The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1904-03-12
The Story
of Boxer

| Boxer" was bird-dog, or was des-
tined to be one when he grew up. As
| yet he was Just big. funny-looking,
anxious-to-please. lovable puppy. I'm
Gle Ted said he would be worth .
and Uncle Ted ought to know. for he
had as many dogs as the old woman
who lived in the shoe had children.
Only Uncle Ted knew what to do.
There never was a man, Ben and
Laura thought. who was a. clever
with dogs as Uncle Ted.
He never would have left Boxer at
grandma's. only telegram came very
suddenly calling him away.
Take good care of the dog" he
said the last thing. and Ben and
Laura. with one voice. answered:
I'VE will" They were delighted to
think of having such dear, ridicu-
lous puppy to play with. Uncle Ted
had left him chained to q post, but
they begged their father to lot the
poor fellow loose.
why. yes" said papa. laying aside
his paper. THE farm il big enough
to hold him, guess; and even II he
does get into mischief. I, think We
can manage him."
When Boxer saw them coming. he
wiggled and frisked till his tail almost
touched his head.
"Wuf! Wuf!" he barked in his fun.
ny. puppy way, which was to say,
Let me loose! Let me loose! What's
the use Of being on a lovely big farm
IL you have to be hitched to . post
by a stupid old chain?"
You should have seen him when he
heard the chain drop! He bounded
OF and then back again, upset Ben
in comical excitement, leaped up to
give Laura kiss, and there Is NO
telling what he would have done next
II he hadn't caught sight Of some
chickens scratching away in the how
| er bed.
.R-r-wuf! And in twinkling he
had chased the last one out.
"Deary mel" calculated grandma,
from the window. 'If we had . dog
as smart as that, my sweet peas
might have q chance to bloow!"
HE wasn't thinking of sweet peas"
chuckled papa. Its Just because he's
q bird-dog. He'd chase anything with
feathers till he's trained, II it were
| only an old stuffed OWL"
The children listened with respect
and admiration, for papa knew almost
as much about dogs as Uncle Ted.
They had q delightful afternoon
with Boxer. and he begged of"r 30
when they took him back to the post
that they decided to leave him loose.
Next morning there were seven lit
tie green goslIngs missing at feeding
time. They found them at last, seat
tered along the edge of the pond-all
dead!
"Oh. dear!" walled the children.
distracted between grief for the Cos
lings and pity for the guilty pup In
the punishment that was sure to over
take him. why didn't we chain him
up! Oh, what will papa do!"
What. papa did was to gather up
the goslings and arrange them in q
pile. with their poor, limp necks all
dropping one way. Then he sent for
Boxer.
Naughty dog!" he said, sternly.
pointing to the goslings. Bad. had
dog!"
Then he whipped him.
Poor Boxer! He looked at the Ros-
lings and he looked at papa, and II
there ever was penitent puppy. It
was he. His brown eyes shone with
tears and he licked papa's hand and
whined SO sorrowfully that it was all
the children could do to keep from
throwing their arms about his neck
and telling him not to feel sad any
nore-that 1t didn't matter. anyhow.
There could not have been a better
dog than Boxer was that day. The
family thought him more wonderful
creature than ever. He seemed 10 de-
lighted whenever he pleased any one.
and was so heartbroken when he blum.
dered. that no one really had the
heart to scold him very much.
So that night they let him loose
again. convinced that the lesson had
been learned.
Next morning before breakfast he
came bounding up joyfully to papa.
''Wuf! Wuf!" he said. As expreas-