The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-02-21

here, paw, paw, now. Can't you 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!-spealz." But Bes-
sic could only follow him with his
bright, curious eyes and 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 it was as good as another,
and the incongruity was soon lost in
Bessie's popularity.
Caldwell saw the dog on rare occa-
sicns. 1t stayed in it's masters room,
and slept on his bed, and waxed fat in
retirement. He had spoken of it sew
eral times, but otherwise took no notice
Of its existence, which secretly riled
Duffy. But Caldwell was preoccupied,
and not quite himself. He came home
Il great deal the worse for wine one
night, and Bessie, being in his way, got
kick that sent him crouching to his
masters side. Caldwell might far bet
ter have kicked Duffy; however, the
striker understood and sympathized
with the lieutenant's condition. He
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
pardonable; but the next offense could
not be condoned. 1t occurred in
broad daylight and Caldwell was sober.
He had been having an explanation
with the commanding officer, and that
gentleman had made reflection upon
some of the lieutenant's fast-growing
habits that had eXasperated the al
ready over-worried junior almost be-
yond endurance. He STROBE into his
quarters and found Duffy, who was not
expecting him, dividing his attention
between Bessie's charms and the
buckle Of his masters belt. Now Bes-
sizes disposition inclined him to for
give; he ran to Caldwell, looked up to
his face with soft, affectionate eyes,
and put his little paws, one yellow and
one white, upon his knee. Caldwell
did not dare to kick the commandant,
but he kicked Bessie-and broke the
yellow paw. 1t was the one always
held out to Duffy to greet him.
Duffy bandaged the paw, and in
time it grew well. But Duffy hated
Caldwell with the most dangerous of
hatreds--a silent and waiting one.
Caldwell's habits did not improve.
His fondness for whisky, whether good
or bad, continued. He had good
whisky in his room, and Duffy knew it,;
for he belonged to the old school of
strikers who do not look upon cigars or
tobacco as private property.
One day, after Bessie's foot was we'll.
Duffy went to get drink, because his
spirits were low. There was very little
whisky in the decanter, barely half n
glassful, and an idea suddenly flashed
into the strikers mind. Caldwell was
officer of the day. He never started to
make the rounds without taking enough
liquor to keep him warm, and Duffy
knew it, 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
ache. l didn't sleep none last night.
Hev We got some-what's that ye give
me once? Laudanum, was it? Kin sc
let me hev bit?"
"Why, yes; guess So" the steward
answered, and went into the dispensary
to get it.
''Shall l take all that?" inquired tho
striker, with sweet simplicity.
"Lord! no, man. Put some on cotton
and stick it in the tooth"
"Oh! And what wud it do to me If
was to swallow it? Wud it kill me?"
"No, there amt enough for that. It
would put you pretty fast asleep,
though"
"Oh." said Duffy, again.
Then Bessie went through his tricks
for the steward, and trotted back home
at his masters heels.
That night Caldwell finished the
whisky in the decanter, and grumbled
that the sutler was selling him vile
tasting stuff, then started off a little
while afterward to make his rounds.
The next day he was under arrest-for
drunkenness on duty
And Duffy, who had, with well-played
reluctance, given some of the most dam
aging testimony in regard to Caldwells
habits at the court-martial, which dis
missed the latter, said good-by to the
disgraced man with sparkle-which
was not of tears-in his eyes; and lie
told Bessie to give the "liftinant the
right paw" Which was the yellow one.
San Francisco Argonaut.
Sowing Orchards to Grass.
Some people believe that grass pas