The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-06-13

three-story frame building tnat stoou
on the corner, humping into it, and
sweeping and growing about it until
it heaved and groaned as If crying
out against it's 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
II curious to see the inside, then
formed lttlepiles which were whiried
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 race
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 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 its
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 Fleddls
from an. immense tin pail which he
was regarding aggressively one sum-
mer's day, crouchirg in the sun with
despair written in his very tall.
Blocker Lane first knew them as
''Fleddis an the dawg," then as Filed
Sie an Fleddis," putting the dog first.
He was a terrier Of the ordinary size,
but his love for his mistress was so
fervent that it was a constant source
of wonder to the 'Avenoo', as it was
derisively called, why some on it.
wasn't leaking out'n his skin" Fled
die" she said, walt ERE till | 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 n half drunken man
as she stepped outside. He raised his
fist threateningly. ooh! Fleddis!" 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 children's party
going on, but she peered through the
halfcurtained 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 copper from passing
man it was accompanied with: Chill
dren like these beggingl Shameful"
The snow was falling lightly, but as
| she tramped on it got in her shoes and
she could barely walh, her feet were SO
| cold. 1t was getting dark, and she
stopped at friendly bakers and got
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, light
fiared up in the sky, bursting through
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 circling
and coiling around the rotten frame
she had left, and it was doomed. The
| firemen saw this, and trying to protect
| the other houses, thought nothing of
| the dog. The room was brightly lit,
| and Fleddis 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
| ran through the crowd, and a net was