Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-01-30
A Pair OF Friends.

ry homeward groups OF tired shop
girls from the Broadway and Sixth eve
nue. stores hasten by to the elevated
road at the door of Il grocery store
woman is bargaining with a jolly Ger
man in his shirt sleeves for some OF his
mornings vegetables now withered
law darkies, ready for any fun, lounge
about the streets, and now and then
newsboy, with an unsold bundle under
his arm. calls out the evening papers.
On particular evening | have i'll mind
the crowd seemed larger and more in
hurry than usual, and the intense cold
was twice as hard TO bear, because the
| sleet and snow cut one cruelty III the
face, and made the pavement very slip
| perry
As the crowd swept by, shabby lit
tie dog crept out of a hole under some
steps, and looked furtively about him.
Running on little he again stopped
and looked about, holding up one paw,
wistfully, after the manner of small
dogs. \ boy came whistling by. with
his hands in his pockets, and the little
dog ran up to him wagging his tail in
most beseeching way, but only to re-
ceive cruel kick and a Get out !!
The tail dropped sadly at this rebuff,
but, taking new courage, he meekly
sdled up to each boy who passed, al
though he did not dare to 60 near the
grown men. But if he hoped to find a
friend OF about his own size, he must
have grown discouraged, for h got
nothing but cross words. blows and
kicks.
Just then little bootbiack came by,
with his jacket-collar turned up and
his backing box slung over his shoul-
der. Seeing the wistful little creature.
Jim held out his hand to him, patted
him on the head, and whistled him TO
follow. Overjoyed the small dog jump
ed to touch his friends hand, wagged
his tail, and showing bis joy in every
possible way, kept close at the boys
heels while the latter threaded his way
among the crowd and talked to himself
in a way he had
Guess he haint got no home nuther.
amt quite rich enough to set up a
dog, bul II give him some supper any
how"
Plunging down the steps ola restau
rant where dinner Of five coursee was
to be had for twenty-five cents, and
where the air was full of mixture of
onions. cabbage and tobacco, he sat
down to dinner of pork and beans,
with a great piece OF bread, feeding the
latter to his new friend, whose delight
and hunger were something wonder
ful.
"Most starved, wasn't We? Well, I'll
! fill Yer up fer onct." and he patted the
dog kindly on the head
When the pair reached the limit, not
of their appetites but of JIM purse, the
boy said:
Now, afore we 90 home, We'll look
the things in the wind-rs, and see
tne rich uns goin' to the theater."
So they wandered up Broadway and
down Sixth avenue, shifting wistfully at
the candy stores, wondering at tie
glittering diamonds in the jewelers.
windows, and laughing at the harle
quins and jumping Jacks in the toy
shops AT least, Jim did all these
things, and as his small friend kept
very close TO him. and wagged his tail
very emphatically whenever Jim spoke
to him. no doubt he had the same feel
ings.
Finally the pair of friends were quite
benumbed with the cold, and both were
covered with q coating of snow and
sleet. So they turned away from the
bright avenue 10 little dark side street,
and then into a vacant lot where an
old house had been pulled down and
the cellar filled with packing boxes
from the neighboring stores, and rub
bish of all kinds. Picking his way care
fully to particular box, lower than
the others and sheltered from the wind,
jim crawled in, and the little dog fol-
lowed.
The furnace must be out - laughed
jim. as he wrapped himself in bit OF
old carpeting which he pulled out OF a
hole, and lay down in the corner tar
i. thest from the opening. The little dog
curled up at his feet. aad so they slept
the happy sleep OF youth and inno-
cence.
Toward morning smoke began to
come through the cracks in the box,
and presently flame appeared, ana
soon the DOX was III L o!aHc. NC littiS
dog, shifting the smoke, woke up,
whined, and touched Jim with his paw,
but jim did not wake. Finally he ran
to his face and put his cold nose right
on Jim's cheek The boy woke with a
start, and had just time to rush out
!, with his blackiug-box in one arm and
the little dog in the other, before the
opening was closed by the flames. Il
was too early TO think of business yet,
: so Jim seated himself on the steps Of a
neighboring house, and thought
':Well, we're turned out, he NUT.
tered. Guess it's cause hain't paid
: no rent. And if it hadn't ben fer YOU.
/, he said. patting the dog almos; tender
IL II shouldn't ha' needed that kind o
t a box any more
The little dog got close to him anC
licked mis- hand. while he looked at hin
:, "S'lons's / have anything to eat
ID vou'll have part of ii, Jim said, chok
Inc down a sob and huggng the dog.