Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1902-06-14

three-story frame building that stood
on the corner, humping into it, and
| sweeping and growing about it until
1T heaved and groaned, as if crying
out against its rough playfellow. The
falling snow piled up against it, and
by the dim light one could see how the
boisterous wind lifted the snow and
! flung it against the old house, snow
balling it. roaring with glee as now
and then a window broke in. Up on
the third floor the snow poured in
through one OF the broken windows as
if curious to see the inside. then
formed little piles which were whirled
around the room by stray gust from
the big wind outside, then piling up
| against two huddled up figures that
lay in the farther corner, revealing
girl, scantily dressed, rag of cot
ton shawl wound round her, an eleven
year-old girl, but with an expressive
wisdom and experience in her face
that made one shudder, while plying
her. Her eyes were closed and she
breathed softly. The other was a dog
The snow kept piling up against the
two until the dog moved uneasily, and
licked his mistress hand with a fer
Vor that woke her instantly. She pat
ted his head, and slowly rose, reveal
ing an immense pair of shoes in which
her feet were lost, cut and torn, and
one latchless. The snow, losing it's
support, flew around the room, then
settled down on the floor, making a
white covering of purity that hid its
dirt Everyone in Blocker Lane knew
the girl and her attendant, the dog.
The dog had been rescued by Fleddis
from an immense tin pail which he
was regarding aggressively one sum-
mer's day, crouchiEg in the sun with
despair written in his very tail.
Blocker Lane first knew them as
Fleddis an the dawg," then as Filed
die an Fleddis," putting the dog first
He was terrier of the ordinary size,
but his love for his mistress was so
fervent that it was constant source
of wonder to the 'Avenoo', as it was
derisively called, why some on it
wasn't leaking out'n his skim Filed
die" she said, wait ere till I comes
back" and he curled himself in a
corner accordingly. Gathering up her
wlsp of shawl, she dragged the shoes
down the worm-eaten steps, almost
as she stepped outside He raised his
fist threateningly. obi FIeddis!" he
hiccoughed. and lurched on Poor lit
tie girl! How pitiful she looked as
she passed up the narrow alley! AS
she came to the wider street, shah
by house, brightly lit up, caught her
attention 1t was a childrens party
going on, but she peered through the
half-curtained windows with little
gasps OF admiration and envy, until
some one opened the door and she
scuttled away. AS she went UP the
street she begged timidly, and when
she finally got a copper from passing
man it was accompanied with: %Chil-
dren like these begging! Shameful
The snow was falling lightly, but as
she tramped on 1T got in her shoes and
she could barely walA, her feet were So
cold. 1t was getting dark, and she
stopped at a friendly bakers and got
a roll for her cent, the kind-hearted
woman putting some cakes in the bag
as she saw how wistfully her custom
er eyed them. AS she drew near the
frame house she called home, a light
hared up in the sky bursting through
a dense bank of smoke and revealing
the alley crowded with a jostling
throng, fire lines drawn, and streams of
water scattering against the ram
shackle buildings, coating the street
with ice and freezing on the fire fight
ers below. A sudden pang seized her.
Fleddie! The fire was already circ1ing
and coilfng around the rotten frame
she had left, and it wes doomed. The
firemen saw this, aR5 trying to protect
the other tcnses, thought nothing of
the c..s. The room was brightly lit,
AID Fleddfs saw her pet coiled in the
corner. 1t stirred, and then jumped
up as the light became brighter. Round
and round it shifted, then ran to the
stairs. They were smoking, but the
dog went down few steps, then run
ming back fearfully, sprang to the
window and hung there, looking down
pitifully. Compassionate murmurings
held below. bit the dog would not
jump. A cry of sympathy went up
from below, and then-oh! his mis-
tress caught her breath as he gave a
long howl of pain and terror, looking
at her. The howl rose above the deep
undertone Of sound. and seemed to
pierce her through and through. AS
he dropped there was a little rush
about her, and then from the specta-
tors arose a cry of horror as a little
white figure struggled through them
and plunged into the fire lines. On