The Van Buren press., 1896-03-14

your paw Well, then. lie down.
charge. charge. charge-down. Il,
down, down Can't you charge? Wan
then, speak, speak, Bessie, sp-e-a.l
speak now. Wowl-speak" But B..
sic could only follow him with h.
bright. curious eyes and come whsn
called. So the solace of many rnor.
hours Of patient waiting iay in teaeblrs
Bessie these and many other tric1s
until he was the most accomplished
dog In all the garrison and greatly ha'
loved at the barracks. Duffy was NJ.
tie annoyed about the comment the In
appropriate name called forth, but h.
insisted that it was as good as another
and the incongTuity was soon lost IN
Bessie's pOpularityS
Caldwell saw the dog on rare ooooj
sions. It stayed in it's masters roorn
md slept on his bed, and waxed fat in
retirement. He had spoken OF It sey-
eral times, but otherwise took no notica
Of it's existence. which secretly rilea
Duffy. But Caldwell was preoceupied
and not quite himself. He came homa
a great deal the worse for wine ona
night, and Bessie. being in his way. poi
Kick that sent him erouehing to bls
Inuster's 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 in his own room, and returned
to look after the bodily comfort of his
master.
This-considering the wine-was
tardonable; 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 bis
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-
sie's disposition inclined him to for
give; he ran to Caldwell. looked up to
his face with soft, affeetionate 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. 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.
Caldwelrs habits did not improve.
His fonlness for whisky. whether good
or bad. continued. He had good
whisky in his room. and Duffy knew it;
Tor 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 well.
Duffy went to get drink. because his
spirits were low. There was very little
whisky in the decauter, barely halt a
glassful. and an idea suddenly flashed
into the strikers mind. Caldwell was
| officer of the day. He never started IA
make the rounds without taking genough
liquor to keep him warm, and Duffy
knew it, and saw his revenge laid bare,
The striker took Bessie for IA walk
over to the hospital, so 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 ye
let me hev bit?''
why, yes; | guess So" the steward
| answered, and went into the dispensary
to get it.
Shall ! take all that?" inquired tbs
striker, with sweet simplicity.
Lord! no, man. Put some on cotton
ard stick it in the tooth"
"Oh. And what wud it do to me #
was TO swallow it? Wud it kill me?"
"No, there amt enough for that. Il
would put you pretty fast asleep
though"
oh" said Duffy, again.
Then Bessie went through his trick.
for the steward, and trotted back hon,
at his masters heels.
That night Caldwell finished che
whisky in the decanter. and grumbIed
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 Caldwelrs
habits at the court-martial. which dis
missed the latter, said good-by to the
disgraced man with sparlSle-whieh
was not of tears-in his eyes: and ne
told Bessie To give the "liftinant The
right paw" Which was the yellow one
san Francisco Argonaut.