Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-10
FERDINAND.


again, | have a feeling that it Wlll-De
a pleasure and a relief if l tell some
things.
Last year Mrs. Spalding, who lives
in the new house on what we can the
avenoo," took a few boarders through
July and August.
She said they were just as agree
able as they could be and never looked
down on her, and paid a large price.
so that they, the Spaldlngs, houSht
a new set of purple rep for their par
Tor in the fall after their guests"
had gone.
We did not want purple rep, but we
did want a new L on the back of the
house.
We knew that to live on a farm in
a town where there is no railroad near,
and to keep a few hens, and d cow,
and Gordon setter, is not the way to
get money enough to build an L. Mrs.
Spalding'S example was before us.
Early in June we began TO advertise
for a few quiet boarders who could
be accommodated in large, old
fashioned farmhouse shaded by gil
gantic trees.
Miss Catherine Billings, from Bos-
ton, arrived early in July. She brought
an immense amount Of luggage, and
she was dressed with an irreproach-
ableness that was very discouraging to
us, who never bought more than one
new gown a year. Her dog which was
the only being on earth that under
stood her, was pug, and did not look,
at first sight as if he understood any
thing. But the appearance of pugs is
very deceiving. 1t cannot be said,
even by his admirers, that this kind
OF dogs looks intellectual. The fact is,
however, as | learned this last sum-
mer, that a pug can know a great
deal. This particular specimen was
dressed in a very much Ornamented
harness of Russia leather. The orna-
ments appeared to be of gold and
precious stones. His nose turned UP
after the manner OF his kind. His
eyes bulged out and were watery
His whole aspect was the aspect of
one whose little body is aweary Of
this great world" He would sit in
the front hall on his launches by the
hour together, and dOZe and wake to
catch fly or to snap at some one who
wanted to go out at the door. Then
his harness would jingle for an in
slant and his mistress, who was just
outside the door, would say plaintive-
ly:
"Now, Ferdinand, you must be ami
able"
Ferdinand would wag his tail curl
when he heard his friends voice, and
would then go to sleep again, and his
little bells would be silent.
Miss Billings often explained that
Ferdinand did not mean the least
thing in the world by swapping; it was
only a cunning little way he had, and
she hoped that nobody would mind it.
When she used to say this we would
all smile and simper-all except one
of our gentlemen boarders, who wore
a ferocious face every time he saw
the pug or heard him mentioned.
When he thought he was unob-
served he used also to kick Ferdinand.
l saw him do this once, and from the
creatures manner, when Mr.. Heaton
approached, l am sure he did it more
than once.
am one who loves dogs; can even
be friendly to a pug, but | was not
prepared to have this little beast
when l spoke kindly to him, stand up
brace his front legs, jingle his gold
bells, and show his front teeth at me-
i trust l may be pardoned if l say toe
much about Ferdinand, but he was
one of the most prominent of Oul
boarders and he helped to increase the
fund of our l.. Still, though a lover
of dogs, l was not pleased when, on
the third morning after his arrival
Miss Billings entered the kitchen
where my sister was beating eggs and
l was rolling out the pie crust. She
had Oh an almost divine tea gown; hel
hair was fiuffed down to her eyebrows
and l was more uncertain than ever
about her age. She held pen in one
hand, as if she had been what we cal
composing" She had let drop the
fact, at her first breakfast with us
that she sometimes did compose verses
She said they relieved the pent-uI
volcano within her. She did not loOl
in the least as if she were carrying
about pent-up volcano. But one cal
never tell about those things.
She said she thought she would men
ton that it was the morning for Fer
dinand'S bath. Catharine had stopped
beating eggs to hear what our boarde1
had to say. She now replied that Miss
Billings might have a foot-bath tut
for Ferdinand's use if she wished.
Miss Billings looked at her in coo
surprise as she heard this response
She did not speak for several mo
ments and my sister resumed he
work. The lady put the glittering enc
of her penholder to her lips and ap
peared to be shocked. At last sh,
said that she never washed FERDINAND
herself.
Catharine said, ''Indeedr' and
rolled out pie-crust.
"Where 1 boarded last year and tn
year before" went on Miss Billings
''the washing of Ferdinand wa
thrown in"
Catharine again said, Indeed" an
I nipped an edge to my crust.
mentally decided to let Catharine dea
with this person.
at is his day for BATH" repeate
Miss Billings. 81 don't know wha
would happen if he should miss hi
bath on the proper day"