The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-06-19
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By II. q. DA COSTA.
wright. 1902, by Daily Story Pub


How cold it was in Blocker Lane!
The wind seemed to have a particular
spite against old, ramShackle.
three-story frame building that stood
on the corner, humping into it, and
sweeping and growing about it until
it heaved and groaned, il crying
out against its rough playfellow- The
falling snow piled up against it, and
by the dim light one could see how the
bofsterous wind lifted the snow and
flung it against the old house, snow
ba11ing it. roaring with glee as now
and then 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 whiried
around the room by stray gust from
the big wind outside. then pilfng up
against two huddled up figures that
lay in the farther corner, revealing a
girl. Scanti1y dressed. rag OF a cot
ton shawl wound round her, an eleven
year-oId 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 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 it's
dirt. Everyone in Blocker Lane knew
the girl and her attendant, the dog
The dog had been rescued by F1eddis
from an immense tin pail which he
was regarding aggressively one sum-
dow IT. h. n
despair written in his very tail.
Blocker Lane first knew them as
"F1eddiS an the dawg," then as Filed
die an F'1eddis,'' putting the dog first
He was a terrier of the ordinary size,
but his love for his mistress
of wonder to the +Avenoe', as it was
derisively called, why some on it
wasn't leaking out'n his skim Fled
die she said, wait ere till 1 comes
back" and he curled himself in a
corner accordingly. Gathering up her
wisp of a shawl, she dragged the shoes
down the worm-eaten steps, almost
being run down by half drunken man
as she stepped outside. He raised his
fist threateningly- ooh! F1eddisi" he
hiccoughed. and 1urched on. Poor lit
tie girl, How pitifuI she looked as
she passed up the narrow a11eyt AS
she came to the wider street, a shah
by house. brightly lit up, caught her
attention 1t was a chi1drenS party
going on, but she peered through the
haIf-curtained windows with little
gasps of admiration and envy, until
some one opened the door and she
scutt1ed away. AS she went up the
street she begged timid1y, and when
she finally got copper from a passing
man it was accompanied with: Chill
dren like these beggingi Shameful"
The snow was falling lightly, but as
he r. cd on got in lor oI1o III
she could barely walk. 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 wiStfu1ly 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 jostling
throng, fire lines drawn, and streams of
water scattering against the ram
shack1e buildings, coating the street
with ice and freezing on the fire fight
ers below. A sudden pang seized her.
F'1eddie! The fire was already circling
and coi1ing around. the rotten frame
she had left, and it was doomed. The
hremen saw this, and trying TO protect
the other houses, thought nothing of
the dog The room was brightly lit,
and F'leddis saw her pet cofled 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 fearfu11y, sprang to the
window and hung there, looking down
pitifu1ly. Compassionate murmurings
ran through the crowd, and a net was
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