South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1896-08-06
A DOG NAMED DIMpLE.

III ever there was u Ease In which
the intentions of nature were quite sci
at nausht; IL Mas when my cousin Eu
senia began TO bring herself UP after
her own pattern without the slightest
regard TO the cutting. OF the CLOTH Ma
ture had meant her for kitten-girl
or dove-girl, anything that was mad,
up of curves or softness. while she
preferred to be ~ composition of an
giles.
Therefore, In place of dancing. firt-
ing and eiijoying life after the manner
of girl with big blue, confiding eyes
whose dimples and freckles seemed
made Tor kissing, she propped up Il
book to read ms she swallowed her
hasty meals, apart from the family If
possible, studied from morning till
night, frightened the men by her erudi-
ton, dcspised pets, played tennis sim
ply for exercise. rode a bicycle so as
to get quickly from one place to an
other. and made all girlkind feel them
selves mere puppets and dolls,
But now had the mighty fallen. Flu
genia had purchased dog and given
1t the name of-Dimple No wonder
that, not daring to jeer. we We're silent
However, when the dog arrived. we
were obliged TO admit that he Justified
his name. OF all the dear roly-poly
little dog-baDies that ever / saw, Dim
pie was the most fascinating. and the
very first wag OF his tail excused Eu
genia's backsliding. Not that she
realized her lapse from the intellectual:
she held and petted and caressed the
small object as If il had been her daily
occupation ever since the day of her
leaving school-that time Mt which
girls are apt to develop their weak
nesses-and was subiImely unconscious
of our smiles and jibes. Eugenia
flushed and intent. her pretty. yellow
hair twisting Itself inJo thousands OF
tiny rings, her brows Knitted. one hand
smoothing the fur of the four.footed
baby, the other busily engaged in
writing out her paper on medieval
political economy, was n sight for the
gods.
when Dimple grows up" aunty
had foolshly said one day. apropos OF
nothing. and Eugen'a had turned upon
her with lofty scorn and Informed her
that the engaging morseI. at that mo-
ment busy in the demolition of one OF
my newest and longest evening gloves.
would never grow any more" the
nan from whom she bought him bav-
ing assured her that he had quite
completed that part of his education.
Which doubling. we were nevertheless
silent
Two or three days after this mis-
take of auuty's. Dan came out to- din
ner and deeply annoyed Eugenia by
picking up the soft mass OF fur by
his neck and remarking:
when this fellow gets over being
puppy. he'll be quite dog. Eugenia."
He is not puppy, Dan. he is full
grown" our cousin responded Jelly.
and then added with some asperfty.
Il have no sort of tolerance for pup
pies-of any kind"
My brother threw back his hand
some head and laughed low but hcarti.
ly.
May inquire the age of your full
grown dog, my cousinF'
"He was six months old when I
bought him. two months ago"
Flight months old you dear little
goose. Il he is one-hnlf that. I shall be
astonished He was probably Just
weaned when you got bin, and these
mastins"--
"Iic isn't a mast6"
Indeed. and what is beT"
~ Sicilian poodle"
"O.o-Oh!
The peal OF laughter which greeted
this diguified response was quite too
much for Eugcula She picked up her
dog aud departed. red with indigna-
ton, leaving Dan. the Only person IN
the world who ever dared 10 tease her.
10 apologize to auniy. 10 be by her for.
given. and fear. encouraged 10 re-
peat bis offence.
From that time. we noticed that Eu-
genla was more or less uneasy. once
I caught her holding aunty's yard
measure suspiciously near Dimple.
but she dropped 10 ~ once upon my 40.
proach After n Few weeks there was
no use Disgusting tic fact. that full.
grown dog WIS rapidly increasing i'm
size. indeed DC seemed 20 enlarge dur.
ing his slumhers. and wake up n full
size bigger than when hc went to
sleep.
10 began with bis legs which so ex-
tended themselves that had you seen
him in collection Or freaks you
would have suspected him Of being on
stilis then the little round body. so
absnfdIy mounted on It's thin supports,
began 10 swell out.
Eugcuia grew very grave. She
would sit for hours over her books.
CHANGING furiiyeIy from time to time
AZ DimpIe. DOING hy her side for he
had grown much too large for her lap
as if they lad never been introduced.
cine day she forgot 70 60 70 her lecture
at The proper hour. 50 busy WAS she