Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-03-16

ly for the chained criminal. Days,
weeks, months passed. The marks that
he had scratched into his chains while
suppressing his rage and keeping quiet
as a mouse told him that Christmas was
at hand.
What if some complaint had been filed
against him! What if he should never
learn what gift had been intended for
him! In the same moment that this
thought woke within him his reason
seemed to totter, so powerful had been
the influence of this one hope.
At noon he heard steps in the corridor
and those steps were words for him, so
sharp had his ears become to every
sound. They were those of the warden
and the guard, and then. too, there was
faint rattle that he neither knew nor
could he comprehend, but it filed him
with strange foreboding. Was there
really something intended for him that
no other prisoner had ever received?
Long before the steps reached his cell
he arose and assumed the required rigid
position, with his hands to his sides. His
blood hammered in his temples and
threatened to burst his heart. If these
steps should pass his cell he knew-he
could not help it-that his power of re-
sistance would be forever crushed But
the steps and the strange sound halted
before his door and his heart for a mo-
mcnt ceased to beat
The heavy door was slowly, noisily
opened and the warden entered
you have behaved well during the past
three months"
Yes" said he. His voice trembled. He
was to have "it' after ALL
DO YOU remember that / promised you
a reward"
He could not answer. Had he remem-
bered it! During the entire quarter. dav
and night. he had thought of nothing
else
Don't you remember it?'
Yes" and this time it sounded like a
suppressed sob.
Then you shall have it,"
The murderer's whole body trembled.
[ pom the warden's turning and swapping
his fingers, a little black poodle came
slowly and carefully in as if he feared
he were being enticed into trap.
You may keep the dog" said the war
den.
Outside was heard FESTIVE movement.
The prisoner looked distrustfully at the
warden and asked, ''How long?"
'As long as you are good to him and
behave yourself"
The warden noticed the glad light of
JOY i'll the prisoners eye, but said moth
ing.
The door closed slowly and the convict
was alone with his new mate.
This time the steps Of the guard rang
contemptuousy as if he were angry.
Within the two stared long at each other.
He hesitated to call the dog. since an I'M
known fear told him that the animal
would not come to him.
Finally he took the risk The poodle
approached him slowly and hesitatingly.
As he neared the convict the latter
passed his hand over the dogs head
Then the dog raised himself and put his
paws upon the prisoners knees. This so
frightened him that he nearly fell over,
but controlling himself he gently stroked
the dog from head to tail with both
hands. Then the poodle leaped into his
lap, and while he petted the dog the
grateful animal wagged his tail inces-
sanity and tried to lick the forehead and
eyes of his new friend, who barred his
face in the dogs black fur and wept
aloud.
This time no sound was heard outside,
everything was quiet. But as the war
den finished his rounds, one guard said
to the other: Il believe he isn't quite
right. Now that murderer will set his
dog upon us" His colleague nodded as
sent. Both had held their positions for
sixteen years and knew just how to
manage prisoners.
Since that day no complaint was ever
filed against No. :, although he spent
six more years in his dark cell
When he died the poodle was given his
freedom, but the dog took notice of moth
ing, neither of man nor animal. Without
food or drink he stayed at the grave of
the convict, refusing to leave it, and after
a short time followed his only friend to
! the grave.-Philadelphia Bulletin.