New-York tribune., 1906-11-18

The figure on the steps settled back against the
post. Don want 90 home" he said. I'll kick
blazeS out uv a few o them boys fu'st You go long
home, now. an lerlrne lone"
No, Jimmie you're goin' to be a good boy an
come home along O. me, now, said his father trying
to raise Jir's shoulder. It's kind O cold, an I've
got good fire"
So, slowly and with tedious persuasion they
started for home, and the old man helped the young
one all the way up the hill the dog carefully keeping
at AvIns side, for he and Jim not friends. As
they reached the door the dog tried slip in, and
got under Inns feet. He kicked savagely, and as
the old collie turned upon him, the drunken man
broke away and, seiZing chair, whirled it down
the crouChing animal The dog fled bowling from
the house, dragging broken leg. i'm went to bed
cursIng all created things, while his father bathed
his face and bound up the wounded head in hand
kerchief.
The next day Alvin found the dog where it had
crawled into empty stall IN the barn, fed 1t,
and tried to examine the broken leg; but the collie
old, cross, and IN pain, snarled and Curled down
hopelessly. The farmer hunted up his shot gun,
rusty and long dIsused.
There amt no powder, anyhow" he mused, as
his stiff fingers tried the stItfer lock- " / guess
wont chance 1t, he concluded, and set the gun
back in its cObwebbed corner.
He harnesSed the horse and went to Stanstield
4 got git some o my balsa, pretty quick,
he thought, an | might as well git somethln' for
the dog So he lghtened his little buckskln purse
by several coins, bringing home balsanl, round
bottle OF chloroform two porous plasters, and half
a dozen cigars for I'M.
Thought We might like EN- he said as Jim took
the little bundle. Henry Slocum says they's
make an fu st rate. They d ought to be good
cost d quarter. Five cents, reg lar; ye git one
more If We buy quaint ty.
As he was bending over the dog with wet cloth,
the animal suddenly grOwled and retreated into
corner of the stall. Alvin raised himself and found
Jim at his elbow
What We doin'?" he asked.
The father spoke almost apologetically. oh,
Just gOin' to put Shep out o his misery he said.
" He's old his leg Won get well, an kind O hate
to see him suffer. But you go way an let me tend
to him"
The Younger man fingered. That's great stuff.
he remarked. as the sweetlsh OdOr reached HIM.
The blanked dog don't deserve so much fussln
When they git old they ain I no good. He watched
his father with curious contempt for a moment,
and then slOuched away unCOncernedly. ALVIN
finished his work.
The bright clear weather lasted into November,
and the Sunday before Thanksgiving mild
MAY Alvin, tempted by the soft air, crept down
to the little meeting house the village, where,
before his illness he had been faithful attendant.
His heart was warmed and soOthed by his unwOnted
COrnpanIOnShIp with friends, and he settled IN his
seat IN the little white church with a comforting
sense Of relief from his daily burden OF anxiety
During the hymns and prayers OF the simple liturgy
which followed he felt the uplifting OF great peace
and the preacher began his sermon the old man
eyes rested upon him as the visible representative
OF the Power in whom he trusted simply child.
The Rev. James Robertson a pulpit star of
some increasing magnitude whom the itinerary
policy OF the Methodist Church had swung into the
auhelOn of SMYRNA a few months previously, and
whose genuine fervor had not been dampened by
too long an experience with the spiritual soggness
OF q rural community.
The sermon that morning was the FatherhOod
Of God and the minister took Tor his text the words
Ike as a father pitieth his children" The mag
netIsn Of his loving message stirred these simple
people deeply and ne gathered his hearers hearts
= his or1rstretched hands and held them up to God
as a priest elevates the Host. As he closed, he
became direct and personal.
Have YOU ever thought" he said, of the
responsibility God must feel for the creatures He
ted