Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-05-25
DOG SPOILS
A ROMANCE.

been for the dog he would have fallen
IN love with the girl. Now he hates
the dog and almost hates the girl.
He never met the girl, or the dog.
for that matter, until one recent Sun
day, and he is not eager to meet either
OF them again. He had gone to call
on a friend in One Hundred and
Twelfth streets one Sunday afternoon,
and there met the girl. She was
charming. Rogers thought he never
had seen a prettier girl in his life.
And her manner was in keeping with
her beauty. Altogether Rogers spent
most delightful evening, and when
the party broke up his cup Of happi-
ness was filled when she smilingly
accepted his offer to escort her home
When they left the house Rogers Of
fered to lead the dog-a little, stumpy-
tailed, rattle-brained terrier The
trouble began when they tried to board
car The conductor snarled at him
that dogs were not allowed on the
cars. The rule is ali right, but Rog-
ers had never heard of 1t before, that
being his first outing with dog. The
way the passengers smiled when the
conductor announced the rule in that
kindly, gracious manner that conduc-
tors have and the realization that ne
wore sickly smile as they got OF
the car, weren't calculated to make
Rogers start off in an entirely amiable
frame OF mind.
The girl lived in the Fifties, and
there was nothing to do but walk.
Rogers promptly pretended he didn't
mind at all, and chatted gayly along
with her, dragging the dog by the
chain. He wished several times the
dog would get caught in something, 30
he could have an excuse for pulling its
head on. The animal began to make
trouble at once. If Rogers let him
have plenty of chain 1t got right I'M
der the feet of people passing by. II
he shortened the chain and held the
dog up close, 1t got under Rogers feet
and tripped him up. Sometimes 1t
walked around on the girls side and
tripped her up. She would laugh and
call him endearing little names, and
ask Rogers II he wasn't just too Gun
ming for anything. Rogers said yes,
but he would have ground his heel
into the little beasts neck had he
the chance.
This sort of thing kept up practi-
cally all the way, the girl talking
sweetly and unconsciously, and Rogers
fairly bubbling over with rage.
At saloon corner almost within
sight Of her home the procession
passed knot of loafers gathered round
a lamppost and big policeman swing
ing his stick on the edge of the pave
ment. They had just passed the po-
liceman when Rogers felt violent
tug on the dog chain. He looked
around. to see the policeman's legs
all wrapped up with entanglements OF
chain, while the dog was running
round and round in gradually de-
creasing circle, swapping at the rat
policeman's legs. The bluecoat tried
to wrench himself free, but the hard
or he struggled the more firmly he be-
came entangled. The little beast
finally got between his legs, the chain
was twitched out Of Rogers hand, and
the policeman hit the pavement with q
crash, his helmet his stick and the
dog being lost under the folds OF his
blue coat. The dog was shrieking and
yelping in pain, but the policeman was
totally unable TO rise because OF the
firm manner in which his legs were
tied. The girl was too frightened to
speak. The loafers on the corner
shouted with laughter, and big crowd
gathered around TO see the fun.
The upshot OF the affair was that
Rogers had TO get down on his knees
and wrestle with the knotted and tan
gled chain around the policemans legs
while he sat up and swore, the dog
yelped, the crowd jeered and the girl
looked on and shed tears. Rogers
worked and tugged until his face was
hot as stove and his collar had
torn loose. He finally managed to
wrench the chain free, jerk the dog
from under the policeman's legs and
calm the girls fears, so that they
could proceed on their way.
mo, sir; none of your toy dogs for
mel" said Rogers TO a friend. Il
never see a woman leading one on
the street now that | don't want TO
kick 1t into the East river. IN. Y.
Press.
Niagara at High Tide.