The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-30
A QUEER CLUB.


have one on my place. Its members are
little dogs, and my own little gray ter
rier, Gypsy, is the President.
The President of club is the head OF
it, and he is chosen, as a rule. because
the other members like him; but / am
afraid the other dogs chose Gypsy be-
cause he would not belong unless every
thing was juet as he wished.
| found out about the club in this
way: watched the dogs on the lawn.
and could almost hear them say to one
another: I'VE really don't want Gypsy
in this club at all; much less to rule it;
but he has such nice grounds. right on
the corner. where we can chase every
horse on both streets! Then, too, there
are such lot of cats around his place,
and they don't belong to him, so we may
chase them too"
They have learned by this time that
Gypsy is very careful Of his own prop
erty, even if it is cat. He allows no
other dog to touch his bone. or even to
stay on his lawn, unless by his leave.
Sometimes l have seen him chase off
big mastiff by hanging on to his tail, if
he would go in no other way. | have
wanted very much to tell the other dog
to turn around and chase Gypsy. Then
he would see how fast Gypsy could run.
But. for some reason, big dogs never
seem to de this.
Well, as told you, Gypsy is President.
Perhaps now you would like to know
who the other dogs are. Max, little
black dachshund, is next in Importance.
Mamma will tell you what queer look
ing dog dachshund is. His legs are
very short, and seem to turn in. but he
is very valuable as hunting dog. Then
there is lovely white collie, with brown
spots on his head and tail, black poodle,
and red Irish setter.
Max is a bright little fellow, though
of course he cannot run very fast be-
cause Of his short legs. We watched
him one day trying to catch cat. He
was smart enough to keep tree in d.
rect line between the cat and himself,
and crept along so gently and so softly
that we could not hear a sound, and the
cat could not either. He sneaked along
in this way, stopping once in while to
peep out to one side and see if the cat
was still there, until he was almost upon
her and then sprang from behind the
tree, expecting to alight right on her.
But she was too quick for him and, to
his great disgust, ran up the tree and
was out of his reach before he quite un.
derstood what had happened.
Every morning. when our coachman
goes to the post Office to get the mail,
the Club goes with him. l think the
dogs must take this time to make plans
for the day. for they seem to be talking
80 busily to each other that they must
be arranging some matter of great i'm
portance.
The other morning saw such funny
sight from my window. The Club sat
in row on the lawn watching the boys
from the military school going through
their drill. From their looks / felt sure
they were saying: How glad we are that
we are not boys, but just dogs that can
eat bones, and do not have to go through
those tiresome things!"
Yesterday morning they all started on
a hunt after cat. Max led the process
sion. but Gypsy would not go because
he decided that Max only thought the
cat was there, but was not sure. l
watched them look for the cat, but they
did not find it, and at last they all came
back and started on the right trail.
Then, and not till then, did Gypsy condo
scend to join them. And he found the
cat, too. The last / saw of the Club
that day it was flying up the street in
a body, the poor cat at the head of it,
and the President just behind.
One day Max came home with badly
hurt shoulder. and Gypsy did not cone
at all. The Club was all broken up.
For three days | hunted everywhere,
but no one had seen my little dog. and
| could find no trace of him. Every
day the other dogs in the Club would
come and scratch on my front door, and
when l ran 10 open it. hoping it might
be Gypsy. there would be the face of an
other little dog looking up at me, and
trying to say: why can't he come Out?
Hasn't be come back YETI"
On the fourth day, bitter cold one, l
went to a friends house to ask her if
she bad seen my little dog We were
walking through the grounds and talk
ing about him, when suddenly l heard
sharp, weak little bark, and cried: "That
is my dog!'
No one believed me but insisted, and
so we searched the place, and in an old
we'll, which was empty and not very
deep, we found him. He had recognized
my voice and tried to call me. Some
men fished him out with rope and a
slip-knot, and he was a pitiful sight.
He was almost starved, and stiff with
the cold. But We took the best care of
him, and now he is fatter and more in
dependent than ever.
He is still President of his Club, and
seems to realize the importance of his