The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-02-19

BY HAROLD AYERY


pareatiy l0st 70 a deep rsreF ana
wearing on bic head an absaf 0deI
of toD-hat On hearing nay seps
he rose and shambied across the gFass
q meet me. hls hat (which vas Sc
cured with an elastic bandJ cooked
knowingly over one ere.
Why. yoa remember hims~ cried
the boy. This Is the dog ] bought AZ
the farm We call him Marcus Au-
relias because he's always meditating.
He's aWtully clever I've taught him
heaps of tricks"
The animal gauntered Up and wiped
hls paws on nay trousers By way of
greeting.
Hello MarclT said his master. "st
upss
The dog promptly aopDed down full
length on the grass.
Z didn't tell you to die," cried the
boy. -sit Up you little blackguardi"
Marc. with bis top-hat hanging un-
der his chin like a noaebag. rolled
over and entertained Us by dying"
On his back.
That's Just Ike him. said tie boy:
"lt's the easiest trick he's got: and
whenever I tell him 10 do ary.hing
else he always viii die; he vent sls
up or run round after his tai"
Marc having sdied" for uha. be
considered reasonable length Of
time, now rose to his feet ana sann-
tered back 81 his meditatIons. this
time wearing his top-hat on tho back
Of his neck. as though It was a sol4
dier's knapsack.
What's be got that on for2"
Why. want him TO get accus-
toned 70 II. because I'm going to teach
him TO wear It when he goes out into
the street"
What can be do besides die7v
@WelIs answered the boy. II think
he'd make good sporting dog be-
cause he's always digging holes in the
garden. and think he's XIII rats II be
had the chance. / tried him once with
mouse that caught IN the stable
I let it loose on tha kitchen floor. and
somehow Marc lost It. and Il ran away
somewhere, and we couldn't find It,
and mother made an awful fuss She
doesn't like Marc. I'm sure she doesn't,
and he isn't allowed even to lie III
front Of the dining room fire. but al.
ways has to go into basket Women
never value good dog; they don't
know one when they see him. DO they.
Marcgv
The dog-who appeared now to
have finally determined to carry his
top-hat as a chest protector-on hear
Ing his name called, awoke with
start from his reyerla. and after mo
ment's hesitation. as though be forgot
exactly how the trick began. turned
slowly over and died.
Many years have slipped away
since first saw Marcus Aurelius medi-
tatlng on the sunllt lawn. and though
] knew him as a baby. find him to
be quite a gray-halred old man. No
top-hat appears raKishly perched upon
his shapeless head. and he stretches
himself with perfect confidence upon
the sacred hearthrug aud suffers no
rebuke.
Mare" says mother, with a slight
tremble In her voice, where's your
masrer2"
The dog wags hts stumpy tail. but
it is a heartiess proceeding. and be
does not even raise his head. Per
haps he knows as we'll as We do that
wide seas roll between himself and
Australia. and long before the boy win
ever think Of crossing them again.
Marcus Aurelius VIII have performed
his old trick in sober earnest and
shambIed OF down that dusty pathway
trodden years ago by the family Of
juvenile porkers, the old sheepdog,
and an the other friends 81 hfs vnufh