The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-07
THE EVENING STORY
TIle POLICY OF Pcter.
(By Cecilia A. Loizeaux.)

Il -
(By Cecilia A. Loizeaux.)
| When Walter Leighton brought
Peter home and laid him tenderly IN
| his wife's arms, she rose to the occa-
sion nobly, though a dog was the last
| ching on the earth for which she had
| any desire. But she saw in one quick
| glance that Walter was bringing her
gift that he considered fine one, ana
she was woman who never did things
| by halves.
So she listened with respect to the
| list of doggy's ancestors, and gravely
| considered the markings, though she
knew not one from another. But when
/ he reached the price. $25, she remem-
| bered that supper was waiting. Later
| that evening when she was making the
| unhappy, shrinking little beast a warm
bed in the dining room, Mary Leigh
ton said diSreSpectful words In low
| ing tone that caused the pup to lick
| her hand and cease his whimpering
for the moment.
You ornery, red-eyed, bow-legged.
stub-tailed little brute!" she cooed. IF
I'd known you were coming I'd have
| got in a previous bid for that lovely hat
at Mason's. L didn't say anything
about it to Walter because 1 thought
Ihe couldn't afford it, and here he has
gone and wasted twenty-five dollars
| on your And then because the pup
was small and helpless and soft and
she was a woman, she got up twice
| in the night to feed it warm milk and
hush it's whimpering.
And so in time she learned to love
him, and called him Peter, and Dragged
about him to Mrs. Carey, who was her
nearest neighbor and who did not love
Peter at all. Mrs. Carey said it was
because he chased her pet chickens to
death and chewed up the dish towels
which blew from the line on wash day;
but Mrs. Leighton whispered into Pet
er's ear, with a knowing smile, that it
was because Mrs. Carey was Jealous,
since her husband had not bought her
a dog.
There never had been any very
marked cordially between the two
young mar; ic1 couples. Tie III n
came and went to their business on
The game tiains and w ould hav- be N
good fr-. nds pre- batlv. having the same
tas- IS in tobacco ard politics bu- that
eacn alan was intentionally aware
tn It his wife wi<heG he wouldn't.
After the advent OF Peter, +spAcia'1S
after ne began to grow into an ag- o.
mi~chiAv 1-Is intelligei ce the neighbor
ly relati:rs Slowly died away until a:
he h-Fi nirg Of summer there was a
very thinly yelled hostility.
The two houses alike as two peas,
and built by n corporation. were divid-
ed by wide strip of emerald lawn
carefully watered and clipped by the
two men after work at night and early
in the morning. There was between
the front porches a distance Just great
enough so that ordinary conversat ton
on ono porch could not be heard on
the other
When Peter, having chased home a
wandering hen, would return with a
self-satisfied Neer on his ugly face to
his mistress, Mrs. Carey, running into
the back yard to see why her hens
were squawking. would catch a ripple
of laughter from Mrs. Leighton and
see her pull Peters stubby ears affec-
tionately. Being just out of earshot,
she could get only the caressing tones
nf .0i g, =,
woman, she could very well guess what
kind of a scolding Peter was getting.
Mr.. Carey rather liked Peter. He
knew a good dog when he saw one,
and Peter was undeniably a good dog.
Moreover, he believed in the instincts
of high-bred animal; and did not PEI
ter. after chewing up his wife's dish
towels, stop in his complacent journey
across the lawn to wink one red eye
at Mr.. Carey. secure in the belief that
in spite of the womans urgings that
gentleman would not turn the nozzle
of the garden hose his way?
But one evening matters reached
crisis. Mr.. and Mrs. Carey were going
to an elaborate dinner, to which the
Leightons were not invited. 1t so hap
lpened that when the cab ordered by
the Careys drew up at the curb, Mr..
Leighton was spraying the dividing
line of lawn with the garden hose
Mr.. Carey came down the steps of
his porch and waited on the cement
walk III 'front.', Wnlle MS WIFE put on
the last, dear finishing touches to her
toilet. The men exchanged civilities
a little shamefacedly. and Mr.. Carey
lifted his hat to Mrs. Leighton. who.
with Peter beside her, sat reading on
her front porch.
Hello. Pete. old boyi" said Mr..
Carey, and Peter made a loving dash
for the friendly voice. just at that in
slant Mrs Carey, in dainty and elab-
crate white garments, ran down the
steps. Peter in his mad course on
countered his masters legs-but true
to his race, he knew no obstacles and
went right ahead. leaving Mr.. Leighton
in an ungraceful sprawling position
on the soaking ground. A half-second
later there was a scream, for the hose
shot from Mr.. Leighton's hand and the
spray of water went straight for Mrs
Carey, soaking her crisp wilderness to
bedraggled limpnesS in one awful mo-
ment. To make matters worse, Mrs
Leighton laughed, and she could never
make Mrs. Carey believe that the laugh
was not meant for her. instead of the
peculiar position of her husband
That gentleman rose with as much
dignity as he could muster and offered
profuse apologies, which were accept
ed by Mr.. Carey, but not by the
drenched woman
Mrs. Leighton, who was really cha
grined and sorry. came straight over
and offered her assistance. She cried |
out with dismay at the extent of the in |
jury, and then heartily and graciously |
offered to Mrs. Carey a new and beau |
tiful white gown which she had never |
worn.
cefved the last straw. She turned to |
her husband without seeming to hear
Mrs. Leighton. You must go alone"
she said. land explain to our hostess
that 1 am the unlucly victim of teal-
ousy.' And then she went into the
-.