Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-10-31

asS \ She used to st ct the t1bJe, rigid, eno-
 bGTT0SSed
 brought home a little. dog in basket as a present for Sibyl in response to her shy but very earnest request. It was the queerest looking beast that ever saw; surely nobody but my father could have picked it out, a creature homely beyond belief, yet impossibly amiable, bright and amusing, as the event proved.
 At the sight of 1t Sibyl was en- raptured. She gathered Bogy for so he was named) to her bosom and over- whelmed him with endearments. AL most immediately afterward she myste- riously vanished, to be found, after con- siderable search, in a small dark room with Bogy in her arms. The dogs woolly head was wet with Sibyps tears, but the child stopped crying the in- stant that she was discovered, as she alwavs did. Pressed to state the cause of her woe, she carefully steadied her voice for this reply: Uncle Sumner al- ways likes homely dogs"
 The natural inference was that Sib- yl's pet had been disappointment to her, and thus my father viewed the case. The truth was far away, as sub sequently appeared. Sibyl saw in the selection of Bogy a crowhing confrma- ton of her previous observations and deductions. My father had ever a kind word for a crop cared cur, and such would look after him on the street and wish to be his dog. He would buy a scrawny horse of teamster and turn 1t out to pasture for the rest of it's days, and he would give his patronage to the freckled newsboy with a nose like little piece of putty. Sibyl had seen these things, and her sentence complete would have been this: Uncle Sumner always likes homely dogs-and mev'
 This incident of long ago was in my mind as the ship that brought me home sailed into New York harbor It had come up out of the past as the result of much delving among battered rub, bish of memory. It showed that Sibyl had recognized her misfortune early in life, and in connection with the fact that I had never received a portrait of her in all the years of my absence 1t possessed melancholy value. We had exchanged letters at rare intervals essays l would better call them, sketch es of travel on my part and on hers the quaintest comments upon matters impersonal- and had asked her for picture more than once, without even eliciting so much as refusal.
 customs tug slid up along the side of our big ship, and there stood my fa- ther on the little crafts deck. Not 8 day older he seemed to me, straight, stalwart, handsome and distinct from all others When he came aboard our vessel, he seemed to be the captain or an admiral over the captains head It was impossible to see him anywhere without the feeling that he must be in command.
 l had called to him as the tug ran alongside, but he had failed to see me- Upon our deck he looked straight at me for seconds space without recog- milton; then he started and raised his hands, surprised
 "Marshall!'' he exclaimed, taking my right hand in his left and laying the other on my shoulder. ''Marshallr'
 He seemed to find an assurance in the name, as if it helped him to realize that there was no mistake.
 "Why, you've grown a foot!'' he cried. You're taller than I am. And you've changed sol can hardly be- lieve it's you"
 Tt began while I was in Europe replied, ''but I got the height while I lay abed. in Pretoria It quite often happens, of course, that fellow grows an inch or two under such circurn- stances, but I got nearly tfree.'
 My father complimented me most heartily upon my added stature and robust appearance. When he had last seen me had stood scarcely feet 10 and had been hollow in the chest from a long habit of huddling over table when reading.
 t'Sibyl will be struck dumb at the sight of you" he said. "'She likes men of good height, and that's why every little five footer falls in love with her.''
 ''How is Sibyl looking these days?'' asked. with carefully yelled anxiety.
 Bless the dear child!" he responded enthusiastically. She's the picture of health
 When that's the best that can be said of girls looks, let Cupid drop dead in the scuppers and be washed ayerboard- l turned my face away afSG groaned.
 CHAPTER II.