Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
DYNAMITE.
A True Story of a Faithful Dog.
BY NJ. S. Randy.

Margaret's life seemed hedged round
with "don'ts." If she sat on the stoop OF
the big apartment house where she lived
in winter she was invited to get up
When she went to the park 1t was more
restraint Keep off the grass, do not
pick the flowers and do not feed or annoy
the animals met her gaze at every cor
ner, until Margaret felt a good deal like
the discouraged little boy who said.
Whats the use of anything? Nothing!
Up in the Berkshires, where Margaret
spent the summer. all was different. Grass
seemed to be made to be rolled on; flow
ers fairly begged to be picked; while the
pets haunted the little city girl in their
efforts to be caressed and played with.
Especially was this so of the dog, 'Dyna-
mite" homely, illy-proportioned. hair
less animal, who repealed rather than at
tracted the child. That is, until MIR. Ben
ret. the farmer, told her the story that
made Dynamite famous.
Dynamite, when little puppy, had been
injured in an explosion where some blast
ing was in progress. No one knew just
how far Dynamite was exploded, but late
in the evening Mr. Bennett, who lived a
mile away, found the dog. or what was
left of him. whining piteously outside his
door. He certainly was a sorry-looking
object, and Mr.. Bennet's impulse was to
drive him off. Mrs. Bennett encoura ged
HSF husband 10 get MIN away before lnelT
son Ira. aged ten, should see him. for
Ira's heart was very tender toward all
animalkind
Mrs. Bennett often said that her heart
was nearly broken by Ira'S pets, who
were always in some state of dilapida-
ton. Time and again she had declared,
L wouldn't mind a clean. whole dog or
cat, but it worries the life out of me to
see a lot of 1imping, blinking, tailless,
NANCY animals around"
Once, when Mrs. Bennett came home in
a driving rain, she missed the new rag
carpet out of the kitchen. Where could
it have gone? Certainly no ordinary thief
would have numbered himself with that.
CHANGING through the window way down
in a corner, fastened to the fence, was
the missing carpet. 1t had been made
into tent, and Mrs Benent strongly
suspected that Ira was at the bottom of
the affair.
Calling the boy, he admitted he had
taken the carpet to protect from the
rain sick pig, whom the boys were
abusing in the road. Piggy looked very
cOntented in his elegant house but Mrs.
Benets heart was not half SO much ex-
ercised about p1ggys comfort as she was
about her gorgeous new carpet, which
was removed to the kitchen with no I'M
necessary delay
Remembering the pig episode the night
Dynamite came Mrs. Bennett called to her
husband, For goodness sake, get that
forlorn-iooking cur out of the way before
Ira comes!'
Ira, however. hearing his name, sus-
pected a secret. On coming to find out
what it was he found the cause of all
this discussion was dog, or, rather, the
remnants of what had once been a dog.
Why, mother" said Ira, with reproacIl
in his voice. TT would be cruel to turn
out that dog. Nobody would have him
around, much less care for him. Besides
the boys would abuse him. Please let me
keep him just until he gets well or dies
I'll take him to the stable, and I'll cure
him up, see if don't"
Mrs. Bennett re1ented, and Ira marched
off, carrying the gratefully looking doggy
in his arms.
This was how Dynamite made his en-
trance into the Bennett family. He earned
his right to stay in the following man
ner:
One bitterly cold day in winter Ira
started to walk to the academy, four
miles distant. 1t was showing hard, but
country boys are used to overcoming
such obstacles. Ira's mother promised ia
send for him in the afternoon, as she al
ways did, and cheerfully calling. Good
bye" Ira started on his long, cold walk.
Mr.. Bennett soon after left for a dis
tant barn to shear some sheep, taking his
luncheon with him.
Mrs. Bennett, busy about her household
work, did not notice the increasing storm
until it broke in the afternoon like a hur
ricane. She started for the barn to pu
kitty Wells in the sleigh. expecting tC
bring Ira home, as she had promised. Or
her way there she slipped and sprainet
her ankle She lay moaning with pain
unable to stir or make any one hear her
Worse than her own suffering was the
thought of Ira. miles distant, who If he
started 10 walk home in the storm would
be frozen to death
She finally dragged herself to the house
and tried to think of some way to gel
word to her husband. Without having
much hope of the success of her plan
she wrote a note, and tied it to Dynamite
neck.
Take it to your master" she said. Go
Dynamlite!' Patting his head, she opened
the door. and pointed in the direction
where Mr.. Bennett was to be found.
Dynamite flew to the barn, but the dool
was closed He barked and scratched but
to no avail. The storm was raging witt
such violence that Mr.. Bennett did not heal
the dogs frantic attempts to attract his
attention.
Did Dynamite give up? Not a bit of it
He hadn't lived through an explosion t6
| allow failure to overcome him now
In some way he reached the roof, an6
Mr.. Bennett, hearing the scampering looked
UP to the small window where hay was
put In. There was Dynamite, barking fllri
ously, with his white message tied on his
neck.
Mr.. Bennett saw at glance that some.
thing unusual had occurred. He opened
the window. read the note and started
for home as quickly as he could, Dyna.
mite running beside him all the way
When he learned of Mrs Bennet's acct.
dent and of Iras waiting in the storm
he hitched up the horse, brought neigh
Dor to care for Mrs. Bennett, went Tor the
doctor and on through the storm for his
boy. At the academy he was told that
Ira had started for home two hours ago
expecting to meet his mother on the way
With fear and trembling in his heart Mr.
Bennett began his homeward journey.
The storm still ragged. and the snow
had so drifted that 1t was almost impos.
sible to keep on the road. About mile
from home, Dynamite jumped out OF the
cutter and running to a spot began bark
ing and scratching as IL saving peoples
lives was what he had been created fer
Mr.. Bennett quickly alighted and found Ira
unconscious in snow drift and almost
frozen to death. He carried him to the
Sleigh wrapped him in fur robe, and
placing him in the bottom babe Dyna-
mite lie close beside him, to give the boy
some of the warmth of his body So the
party arrived home where Mr. Malcomh
was kept busy bringing both his patients
around.
Dynamite was praised and petted. and
Mrs. Bennett declared she would never part