The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-09-21

caught in the mesh, had been pulled
out. But he was watching the Man,
who was slowly getting further and
further away. Once the Man, hear
ing these pitiful yelps, stopped and
those of Joy; the dog had seen.
But the Man, thinking of the Girl
went on.
He entered the room; there was
no great white ball bounding from
the lounge to greet him, with wag-
glng tail. 1t was lonely this room.
now.
II have done as you asked" he
wrote the Girl, but It seems rather
unfair to the dog and to me. I am
sure he would love you and think
you would come to love him. Shan't
get him back7"
There was no one to talk to this
night, and SO he went TO bed He
was In no humor to see the Girl.
. . The next morning there was a
reply from her. You may do as you
please, but as I told you, II I ar to
marry you | can't have that horrid.
nasty. treacherous brute arourd.
That is final; surely this Is snail
thing for me to ask"
Nasty. treacherous'-poor old
Chum. who's stuck by me. richer or
poorer, better or worse, for six
years. wonder II she'd do as
much" And he pondered. The
sight OF Chum's whip, of the frag-
ments OF a rubber ball-he could
lind none which Chum could not de-
rlolish-the unmussed pillows. and
a few white hairs-all smote him
keenly. 1t was lonely without the
terrier! Cad, what a baby | am,
but Chum stuck by me, | ought to
! him"
He went out for walk, but 1t
was unenjoyable; there was no
Chum trailing at his heels, or frol-
licking about. He met three cats
and they passed him unmolesteG-
poor Chum!
Home he found letter from the
kennels. You asked me to let you
know how your dog was. He cried
all night, and won't eat this morn
ing. He'll probably be better in
week or two, they usually are"
Then suddenly he remembered
he had been too love blind TO do so
before-in all their six years to-
gether. Chum and he, Chum had
only growled at three people like
that, and all three had proved rot
ten bad-roten bad. Was she? No
she couldn't be. Yet now when he
thought 1t over she had loo, ed
venomous yesterday when she had
said. II hate dogs" and people who
didn't like dogs, and whom dogs
didn't like-that had always been
part of his creed of friendship. He
caught sight again of the orderly
lounge, of the whip, of the half
eaten slipper-and in his mind he
could hear Chum yelping patheu-
cally and refusing to eat, and Chum
was always so hungry. He rose I'M
comfortably; Chum had proved
himself time and again-had he
Girl?
You told me to do as | pleased"
he wrote, "on second thought
choose the dog"
Chum was standing In his wire
prison as his master came walking
quickly down the road; his head
and tail dropped pathetically; he
was misery. There was the sound
of familiar whistle, but Chum was
inattentiye; he had been deceived so
often these last few hours. The Man
stood before him. Chum could not
believe It; then suddenly he did.
Tail, head. body, legs, In whirling
contortions, all testified madly to
10y, supremest JOY. Staccato barks,
expressive yelps, mad desire to
chew his master, made Chum fair
demon of happiness, and the Man
had bit of a lump in his throat as
he looked down on his small white
friend. He walked home, and It
was all very natural, very joyful.
Chum was trailing at his heels, now
jumping all over him, now in
mad scramble after cats. The Man
lulo Tic DlB CIldlT Dt-
fore the fire. ITS good again,
Chum. isn't 1t? Come, old boy"
"A note for you, Sir" said the
buttons. Get it, Chum." The dog
wagged his way back with the note
In his mouth.
Dear old Pal: Forgive my intru-
sion in your affairs, but | have just
heard of your reported engagement
to that girl. | hope 1t isn't true
Her husband, one of my clients, is
suing her for divorce, and we've
only just located her whereabouts.
Let me know when l can come to
tell you all about It,"
Buttons" said the Man with a
Jump that sent the dog sprawling
to the middle of the floor; Buttons,
get me pounds of raw meat, and a
steak, and some chops, and some
ltvar Hurry -