The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-01
A FRIEND OF MINE.

we first had him. You see, we thought
it was a great piece of good luck, my
getting him, anyway. There he is now,
root of that tall syringa. Bright9
Smart7 Well, 1 should thinks not that
he knows tricks; he doesn't have any
such superficial knowledge. It's gen
eraI intelligence and wit that you want
in a companion, and a great tender
heart; eh7 Well, 1 should say so; and
l don't expect in this world to find
more intelligence or a more loving
heart than Mascot has. You may
laugh if you want to, but 1 know what
I'm talking about. You think some
human being is having a second ex-
istence in his form, perhaps. On, nc;
no mere human being ever loved in
that way he's a dog, fast enough.
Come here, Mascot; give a paw, sir.
Isn't he an ugly-looking fellow, with
the rough hair standing up all over
not long enough to droop and be grace
ful2 He's one of the kind that's so
ugly he's interesting. Scot, b terrier
with a few drops of bull dog blood, I
fancy no thorough bred, you see. But
look at his eyes-strong and true and
loving-that's enough. We've been
the closest of friends " since wemet.
I'll tell you how that was-or have l
ever told you2 No2 Ny wife says I
tell everybody two or three times over,
and that she has noticed that all my
friends are careful not to mention the
subj5ct of CANNES in general, lest l
may begin on my particular one.
Sit down, Mascot, and lean against
my knee. He likes to lie with his head
on my foot, and 1 like to have him.
It's two years ago this spring. I was
going down Clark street almost on a
run to catch a train. There happened
n 1t to be many teams in the street, for
1t was not yet seven o'clock in the
morning. 1 heard a sharp cry across
the way. 1t was so sharp and agonized
that I stopped i~nvoluntarilly. On the
other side was a group of boys with a
dog in their midst. Though at the first
l couldn't see anything distinctly, yet
l knew directly that the boys were in
fernal little scamps, and that they were
torturing the animal. Another cry
there was smoke rising from the centre
of the group, which was in a sort OF
alcove formed by two buildings. I for.
got my train and ran across, dashing
right in among the rufians. When |
see a certain kind of boy I'm ashamed
that I'm a man, 1 swear I am!
Toey had this dog-lie still, Mascot
they had him muzzled, his jaws tied
together so tightly that the rope which
bound them had gnawed into the flesh
and was bloody, and a boy was at each
side of his head gripping fast the cord;
two other boys held him by the hips
and hind legs, and what do you think
a fifth was doing9 Holding n Of
those kerosons3 torches under the dogs
body. Yes, and 1 smelt the burning
fash as I jumped on the pavement.
The tortured creature made a terrible
effort, but he wouldn't have escaped If
my coming hadn't confused the vii
lIans as it was, the dog dashed at me
and leaped on me. What an agony Of
hope and appeal there was in his wild
eyesl How he cried in his throat; for
he couldn't open his jaws.
l wanted to kill every boy there was
there. l did knock one over; the rest
ran away. The torch was left smoking
on the sidewalk; and then a policeman
came along, sauntering from some
where, stared at the dog, and asked if
he was mad. l shook my head and
walked off, the dog so eagerly at my
heels that / had to be careful how I
moved.
I hurried into a street where, at this
time of day, there we're still fewer peo
pie. 1 a down on a step, took out
my pocket knife and cut the rope from
the dogs mouth.
His gratitude was heart-breaking; !
it almost seemed at first as if he would
die of it. And l cried; I couldn't help |
it, and you know very well I'm not
one of the sniveIling kind. Yes, Mas
cot, it's all right now; you needn't lick
my face, and we're not going to part.
There, lie down again.
Well, as soon as he became a little
more calm, or I might say as soon as
we became more calm, I looked at my
watch. It was of no use to think of
the train now; I couldn't possibly catch |