The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1901-05-01
GUsTAVE AND ROLLO.
by ADDISON +. DnowNE.

Gustave CARLSON was the most
lonely boy in Riverdale. He had
hardly any playmates, and for hours
together wandered about under the
great trees and along the shores of
the beautiful stream with no COM
panion but his dog Rollo.
A few years before, Gustaye's IA
Their and mother had come to this
country from their home in Iceland,
where long, cold winters, and sum
mers very short and not very warm,
made getting living hard enough
at any time, and some seasons almost
impossible.
Riverdale is one of the finest Ca
madam farming counties, and Mr..
Carleson took up piece of wild land,
from which he was already getting
much better support than the best
to be obtained in his native country.
But Gustave, who had grown to be
sturdy, active boy of 10, did not
find his new home altogether pleasant.
When not at work or attending school,
if he felt like amusement, he had to
make it himself.
The English language came very
hard to him, and after he could pro-
nouncc most of the common words
correctly, he still made very many
laughable mistakes, such as getting
his sentences wrong end first, and
calling things so out of their names
that no one could tell what he meant.
Whenever he associated with the
village boys they were sure to make
fun of his talking, and tease him so
much that he never felt sorry in get
ting away from them. lie always
STAYED III at recess, and after school
went straight home.
SO, being without human play
mates, he had to make the best of it
with Rollo.
Now, this animal was about the
biggest dog | ever saw. He had some
thing the shape of Newfoundland,
but seemed rather longer, and shorter
legged, and great deal larger than
any of them, weighing not less than
$50 pounds. He had long, shaggy,
brown hair, and such great, spreading
feet that he could swim about as fast
as he could run.
Rollo came from Iceland, and
when the Carlcsons first arrived he
was nothing but a little, awkward
looking puppy. Had the Canadian
dogs got hold of him at that time,
they would not have been long in
tearing him ell to pieces.
But now the emigrant canine, hay
ing grown to the full size of his spe-
cies, whenever disturbed gave such
evidence of power and fierceness that
they just kept out of his way, and
when any of them saw him coming,
they made haste to run off the best
they knew how
Rollo had no dogs to play with,
any more than Gustavc had boy COM
rades, so they had to get along with
each others company, and can tell
you they often succeeded i'll having
fine sport.
Mr.. Carlcson's little farm was a
mile or so from the village, and the
river ran directly through it. When
ever the boy happened to be on one
side and wanted something on the
other side, all he had to do was to let
Rollo know by some sign which the
intelligent animal fully understood,
and the good fellow would swim
across and came back with it
in wonderfully short time.
Coming from Iceland, Gustaye
could not help being good swimmer,
and whenever he took notion to
gambol in the river, Rollo padded
along close 10 him, ready for caresses
or rough sport, just as his young mas
ter might like.
Sometimes the two would have a
game of ducking in deep water, moro
than hundred yards from shore.
And the way they put each other out
Of sight would brighten an ordinary
boy nearly to death.