Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-11-23


tinued to cement itself.
But the founding was not satisfied
even yet. There terminated in his mind
the idea of carrying off Muley to sleep
with him at the inclusa
Being an aid to the cook, he slept in one
of the corridors beside the chamber of
that functionary on a bed Of cornstalks.
One afternoon he conducted the dog away
to the hospice and did not come back.
What a delicious night for the unhappy
child! He had never in his life known
other caresses than those of Muley. First
the masters and then the cook had al
ways talked to him with rod in hand.
Boy and dog slept embraced like two
lovers. Along toward daylight the child
felt the smarting of a blow which the
cook had given him on the back with
stick the evening before. He pulled down
his shirt.
Look, Muley," he said, in low voice,
showing the bruise.
The dog, more compassionate than the
man, licked the livid flesh of the boy.
As soon as they opened the door An
dres let the dog go. Muley ran to the
house of his master, but in the afternoon
he was back in the park again, disposed
to follow Andresito. They slept together
again that night and the night after and
the next one also. But bliss is brief in
this world. Andresito was happy on the
brink of precipice.
One afternoon when we were all to-
gether in close group playing buttons
we heard behind us two formidable
stampings.
Get up Get upr
Pm I,,
spring. Before us there loomed the
cyclopean figure of Colonel Toledano.
(Which of you is the rogue who carries
off my dog every night, l would like to
know?'
Terror held us clamped, rigid, as if we
were turned to sticks.
Once more sounded the trumpet of the
last judgment.
"Who is the thief? Who is the bandit?
Who is the miserable"
The ardent eye of Polifemo devoured
us one after the other. Muley, who had
accompanied him, gazed upon us also
with his own loyal, innocent eyes and
nervously moved his tail in token Of un-
easiness.
Meanwhile Andresito, paler than wax,
came forward step and said:
"Do not blame anybody, senor. am
the one"
"How?'
81 am the one," repeated the little fel-
low in louder voice.
soho! Thou art the one" said the
colonel, smiling ferociously. "And thou
knewest not who owned this dog?"
Andresito kept silent.
"Knowest thou not whose it Isl" he
asked again in his loudest tones.
Eyes, senor."
"How? Talk louderv'
And he put his hand to his ear to re-
enforce that pavilion.
Il said yes, senor."
"Who is the owner? I want to know"
"Senor Polifemo."
l shut my eyes. believe my COM
rades must all have done the same
When | opened them, l believed that
Andresito must then have been effaced
from the book Of the living. Fortunately
it was not so. The colonel was gazing
fxedly at him with more curiosity than
anger.
"And why did you take him?"
because he is my friend and he loves
me-" said the child in firm voice.
The colonel again gazed fxedly upon
him.
Every WE'LL" he said at last. "But take
heed not to do it again. If you do. you
may be sure will pull your ears off"
And he wheeled majestically upon his
foundations. But before taking step
he raised his hand to his waistcoat, pull
ed out a half dollar and said, turning
round again:
Here, take this! Keep it for candy!
But take care not to carry off the dog
again! Take carep And he walked
away. Four or five steps off it occurred
to him to turn his head Andresito had
dropped the coin on the ground and was
sobbing, his face hid in his hands. The
colonel came back quickly.
"Art crying? What for? Don't cry,
my son."
Because love him so much, because
he is the only one in the world who loves
me-" moaned Andres.
But whose son art thouW asked the
colonel in surprise.
81 am from the inclusa."
"How" cried Polifemo.
81 am a founding"
Then we saw the colonel transform
himself. He seized the child. pulled his
hands away from his face, wiped away the
tears with his handkerchief, hugged him,
kissed him, repeating in agitation:
pardon, my son; pardon! Take no
heed of what l have said to thee. Take
the dog with thee whenever thou whilst"
May God pardon me, but l will swear
to having seen a tear in the sanguinary
eye of Polifemo.
Andresito went away running. followed
by his friend, who barked with delight
Translated From the Spanish For Bos-
ton Herald.
Webster Was willing to Pay.
II Is we'll known that Daniel Wehster