The morning times., 1897-01-31

WHAT
Il say that Ponto has not an honest air.
Look at me, Ponto," said /, gazing at
him.
PontoIookeI, buthis head dropped, andhe
gruinble1:
DO you think would he hanging around
here if had stolen a chicken Why, Ia
be eating it,"
But this remark did not divert my Sus-
picions. on the Contrary II confirmed
them.
Katherine said I , Solemnly, t. the
cook, lit is Ponto. alas. 1t is Pouto.'
What 1 had seen in Ponto's eyes was
terrible. 1 swear to you reader, that /
ain most serious l had distinctly seen
there an almost human lie
II is rather difficult To explain my mean
ing Tonto wished to assume an appear
ance of sincerity in his glance. and ne did
not succeed, because that Impossible, even
TO q man. 1t is said by profound phi
losophers that in men the power of lying
is confined to speech; that the power OF
throwing falseh ood into u glance is
possessed only by women.
to lie with his eyes. But this unsuccessful
than ap avowal.
l looked fiNcdiy at Ponto-
Here, PontO," said /. take this and
offered him the second chicken, which
Katherine had just finished plucking.
Ponto looked at me reflectiveiy.
Hum" he said, evidently you suspect
me. Why did you give me a chicken today?
You never gave me whole chicken be-
FORE
He took the chicken In his mouth and inn
mediately deposited it on the floor at my
feet, and looking up in my eyes, he said:
You must think am fool"
Instipotively, 1 said to myself: Thief,
scoundrel! You have betrayed me. You
are perfidlous dog. Your honest canine
existence of loyalty has now come to an
end and you have been as false as if You
were only man" But patting him on the
back, added aloud; Good Ponto, honest
Ponto, nice Ponto"
This dissimulation was rather too deep for
Ponto. Urged on by the Savury smell ofthe
chicken. he took it between his jaws and
started to go. But before he reached the
door he turned several times and looked at
me carefully in order to see if he couldn't
fathom my thoughts. As soon as ne had left
the kitchen closed the door and began
spying upon him through the blinds of the
window. He went a few PAGES as ifintend-
ing to devour his prey, and then stopped,
placed his chicken upon the ground and
thought deeply for long time. Several
times he looked atthe kitchen door with his
Col Il frao fr{r-i
all attempts to seek an explanation salts
factory To his mind, he Contcnted himself
with the fact that he had the chicken. picked
it UP and departed. As he disappeared in
the distance could see that his sometimes
tirnid tail, which has hesitated throughout
our entire conversation, had again become
bold 0nd firm. Fonto'S tail said: "PS5.
have both chickens Nobody saw me take
the first one. Iurrah!'
l stealthly followed him from afar. and
surprised him in the act of scratching
hole in the ground with his powerful fore
paws. The chicken that had given was
lying on the ground, and III the hole which
he was digging lay the other chicken. was
heart-broken. My friend P0ntorctained the
instinct of his remote ancestors-the foxes
and the wolves-and buried his provisions.
But, alas! being a Domestic animal, and
having become the companion of mankind
he had learned TO lie.
Under the eyes of the treacherous and
shame-faced Ponto, l made up little
package OF the longer feathers OF the two
chickens and deposited this little feather
duster on my working table. Whenever,
thereafter, 1 was engaged at work and
n n mo hri f,nl u
said, with light and easy air: Come,
GOMEZ! Lay aside that rubbish and let us
play ball. l would invariably lift the
little finger duster. Then Ponto would
drop his treacherous head. His tail would
sink between his legs and adhere TO his
quivering belly, while the ball would fall
from his nerveIess jaws. As he looked at
me lie would say: 'Is it possible that YOU
are so ruthless, SO unforGiving? Do you
never pardon?'
Weeks passed, and / had not vet par
doned Ponto. But he was indefatigable
in his attempts TO win me over. So one
morning when he came to me again, and
when seized the little feather tluster and
poor Ponto was about to withdraw,
said to him:
Look Ponto,'' quoth 1, look upon this
for the last time Thus perishes the only
token of your fault and l hurled the
feather duster into the fire.
Popto carefully watched the feather
duster burn. Then, without any hysteri-
cal manifestations of JOY, without leaps
or skips, but nobly, simply, with dignity
he came and proffered ais paw. The crime
was forgiven. We were friends again.
Fonto was glad that he had been for
given But he was not nearly SO glad as
that had forgiven him.