The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-06-13

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When Walter Leighton brought Pc
Ter home and laid him tenderly In his
wife's arms, she rose TO the occasion
nobly, though dog was the last thing
ON the earth for which she had any
desire. But she saw in one quick
glance that Walter was bringing her
a gift that he considered fine one,
and she was woman who never did
things 10y halves.
So she listened with respect to the
list of dOggy's ancestors aud 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 Leighton
said diSrespectful words in u loving
tone that caused the pup to lick her
hand and cease his whimperlng for the
moment.
You ornery, red eyed, bow legged
stub tailed little brute" she cooed. IF
I'd known you We're coming Id have
got in previous bid for that lovely
hat at Mason'S. | didn't say anything
about it to Walter because | thought
he couldn't afford 1t, and here he has
gone and wasted So on you" And
then because the pup was small and
helpless and soft and she was wO-
man she got up twice in the night to
feed it warm milk and hush its whim-
pering.
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 1t 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 Pc
ters ear, with a knowing smile, that 1t
was because Mrs Carey was jealous
since her husband had not bought her
dog.
There never had been any very mark
ed cOrdiality between the two young
married couples The men came and
went to their business on the same
trains and would have been good
friends probably, having the same
tastes in tobacco and politics, but that
each man was uncomfortably aware
that his wife wished he wouldn't.
After the advent of Peter, especially
after he began to grow into an age of
mischievouS intelligence, the neighbOr-
ly relations slowly died away until at
the beginning of summer there was a
very thinly veled hostility.
The two houses, alike as two peas
and built by corporation, were di-
vided 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 Il distance just great
enough so that ordinary conversation
on one porch could not be heard on the
other.
When Peter having chased home
wandering hen, would return with a
self satisfied leer on his ugly face to
his mistress, Mrs. Carey, running into
the back yard to see why her hens We're
squawking, would catch a ripple of
laughter from Mrs. Leighton and see
her pull Peters stubby ears affection
ately Being just out of earShot she
could get only the careSsing tones of
Mrs. LeightOn'S voice; but, being wO-
man, she could very well guess what
kind OF a scoldlng Peter was getting.
Mr.. Carey rather liked Peter. He
knew Il good dog when he saw one,
and Peter was undenably good dog.
Moreover, he believed in the instincts
Of high bred animal. And did not
Peter, 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 wOman's 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 We're not invited. 1t so hap
pened 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 in front while his wife put on
the last, dear finishing touches to her
toilet. The men exchanged civilities a
little shamefacedly, and Mr.. Carey lift
ed his hat to Mrs. Leighton, who, with
Peter beside her, sat reading on her
front porch.
Hello, Pete, old boy" said Mr.. ca
rey, and Peter made loving dash for
the friendly voice Just at that instant
Mrs. Carey, in dainty and elaborate
white garments. ran down the steps.
Peter in his mad course encountered
his masters legs; but, true to his race,
he knew no obstacles and went right
ahead, leaving Mr.. Leighton in an un-
graceful sprawling position in 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 whiteness 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 accepted
by Mr.. Carey, but not by the drenched
woman.
Mrs. Leighton. who was really cha
gFined and sorry came straight over