Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1905-08-31
Buff

they had either ben a nuisance or had
some other untimely end. So after we
had disposed of Monkey, who,
when he was not pulling the
parrots tail or chasing the cat through
our flower beds, was usually TO be
found chewing on the finest pieces of
the wash or playing football with
Aunt James most elaborate sofa cush-
ions. we said goodbye 70 dogs. These
cushions were Aunt James delight
and 1t was after she found her latest
one which had taken nearly a years
work, out in the middle of the dusty
road with Monkey gnawing it in
wicked delight. that she took a firm
stand. And who would dare disobey
Aunt Jane? Not living soul unless
it was Donald.
Then we had weeks of beautiful
peace until one morning into our quiet
sitting room walked Donald, carrying
in his arms little yellow and white,
furry ball of a puppy. He smiled as
friendly a greeting with his short tail
as any fat, little puppy, not long
away from his mother could well
smile. surrendered completely at
first sight. But Aunt Jane rose up in
indignation.
Donald Darcy" she said severely.
What are you doing with that dog?
Wherever he has come from take him
back this minute Never as long as
/ live will we have another dog in
this housed"
And l can't live 'thout one" said
Donald, not impudently, but with his
usual independence. Since Monkey
went the house IS been deader than
anything. II Bluffs got to go, I'm
going too. took my twenty-five dol
lars out of the bank and bought a
good one so he wouldn't bother you.
Monkey was only cur, but Bluffs a
collie, Aunt Jane, and you can teach
'em anything"
From the time Donald was a little
fellow in dresses he had always done
exactly as he said he would. And
now Aunt Jane knew that If she sent
Buff away Donald would go, too.
So Buff stayed. Quickly he changed
from the fat puppy into the awkward,
half-grown dog, and at last into a
beautiful, full.grown collie. The vel.
low color which had given him his
Eamc had become tinged with brown
His neck, breast and the lower part
of his face were pure white and his
legs were well dipped with white
His face was one Of the most intelli
gent | have ever seen. even on a col
lie. Many were the tricks Do.ald
taught him and Buff was never hap
pier than when at play with him.
If a cross word was spoken to him
he would go about all day looking
most miserable, with ears and tai
down. If we made any sighting re
mark about him in our general con
versation he would be depressed foi
hours. remember one rainy day
Donald was away and Buff was rest
less. He walked back and forth about
the room until | said impatiently, "DC
lie down, Buff" Without taking an
other step, he dropped down the in
slant | spoke. | thought of his quicl
obedience at the time, but did no
look up. A couple of hours later
when ] had forgotten all about him
a cry from Aunt Jane made me raise
my eyes, and there was Buff lying OF
one Of her elegant floor cushions jus
where he had dropped at my com
mand. He had a most miserable lool
on his face. He knew he should no
be there, yet he also knew that h,
should obey when spoken to. Tn,
poor fellow did not recover from Aun
James scoiding for nearly week.
IL was only few nights after thi
that was awakened by something
tugging at the bed clothes. Thel
came a quick, short bark, and
smelled smoke. In an instant | knew
that IL was Buff warning me OF fire
Hardly did we have time to leave tn
house before il was lost in smok
and flames. Then we discovered tina
Buff was not with us. He had awak
ened Aunt Jane as he had me. bu
Donald had left his door locked an
had climbed from the window. II
had seen nothing of Buff since tn
evening before.
Though everything in the hcus
was ruined by the flames. smoke an
water, most Of the building was stil
standing after the men had put on
the fire. AS soon as we could W