Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-01-23


Ponto was enamorcd of certain
wooden ball about the size of Il billiard
ball. In moment of weakness | had
purchased this one day and brought
il home. Ponto, Immediately seized it,
rolled it toward me, and said: Throw
that over there in the rose bushes. |
will find it. You see il don't" So
said, so done. The ball was thrown,
and Ponto found 1t. But he became
rather irksome with his desire to re-
trieve the ball, because his favorite re-
mark to me became: "Play ball" He
had fashion OF coming into my study
with brisk air, wagging his tail, with
the ball held in his mouth. Then, plac-
ing his forepaws on the table, he would
put the precious ball in the middle Of
the papers, letters and books and say:
"There is my ball. Now toss it out of
the window, and l will go and get it..
That will be very much more amusing
than wasting your time on all these
stupid papers and books" l would fire.
9aently feign to hurl the ball from the
window, and, like flash, Ponto would
disappear. A few minutes would pass
before Ponto would reappear with the
forepaws at the window and rcmark:
"Say you, you man with the papers, |
don't find anything here. The ball
isn't in the garden. You must have
kept it." Then he would come in at the
Goor, go shifting around under the fur
niture and in the partly opened desk
drawers, and then, with the air of II
man who smites his forehead and dis
covers something, he would look in
guiringly at you and say: 81 will
wager that it is on the table" He was
right-with his intelligent eye he had
followed your glance. lfyou attempted
then to conceal the ball, there was an
end to the work. He burst into extray-
agant gayety, jumped after the ball,
followed your least movements and
would not quit you, laughing encr-
geticaly with his tail
% s.1tass 4 cI,etimcs b ink TINT
he was one of those men turned into
dogs, of whom we read in the fairy
stories. His eyes were deep, tender and
human, and at times they seemed to
say: "What would you? ] am only a
fouY-footed beast, but | have human
heart--a better one than that of many
men. am beast, and have suffered
much. | suffer still, because | cannot
express myself in speech and tell you
in those things you call words, my fidel-
ity and devotion. Yes, am yours, and
love you like dog. Whatever belongs
to you is secure. just let anybody
touch it, and you will see."
But Ponto and fell out one day. II
was very unfortunate affair. Only
those people, who, like myself. believe
blindly dogs, will understand me. This
is what happened: The cook had killed
two chickens, and had gone into the adj
joining pantry to get basket to put the
feathers in as she plucked them. Wher
she returned to the kitchen she uttered
shriels-onc of the two chickens was
gone. Yet she had been absent but 4
few minutes.
"Ah!" said the cook refectively, levi
IDENTITY some beggar has passed by here
and has taken one of the chicken.
through the window"
She looked out Of the door in order
to find the supposititious bcggar, bu
there was nobody there. Then for {
moment she thought it must be the dog
but she was at once seized with re
morse.
"What! Suspect Ponto? Never! Ill
would not steal. Why, he would watcl
over leg of mutton all day withou