his big,
innocent brown eyes, trimming with
love and trust, as he did at me.
"'Love me, love my dog, said to
Hugh one evening as l stood with him
in the yestibule, and the Artful Dodger
whined so piteously on the other side of
the closed door that was obliged to let
him out to walk with us. Then | could
feel myself blush furiously, for though
Cousin Hugh and | were-well, it is hard
to say what we We're, but this unlucky
speech of mine was certainly the first
word of love that had passed between us.
l was glad to 90 down on my knees to
the little fellow leaping about me to es-
cape the eyes of the big fellow standing
over me, for felt sure there was a laugh
in them.
when your dog is as honest as you
are, Kitty" said Hugh, Il may perhaps
begin to love him as
LAS | do?' answered, my dog and
springing down the steps together gayly
i wouldn't advise you to. Evil com
munications corrupt good manners, tc
quote still another prOverb, and my Art
full Dodger may teach me as much as
have failed in teaching him, poor boy"
"At that rate it is as well am taking
you both to poor quarter of the city,
said Hugh. And indeed l felt that thC
dog might helpt cheer the little crippled
lad he was taking me to see.
1t was not the first time DR.. Hugh hai
carried me off to see some patient of his
Elizabeth had malicious wav of hint
ing that he had me ON probation as I
model doctors wife. But Cousin Hugl
and had been comrades ever since
could remember, and when was out O
reach Of Elizabeth's sharp tongue Their
was seldom anything to remind me tina
we had not been boys together, instea
of girl and boy.
The one step from the sublime to tn
ridiculous is short one in my neighbor
hood, and We had taken it in a tur
around the corner from the stately ter
raced street where was my home. TIL
absurd little boxes in which the peopl
here were housed might be an improve
ment on the great tenements Of othe
cities but to, take them seriously a