Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-07-25
fcoNTINUEp.l


Kooiemsok did not altogether under.
stand the affair. hut he blinked his lit,
tie, sly, kindly eyes ut her, and when
she returned he drank the water until
his new friend began to make pointed
remarks.
Then he stopped. go into your den
wolf" she said. and, throwing aside the
can. she discontentedly made her way
to the house.
KoojemOok lay down and had anoth
er sleep until three hours later. when
Ina11y came out Of the cottage with q
pile Of books under his arm.
Hist" said the boy, edging along In
an apparently careless manner. Not
word out Of you. Step-ma's been
watching me like cat. Here's a
crust Of bread, ,he only thing l could
get What, you don't want it? You've
been out of your kennel, you rascal,
and l told you to stay in. Here's your
barrel door pushed aside. Oh, well, /
don't care if you'll be a wise dog and
don't hang about the cottage. / guess
it's just us well for you to skirmish
round; then won't have to take poor
step-ma's food for you. Goodby. I'll
call Oh you later. Find you lie low"
And Thaddy went whistlipg away.
After dark that evening Thaddy slip
ped out to say good night to koojemook.
What. Not hungry yet!' he said, Of
fering him slice Of ham that he had
saved from his lunch This is fine for
me. I'll leave your barrel door open
so you can come out again tonight il
you like"
Koojemook, looking gravely ut him,
made no explanation, and Thaddy ran
happily back to the house.
The next morning the strange wom-
an called again upon Koojcmook and
once more presented him with heap
ing plate of food This time she had
a little milk for him that he, however,
would not drink.
Il wonder where you were brought
up" she said, staring ut him with wide
open eyes.
Koojemook preserved discreet ST.
lence. Morning after morning the wo-
man appeared at the same early hour,
and morning after morning the dog lis
tened calmly to remarks upon his APP
pearance. He was old; he was sick;
he looked like Il wolf. Why didn't he
die if he were going to?
These words coming from person
whose deeds We're so highly to be ap-
proved of met with slight attention
from the philosophic dog. Indeed, he
began to like the woman. She fed him;
the boy only gave him water. And every
day after Thaddy went to school HOO
jemook took up his station Oh nearby
ash heap and attentively watched Mrs.
limbs comings and goings about the
back door and yard Of her cottage.
When Thaddy returned home he
skunk into his box.
"Oh, you old tramp" said the boy to
him one day. II expect you go all over
the city when no one Is watching YOU"
Koojemook curled his lip. He had
never been beyond the dumps. A will
ter Of starvation and i'll usage was not
so easily overcome. And he had work
to do nearer home when he was able
for it.
On The morning OF the tenth day or
his entrance into the packing box lie
began an excavation behind it. working
as steadily as his strength would al
low.
What are you up to now:' asked
the boy. with puzzled face.
He soon found out. kOojemOok was
making Il burrow-roomy and comfort
able and waterproof.
"Wellw said Thaddy in bewilder-
ment. IL don't know what's the mat
ter with that packing case, but il you
don't want it, let it go" And he gayly
scattered the box, the sheets Of tin, the
coal hod, the barrel and the oil cans
to the four winds of heaven.
Now there's nothing to attract step
mas attention." he said. 1T was too
conspicuous an ornament to the dust
scape anyway" And he gave the last
vestige of the box Il gleeful kick.
Three more weeks went by, and the
month was completed. Koojemook
was now fine, plump dog. His sores
had been licked into cleanness and
health; the bad smell, thanks to his
dust baths, was quite gone. and Mrs.
Timbs, staring down at him one moru-
ing. said with something nearly akin
to pride: you're not bad looking now
that you've got on your bones the ten
pounds that have slipped from mine
this month. But understand, dog. this
is for ThaddyY sake. not yours"
KooIcmook violently wagsed his tail.
1t did not matter in whose name the
kindness was done He rcapcd the
benefit. and he lotel the outsuoken wo.
man.
"Stei-ma's pretty cute" *ii TIA ID
to hini later il tie day, but shes; not
as cute as you and me. Koojcmook. |
notice that you always lie low when
she's about. You're Il good dog. Just
wait till summer comes and I'm earn
ing money. Then III acknowledge YOU
and confess how I've been keeping you.
She has SO much to worry her that !
hate to mention you now, and she'd
never believe that you support your
self"
The dog discreetly acquiesced, and for
day or two longer things went Oh as
they had gone before. Koojemook kept
to his burrow, only emerging to watch
Mrs. limbs or to note with affection
ate interest the comings and goings of
the boy who had befriended him.
One night when the dog was sleeping
soundly he suddenly woke, lifted his
head and listened. Then, creeping out
side his burrow, he sat on the top Of 1t
and stretched his neck in the direction
Of the town.
10 ordinary hearing there were no
sounds audible but the usual ones Of
the night-the subdued hum from the
nearby city, the rolling Of carriages,
the signing Of the wind, the whlrring
Of distant electric cars, the shouts of
the men to the horses that were drag
glng loads of ashes to the outskirts Of
the dump. But KoojemoOk, with bis
mysterious dog sense, was aware Of
something else, and soon be set out
running hurrledly In the direction of
the city. (Note.-My father when hunt.
ing has had q hound come to him
across q wood. The dog would come