Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-18

pietciuS through the little grOuD With
those sad, eager. human eyes OF his.
Poor fellow! Poor dogr' they said.
Inc children stood q little from him
with grave, touched faces. They were
gazing so earnestly at him that they
did not see their father. who had come
down 10 the Quay-as he came often
10 give a momentary eye to his young
monkeys, and see that -Iev were not
drowning themselves or getting into
any other hopeless mischief. and who
was standing now behind them. and
mad been listening while the master
tod his tale. They only knew he was
there when they suddenly heard his
voice
What are you going to do with
him? Will You part with him?" he
called out to the master. Then the lads
turned round with little cry. ooh,
!stnef! they exclaimed, and their
hearts leaped to their mouths. They
We're afraid TO utter another word; thew
stood with their lips parted with eager,
ness as they waited for the masters
answer.
Well, sir, I'm open to an offer for
him, the man said, after a momnets
silence, and then the children burst
into a shout Of delight.
Ten minutes afterward they were
walking home with the noble beast be-
tween them. They chartered away as
they went Of all that they would do
with him, what they should call him,
how he should 80 everywhere with
them, and how many things they would
teach him; they held him by the ear,
aud clapped his back, and gambolled
round him. Who can tell what his
thoughts were all the time? Who
could tell them, as he walked on with
those dumb wondering. patient eyes Of
his. with the new voices in his ears,
and all like the old world and the old
life gone from him like adream."
We brought him home with us in
week or two, my friend laid to me 1--WE
had been walking up and down the
lawn while he told me tie little story,
and the boys soon grew very fond OF
him; but it is a curious thing that, dur
ing all these five years. he has been
with us now, he has never grown more
than half az home here. I think he has
been as happy with rs as he would
have been anywhere, and more do
Gle, patient, kindly natured beast than
he is you never knew; but yet he has
always TO me been like dog living
with a broken heart ] don't believe
for my part that he has ever forgotten
that old master Of his, whoever he mayi
have been, for q day or an hour since
he lost him Look al him now. Look
what a fine human pathos there is
about that tragic silent face of his.
Depend upon Il. he is thinking Of the
old story az this moment, puZZling il
all ont again, remembering perhaps,
how he saw the boat go down, and
heard his masters last cry, it, indeed,
it was his last Perhaps ne may doubt
even yet whether IL was. l sometimes
think he has still at moments kind o.
t0rlOrn hope that the lost days will
come back again. and the lost eyes lOoS
into his once more"
We went up to him again, where he
lay, and stood looking at him. Ho was
doing, with his eyes half closed in the
sunshine. his black coat, grown q little
rusty now. his ears dropping, his senses,
perhaps. beginning to be dulled by
age, for he was old; he was not likely
90 live much longer, my friend said.
As we stood so be took no notice of
us: he was thinking Of the other things
perhaps in a half-waking dream
living the old life again. Poor
Brutus" l said once and stopped
down to smooth HIS grand old head, butt
still he did not move or look up.
"Ah. ne doesn't care for that name,
my friend said He Will answer TO it
sometimes. but he knows very well that
he had another name once quite differ
eut from 'Brutus.' We have never been
able 70 find out what II was; It Is buried,
too. with all the rest Of his history.
We heard the boys voices coming to-
ward us merrily, and their footsteps
on the gravel under the chestnut trees.
For a moment Brutus opened his eyes
az the sound of them. and gently moved
his bushy tail; then, stretching out his
great forepaws with a peaceful sigh, he
laid his head down on them and doZed
again. We left him lying so. slumber-
ing calmly in the sunshine with his
doggish faithful thoughts. perhaps,
gone dreamily back TO the old days and
hearing in sleep tho old voices that
were lost to him forever in that sOrTOw-
ful night when the unknown ship went
down at sea.