The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-06-20

4 HE was crossing the avenue
~ near Twenty-third street Felix
singleton, the poet, saw tiny,
frightened dog lodging between the
carriages. The poor little creature
was so terrified and so evidently UNI
used to being out alone that Felix
was afraid she would be killed. SO
he picked her up in his arms
She was a beautiful lap-dog anG
ler shining coat spoke of loving care.
as did the blanket she wore, which
was marked with a handsome mono
gram, in gold. AS soon as the dog
felt herself in a safe asylum she began
to lick the hands of her benefactor and
to look at him with gratitude. They
we're already friends when, having
climbed six flights of stairs, the poet
deposited the waif in the sorry gar
ret that served him as temporary lodg-
ing.
Singleton was % years old and was
beginning to be recognized as a man
If talent, but talent is a merchandise
not always negotiable. Fortune had
not vet discovered the road to his man
sard, road that, to do her justice, was
hard travelling for a person who is al
WAYS represented with ayes shut.
While he waited for the blind goddess
% knock at his sixth story floor, Felix
'ived from hand to mouth. II would be
III right, he often told himself, if his
rreat book Redemption" was once on
he market, but the callous publisher,
While not denying its. beauties, doubt
IL its popularity, and refused to pub
ish it without a guarantee of$200. Felix
'ould have Effected a peace between
Britain and Boer as readily as to have
produced the money: thus were The
wheels Of progress blocked by want Of
/ paltry 5000,
When he and the dog reached home
Felix lighted a candle which was stuck
n the neck of a bottle. and, brushing
he loose papers-which were parts of
Ms vet unrecooniZed masterpiece
rom the table, he proceeded to set
'orth his meager repaSt. He shared
us dinner and his bed with the dog,
md, in the morning. they divided
equally the milk that formed his
,reakfast. Singleton was sure that
he dog was a valuable one. So he
vent down and bought morning pa
Ter TO see if she was advertised. H
urned to the Lost and Found column.
nd this is what he read:
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS RE
ward,',-For the return Of lap-dog, ar
'wering to the name Of Mira, lost yester-
iay near Twerty-third street"
He called: Mira! Mirza!"
The dog barlled ioyfully and ran
oward the door.
"Ah, ha." laughed Singleton. "Now
know your social position and your
anne, my friend, Two hundred dol
ars reward, To think Of giving 5000
'or such a very little dog! Some
pne must love you very much. Two
hundred dollars! What a godSend for
some poor devil-like myself he
added as an afterthought.
lie rested his head on his hands and
.ried to think Two hundred dollars
was just the sum he needed to publish
his book. Redemption once out, his
play would be accepted, his success as
;ured. Why not take this money? 1t
was simply a question of his own
wretched pride. It was honest money.
". he said to himself, If he al rot
Ike the idea of keeping the money.
What was to prevent him from cons,G-
'rinr it as loan sent by the Goddess
If Chance? A loan that he could re-
.,'~r. 0nce the current OF success
urned toward him. The temptation
vas too strong, REDEEM. on" should
ne published.
This decision made, he felt that he
rad crossed the Rubicon; it only re-
NAMED for him to think of the least
notifying way for him to claim the
'eward. Suddenly he smiled. "The
-ery thing!" he cried, patting Mira on
he head. He ran down the six flights
IF stairs and soon returned with the
complete costume Of house painter.
which he had borrowed from the son
Of his landlady. He dressed himself
in the white trousers and the paint.
stained blouse, took Mira in his arms
advertisement.
He was shown into a drawing-room,
where, while he waited for some one
% appear, he had an opportunity of
'tudying an unfiattering reproduction
u himself in a long mirror. His cour-
,ge began to fail and he looked long
.ngly toward the entrance. Suddenly
the door was flung open and a charm
ing young girl came in like a whirl-
wind. Without saying word to him
she picked up the dog and showered
kisses upon her soft muzzle. inter
spersing them with loving words aud
I ffectionate reproaches.
Poor Singleton stood as II nailed t.
\" floor. He was at once Disguised