The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-27
A BOSS TRlcxsTER.

I 80 -AC aquarium uOUS64s tNAUEAAllt "a
pecting brick or billet OF wood for :.
welcome. instead Of which soft juvenile
voice said encoura g1ngly:
Come in, old fellow; don't be afraid;
there isn't anybody here but ne"
And 'old fellow" wiggied along. show
| ing glacness and gratitude in every mo-
ton, and made his way 10 a small boy
seated on a box in one corner OF the
yard. engaged in fixing some sort Of a
mechanical toy. The dog wagged his alb
nrevi2ted tail IN an attempt 10 be fond,
ana at the same tine exhibited row OF
dazzling white teeth in an undershot jaw.
ana he looked very tough. but little Mark
Roberts was not the least bit afraid He
pStted the stray dogs head, called him
odd fellow" and then bethought him
that it would only be kind 70 give him
something to eat. So the next thing tn
cook in the Roberts family saw was Mas
ter Mark in white blouse and lace collar
entering her spOtless kitchen with q
down-at-the-heel bulldog that was from
all appearances al outs with the world.
'Laws-a-massy. you drefful boy, wha
70 mudder say an 20 ladder when day
see dat dog?"
She gathered her skirts about her prs
! pared 10 run, but Marks pleading arms
we're about her fat waist and she dropped
III heap and gathered him into the fold
| OF her shetering arms. while the dog
! the odor OF roast cooking in the oven.
| He's awful hungry. Cindy, and
think he's lost. Maybe if you wash him.
| mamma viii let me keep him. I've want
ed real live dog all my life. Cindy."
Dress de chile, he talks es eff he was
! &c ole es Methuselem.' Cindy cried, and
! stralghtway began u rummage for bones
and these were carried outside and made
/ a fine feast for the starved stranger.
! But what TO do with him next2 If only
! C-ndy were TO be propitiated that were
an easy victory. but Marks lady mother
[ hated dogs. She often said so. and be
! loved it herself Mr.. Roberts was to-
/ tally unacauainted with the canine type.
IVES always spotlessly dressed. and while
| rot especially disliking the animals want
1 ed them to keep a respectful distance.
| He had fears. too, of hydrOphObia. and
! Ike other ignorant persons, believed that
! the bite of a dog was fatal whether the
/ animal had rabies or not.
| Against these objections what cOul3
Mark do? What he did was TO keep the
Dog secreted on the premiser until he had
! been groomed into the semblance of
fine kennel-bred sport with milk-whitc
coat and a sleek head showing off pink
! serrated ears. and an expression of coun-
tenance so entrancingly ferocious that
! mill1men and grocers' boys delivered their
EODhS 10 0lIuN dl the gate anu just d.
this time Cindy advised Mark TO let his
father and mother see his treasure. for
she feared consequences if they found
out that she was harboring the intruder
and was as deep in the conspiracy as the
boy himself
SO this was what Mr.. and Mrs. Roberts
cav when they had dined one evening
and expected to spend an hour listening
to Marks account of the days doings.
He had been vague and unsatisfactory
lately at this post prandial hour, some
times unduly excited, and again unnat-
urally quiet. Cindy had given him blue
ribbon-it had been washed and ironed-
and leading his acquisition by this tether
he marched into the parlor and neither
of them saw the animal until it stood
before them regarding them with canine
curiosity Mrs. Roberts climbed on
chair and screamed. Mr.. Roberts said.
sharply: Take the brute away" and then
Mark made his plea.
He's just lovely. papa; plays with me
ali the time, and don't never get cross.
Clndy can tell you-Cindy, come here!
Il declar ter goodness, Mis- Roberts.
dat chile am so posest ter hev a dawg
Use scared ter hear him go on. An dat
az is a nifty nice kind: he got mos es
much sense es l hes myself, an he doan
neveh bark, jes' fit ter play wifi chill
lrns."
How long has he been here?" asked
Mrs Roberts as she stepped down 70
earth again.
Use cawn't exactly say, but he's done
customed to de place, an l reckon feels
al home. an dat chile jes too happy
for ennything waltzin roun Wit him fob
company all day
Mark had his arm around the brute's
neck and was rubbing his own smooth
rnaaL against ba bIuUf head dog
accepting his caresses with such evident
appreciation that Mr.. Roberts, after
watching them a moment, said:
L haven't any use for a dog. but If the !
boy wants this one to play with have no |
objection. But keep him away from
me-"
Hes to stay in the yard, remember |
that Cindy." said Mrs. Roberts. sharply. |
- suppose Mark could be furnished with |
a better companion. bat he'll get tired |
or him. or the dog VIII run away. 1 |
wish his owner would find him."
If they had read the lost and found no. /
tees in the papers they would have seen
a startling advertisement anent this !
same dog with a reward Of three figures /
offered for his safe return. But they did I
not. and Mark and Cindy could not read. !
and they might have kept il 20 them /
selves in any event. as they did the |
dog.
Time passed and the father and mother 1
did not get over their objection 10 4
Marks playmate. which indeed they sell
dom saw. being much out in society, at /
which time the child vas supposed to be !
sleeping in his little bed. So in truth he 4
was and often 'old fellow the only
name he had. was CURED up on the foot /
OF the bed after a Tomp through every !
room upstairs with Cindy n attendance.
And he was there one night when the
fr~. ~
but with cunning Discrimination he had
jumped down and hidden. and they did
not see him when they looked in on the
sleeping boy.
In the early morning hours Mr.. and
Mrs. Roberts were awakened from q
sound slumber by fearful crash. and 81
muita neousiy with the sound the white !
of their door, carrying the frame with II
as Il landed Ia the middle OF the room.
They had only time for one horrible
thought, that the animal had gone mad
when they saw fame ard smoke rushing \
in and knew they we're saved from death
The fat was on fire-theTe was time for
the family 20 be saved. ali the rest WAS
lost And Il was found later from light
scratches OF Marks face that the dog
had tried 20 awaken him. hut failed. and
then performed 4 feat that was almost
superhumsn ard denoted an intelligence
OF the keenest hber
When they were settled 81 new home
"oid fellow was the hero ~ the hogr- a
silver collar Eracsd his athletic neck and
his story Eas told IN print. Mrs Roberts
save him the privilege 81 the drawing
rcorn. bat Mark and Cindv were reserved
for hts special friends ard sometime 81
seemed ltttie tired - them He drrnped
and they sent for a veterinary surgeon.
who could hHi nothing definite tna maj
ser. but conclusIed he had fahaied smoke
- --4-a+ - ne stsa-s-rf-~ feat gu-