The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-06-23

I ~ III a. ~ sui INV A-AsAA ~
Fritz. the baker, who was coming In
at the door.
"What, has Lion been buying meat,
toos'' he asked in astonishment "Well
that dog Is smart. Why, he comes 10 my
place after his bread, and my wife says
he takes it straight home; and ] guess
he'll take that meat home, too"
They were 50 interested "a BE matter
that they left the shop and followed
Lion TO the corner, whers they could
watch him all the way nome. Sure
enough, he went on up the street, and
leaped over the gate, and they saw him
walk in at the door with his head up
and the bundle in his mouth,
In a day or two Lions fsn1e ,rtd gone
out through all the town; and people
followed him into the bakers and the
butchers TO see him bark at the pro-
prietor until he was waited on. One
da, the baker tried To see what Che dog
would DO if no attention were paid to
nun. i4tou bssihSt an hAic III Naiii ,
then he stood off and looked at Fritz
i'm astonishment; then he barked again;
and at last he quietly leaped upon the
counter, seized loaf daintily and care
fully and walked Off with it.
Ii was Fritz's wife that called on Mrs.
Pettigrew, and with the gentleness and
courtesy natural TO some women in
even the common walks of life, said
nothing Of the poverty that was press
ing so hard. But when she went home
she said to her husband:
''Oh, Fritz, the poor woman is in
bitter need. / do believe the dog is
keeping her alive"
1t was new aspect of The case.
There was no more inclination to laugh
over the dog that went to the butchers
and the bakers every morning. Some
how, every one in the place felt that
the dog had something almost human
ia him; and there was something close
ly resembling cheer as he came down
the next morning.
al wonder ifI couldn't help along
with this?u said one of the grocers, as
he watched Lion going homeward
with his meat a little later. The result
of which was that he found "a basket,
somewhere about the store, and he
busted himself, making up little bum
die of tea and sugar and cheese and
what not; for he was kind-hearted
man, this grocer, and somehow the dog
had all the springs of his kindness
moving.
The next tirle Lion came down the
street, the grocer was in the door ready
for him.
"Hello, Lion, good morning, sir!' he
called cheerily. suppose you take
this basket home with you"
For there was delicate courtesy
about the grocer, and he would not
hurt the feelings of even dog by say
ing anything about a gift.
And Lion smiled at the basket, and
finding that there were eatables in it,
he took the handle in his mouth and
trotted away, with a parting smile over
his shoulder.
1t happened that the bakers wife
looked in upon Mrs. Pettigrew few
moments afterwards. She found the
old woman looking at the contents of
the basket, which were spread out on
the table before her, and there was such
a look in her eyes. And there was
Lion, rolling all over the floor in the
most absurd manner, showing that he
was happier than he ever was before.
1t seemed that the whole town want
ed TO help Lion take care of Mrs. Pet
tigrew. Every day his circle of infiu-
ence widened, aud one day it was Mrs.
Martin that called him in and gave
him bundle to take home.
ats only a little shawl, for the
mornings are cool" she explained to
Lion, who gamboled gaily in reply as
he started out, for the dog seemed so
human that she felt he must know all
about it.
And little later there was old Mr..
Drew, whom all the people had thought
a miser, calling the dog in and petting
him when he thought no one was look
ing, and when Lion went away he
had big bundle, and he walked with
his head very high, and looked more
important than ever. Some of them
found out afterwards that the bundle
contained several yards of flannel,
enough to keep off the rheumatism all
the rest of the old woman's life.
One could not begin to tell of the
kindly deeds that blossomed out in the
little town, all because of the dog that
loved his mistress SO faithfully. Why,
there was one man sending around
load of wood, and sending man TO
split il up, too, and to carry it into the
house; and there was another that sent
up shingles, and hired man to put a
new roof on the shed. 1t seemed that
the town had made up its mind that
the little old woman was to he taken
care of, and that everything she could
possibly need was to be done for her;
and if you had merely mentioned such
a thing as pay for anything, the man
to whom you mentioned it would never
have forgiven you.
at couldn't be DONE" said the man
that had sent up the load of wood. 81
am sure that any man who took money
for anything he did for that old lady
would never be able to look Lion in
the face again"
Yes, it wss Lion, Lion everywhere.
The dog suddenly found himself the
most popular dog that ever was known
and every one that met him had some.
thing pleasant to say to him.
The result of it all was that, in little
while, happy spirit in Mrs. Pettigrew's
body warmed Mrs. Pettigrew's pool
little being, until, all at once, the rheu'
matism began to take its departure
and she grew stronger every day. In
little while she could hobble aboul
without her stick, and then she coulC
use hsr hands, and very soon she came
down with Lion, one morning, ant
walked into one place after another.