Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-03-26

no longer lonely, contentedly trying to
find u name for that dog AT last he
determined to call it Bessie" after
the much admired daughter Of the com.
handing officer, and with complete
disregard for the entire inappropriate.
ness of the name.
After he had settled this to his salts.
faction, he tried to discover accomplish
ments in the creature. Here, Bessie,
old boy. Set up now, set up. Cant you
set up? Well, then, give us your paw,
here, paw, paw, now. Can't yru give us
your paw? Well, then, lie down;
charge, charge, charge-down, lie
down, down. Can't you charge? Well,
then, speak, speak, Bessie, speak.
speak now. Wow!-speak." But Bcs.
sic could only follow him with his
bright, curious eyes ard come when
called. So the solace of many more
hours of patient waiting lay in teaching
Bessie these and many other tricks,
until he was the most accomplished
dog in all the garrison and greatly be.
loved at the barracks. Duffy was lit
tie annoyed about the comment the in
appropriate name called forth, but he
insisted that 1t was as good as another,
and the inccngruity was soon lost in
Bessies popularity.
Caldwell saw the dog on rnre occa-
scns. 1t stayed in its masters room,
ind slept en- his bed, and waxed fat in
retirement, He had spoken of it sew
cral times, but otherwise took no notice
OF its existence, which secretly riled
Duffy. But Caldwell was preoccupied,
and not quite himself. He came home
great deal the worse for wine one
night, and Bessie, being in his way, got
n kick that sent him crouchng to his
masters side Caldwell might far bet.
ter have kicked Duffy; however, the
striker understood and sympathized
with the lieutenant's condition. lie
himself could never have kicked dog,
even after payday, but all men are not
alike; SO Duffy petted Bessie and shut
him up i'll his own room, and returned
to look after the bodily comfort Of his
master.
This-considering the wine--was
pardonnblc but the next oilcnse could
not be condoned. II occurred in
broad daylight and Caldwell was sober.
lie had been having an explanation
with the commanding officer, and that
gentleman had made reflection upon
some Of the lieuteDant's fnst-growing
habits that had exasperated the al
ready over-worried junior almost be-
You'd endurance. lie strobe into his
quarters and found Duffy, who wus not
expecting him, dividing his attention
between Bessies charms and the
buckle of his masters belt. Now,Ees-
sizes disposition inclined him to for
give, he ran to Caldwell, looked up to
his face with soft, affeclionate eyes,
aud put his little paws, one yellow and
one white, upon his knee. Caldwell
did not dare to kick the commandment,
but he kicked Bessie-and broke the
yellow paw. II was the one always
held out to Duffy to greet him.
Duffy bandaged the paw, and in
time 1t grew well. But Duffy hated
Caldwell with the most dangerous Of
hatreds--a silent and waiting one.
Caldwells habits did not improve.
His fondness for whisky, whether good
or bad, continued, He had good
whisky in his room, and Duffy knew II;
TOR he belonged to the old school of
strikers who do not look upon cigars or
tobacco MS private property.
One day, after Bessic's foot was well,
Duffy went 10 get drink, because his
spirits We're low. There was very little
whisky In the decanter, barely half q
glassful, and an idea suddenly flashed
into the strikers mind. Caldwell was
officer Of the day. He never started to
make the rounds without takingenough
liquor TO keep him warm, and Duffy
knew 1t, and saw his revenge laid bare.
The striker took Bessie for a walk
over to the hospital, to show the steward
the mended paw.
Say said Duffy, "I've got the tooth
nche. ] didn't sleep none last night.
llev ye got what's that We give
me once? Laudanum. was il? Kin 70
let me hcv bt?"
"Why, yes; guess So" the steward
and went into the dispensary
10 get it.
"Shall ! take oil that?' inquired tho
striker, with sweet simplicity.
Lord no, man. Put some on cotton
md stick IL in the tooth"
"0hl And what wud It do to me II
vas to swallow II? Wud it kill me?"
mo, there amt enough for that. 10
would put you pretty fast asleep,
hough.'
oh" said Duffy, again.
Then Bessie went through his tricks
or the steward, and trotttd back home
t his masters heels.
That night Caldwell finished the
'hisky in the decanter, and grumbIed
hat the sutler was selling him vile
astng stuff, then started off a little
lille afterward to make his rounds.
he next day he was under arrest-for
on duty.
And Duffy. who had. with well-played
given some OF the most dam
glng testimony in regard to Caldwell's
ablts at the court-martial, which dis
Kissed the latter, said good-by to the
lsgraced man with a sparke-which
as not of tears-in his eyes; and he
Did Bessie TO give the "liftiDant Lhe