The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-01-23

"I think, Katherine, chat you are
right. The dog could not have stolen
the chicken. If he had stolen it he
would be engaged now in plucking 1t
somewhere in the garden"
But look at him, sir-just look at
him. He has not the air Of Christian
dog"
"whst?"
"I say that Ponto has not an honest
air."
I turned and gazed at him. Look
at me, Ponto."
Ponto looked up, but his head
dropped, and he grumbled: do you
think that l would be hanging around
here If had stolen a chicken? Why
I'd be eating It,"
But this remark did not divert my
suspicious. On the contrary, it con-
firmed them. Katherine" said ]
solemnly to the cook, "it is Ponto.
Alas, it is Ponto."
What had seen in Ponto's eyes was
terrible. l swear to you, reader, that
l am most serious. I had distinctly
seen there an almost human lie.
It is rather difficult to explain my
meaning. Ponto wished to assume an
appearance of sincerity in his glance,
and he did not succeed, because that
is impossible, even to a man. 1t Is
said by profound philosophers that in
men the power of lying is confined to
speech; that the power OF throwing
falsehood into glance is possessed only
by women.
Ponto exhausted himself in vain ef-
forts to lie with his eyes. But this
unsuccessful falsehood was even more
discriminating that an avowal.
l looked flxedly at Ponto. Here,
Ponto," said I, take this" and I Of
fered him the second chicken, which
Katherine had just finished plucking.
Ponto looked at me rehectively.
Hum" he said, you evidently sus-
pect me. Why do you give me a
chicken today? You never gave me a
whole chicken before" He took the
chicken in his mouth and Immediate
ly deposited it on the floor at my feet,
and, looking up in my eyes, he said;
you must think l am fool"
Instinctively said 20 myself: "Thief!
Scoundrel! You have betrayed me. You
are a perfdious dog. Your honest ca
nine existence Of loyalty has now come
to an end, and you have been as false
as If you were only man." But pat
ting him on the back, l added aloud
Good Ponto, honest Ponto, nice Ponto.'
The dissimulation was rather toe
deep for Ponto. Urged on by the sa'
worry smell Of the chicken, he took II
between his jaws and started to go
But before he reached the door he turn
| ed several times and looked at me care
fully in order to see if he could fathon
| my thoughts. AS soon as he had lef
| the kitchen closed the door and be
gan spying upon him through the blinds
of the window. He went few pace
as If intending to devour his prey, ant
then stopped, placed the chicken OF
the ground and thought deeply for ;
long time. Several times he looked a
the kitchen door with his false ant
treacherous eyes. Then, giving up al
attempts to seek an explanation salts
factory to his mind he eontented him
self with the fact that he nad the chick
en-, picked it up and departed. AS b
disappeared in the distance could Sc
that his sometime timid tail, which ha
hesitated throughout our entire conver
sation, had again became bold and firm
Pontos tail said:. Bah! have bot
chickens. Nobody saw me take the first
Hurrahp
stealthily followed him from afal
and l surprised him'in the act of hastil
scratching a hole in the ground wit
his powerful forepaws. The chicke
that had given him was lying on tn
ground and in the hole he was diggin
lay the other chicken. I was heart
broken. My friend Ponto retained tn
instincts of his remote ancestors, tn
foxes and the wolves, and buried hi
provisions. But, alas! being domest
Gated animal, and having become tn
companion Of mankind, he had learne
to lie.
Under the eyes of the treact erous an
now shame-faced Ponto I made up
little package OF the longer feather
of the two chickens, and I deposited thI
little feather duster on my workin
table. Whenever thereafter I was Ell
gagged at work and Ponto came brinl
ing his ball and said, with light an
easy air, Come, come! Lay aside tn;
rubbish and let us play ball." I II
variably lifted the little feather duste
Then Ponto would drop his treache,
Gus head. His tail would sink betwee
his legs and adhere to his quiverin
body while the ball would fall frol
his nerveless jaws. AS he looked |
me he would say, rs it possible thu
you are so ruthless so unforgiving? I
you never pardon?"
Weeks passed, and had not yet pa
doned Ponto. But nc was indefatii
able in his attempts to win me owe
So one morning when he came to n
again, and when l seized the poi
little feather duster and poor Ponto WI
about to withdraw, l said to him:
Look, Ponto," quoth l. Look upo
this for the last time. Thus perish,
the only token of your fault" and
hurled the feather duster into the fir
Ponto carefully watched the feath,
duster burn. Then, without any hy
,, teric manifestations of joy, witho1
leaps or skips, but nobly, simply, wit
dignity, he came and proffered his pa'
The crime was forgotten. We wel