The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-23
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MAN ABOUT TOWN.

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About the best friends on earth are
boy and his dog. This was demon
strated the other day in manner Dor
dering on the pathetic, and the writer,
who knows the circumstances as we'll
as the parties thereto, was moved by
the pathos of the incident. A certain
we'll known and prominent family
were to remove from Grand Forks.
The pet dog had to be left behind and
much to the bitter disappointment of
his little master the time drew near
when the last caress and the last
daily romp with Jack" had to be
taken. good home had been pro-
vided for Jack" with family in this
city and on the day prior to his leave
taking, our young friend took his pet
to his new quarters. He appeared
trudging along in the dust of the high
way, for Jack was to become a sub
urbanite, his pet closely following at
mis- heels and upon arriving at the
house, proceeded to give much en-
tightening information upon the pe-
culiarfties of his pet, his likes and dis
llkes, favorite food and many other
things he deemed of vital Importance
to both Jacks future happiness and
his new masters peace of mind.
The little chap bore up bravely, but
as he stopped for the last time to
caress that curly head; as his play
mate looked up at him with beseech-
Ing expression as if to say, why do
you go away and leave me here?"
there was a noticeable tremor to the
firm set lips of the little master and
two big tears trickled down a sun
burnt cheek onto the grimy little
hand stroking Jacks head. The little
master thought himself unobserved
and Jackie did not care The writer
turned away for serious throat diff
Guilty known as lump rising in it,
AFFLICTED him strangely. Jack tugged
at his chain when the boy walked away
and sorrow. boys sorrow tugged at
the heart of the manly little chap try
ing SO hard to be brave.
1t was pathetic and touching. When
the family arose the next morning, a
hesitating knock was heard at the
back door and there stood the little
master. II forgot to tell you-you
mustn't let Jack out nights or he'll
run aWay-I just come up to tell you
-and-and to see he's all right, you
see" and he made bolt for the wagon
house. Jack bounded joyfully to greet
him and the writer left them alone, for
1t was the last parting and it meant
much to Jack and his mater. Later,
we saw a diminutive form walking
determinedly towards town, never
looking back until the highway was
reached leading to the city. Then he
stopped and looked back, and after a
brief halt went on Jack tugged at
his chain and sent after his little
friend a mournful howl but it was I'M
needed. Just the parting of boy and
his pet dog, such trivial thing, you
say, but there was a world of love in
that manly little breast for his pet and
if there was ever any doubt that Jack
will receive good treatment it may
vanish, for the Man likes dogs and
gritty. manly little boys as we'll.
The Kaiser's grand child is at last
baptized and all is we'll with his little
Kiserlets, for the present at least.
Speaking of baptisms, it takes fell
low back to the dear old days when
the good Baptist brethren of the little
country village where the Man stole
grapes, matched pennies and went to
school was reared" used to immense
repentant sinners.
1t was down below the mill dam and
there was a very suitable place for
this generally solemn procedure. The
water had washed out a hole of suf-
ficient depth to be about waist deep
on an ordinary man and we used to
wash sheep there in the spring. In
fact, that particular place answered
divers ends for the village folks and
was popular as a swimming hole,
sheep-washing place or for baptismal
fornlalities.
l can see 1t now. in fancy. and re-
call the stretch of pebbly strand where
the choir always gathered to sing,
Shall We Gather at the River" as
some repentant sinner was lead into
the ripping waters and we boys tried
to keep quiet and respectful up on the
high bank where the alders grew.
l remember one occasion when
great, awkward fellow. there for i'm
mersion, stumbled on a rock and car
ried the little minister off the edge
into deep hole with him and they
both came up from under water, splut-
tering and blowing like sea lions in
tank while the choir labored through
Shall We Gather" with many of the
singers in commissions A certain
youngster who forgot himself and
laughed uproarously on that occasion
had cause to regret it not long after
wards when Dad suggested a visit to
the woodshed.
The old dam is washed away now
and the stream dried up. being moth
ing but weed choked brooklet, flow
ing, indifferently along to the river.
The mill to which the stream furnished
power then is now mass of ruins
and other boys play in the old haunts
but-one still remembers.