The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-12-17

about him. a chill wind had sprung
up. and the wide, Embroidered path
was almost deserted.
"Jiminy!" muttered the boy. "This
dog-stealin amt what it's cracked up
ter be- I've good mind now ter
leave the little beast where he is"
1t had been growing on the boy for
an hour-this terror. All the citation
OF that first moment of successful
theft had fed, leaving behind a lively
fear of pursuit and punishment. The
discriminating collar with it's name
and address had long ago been
thrown away, to be sure; but there
yet remained the dog-"Cinders. ac-
cording to the collar.
'Tain't with the risk" muttered
the boy at last and with another
swift glance about him he tied the
end OF the dogs leader to CON
venient settee, and ran down a side
path toward the avenue.
For one amazed instant the dog
stayed motionless, then he strained
at the cord with all his small might.
giving a series OF frantic banks and
whines. Two men and woman.
coming up the path, glanced at the
dog, swerved, and passed by on the
farther side. A small boy SHE'D n
stone. then ran; but backward
glance assuring him that the cord
still held, he turned and SHE'D a
larger one.
The wind from the east grew
sharper, and brought cold. fine rain.
The dog, exhausted, frightened and
hopelessly miserable. crept under the
bench for shelter. lie was there when
the tall, blue-coated man came down
the path ten minutes later, and SO
he escaped the cold gray eyes of ON
Ger O'CallaEan.
The rain increased with the dark.
BY midnight, hunger, cold and terror
had driven the dog almost wild. Lit
tie by little his jerks and pulls loos-
ened the cord about his throat. until
one last frenzied effort disentanglad
the Knot and set him free He
paused, then rushed down the path,
leaving behind him the cord still
fastened to the settee.
AT the edge OF the park the dog
stopped. The endless blocks. the
lights, the shadows-all were un-
familiar and confusing. Cinders.
born and bred in the Western town
that was his masters home, had
never been in New York until that
morning when he had come with that
same master on q visit East. only to
be stolen at the very railroad station
by the boy who had so quickly aban-
doned him. No wonder Cl.ders eyed
his surroundings In dismay! Up ono
street, down another, across a third
trotted the weary little feet, hour
after hour, until at dawn the dog
reached once more the park, and de-
jectedly dragged his way to the bench
which had so recently held him
prisoner.
1t was then that there began for
Clnders new existence An exist
ence OF anxious days and apprehen-
slYe nights; OF little food and less
shelter; of small boys with stones,
and big boys with sticks. His long,
silky hair grew soiled and matted, his
BODY lean, and his eyes wide and ter
ror-hlied. Once a blue-coated. he'll
meted man with short club chased
him for some distance, but in the be-
wildering maze of paths he eluded
MS pursuer and crouched under
low-hanging bush until the man.
pulling and swearing, had passed him
by 1t was trying experience. but
necessary one; after that Cinders
hid when blue coat came in sight.
Both the park and the adjacent
streets Cinders claimed as home, but
after his experience with the blue
coated man he grew more wary: and
when in the park spent most of his
time hiding under shrubs or behi.
trees until night brought darkness
and safety.
AS for food-sometimes a bread
crust designed for squirrel was
snatched up by his own hungry little
jaws. and once it was the squirrel it.
self that made his dinner. Occasion
ally a child with a cooky. or man
with n sandwich. strolled along una
ware OF the hungry eyes that peered
out from beneath tangled hair and
watched for a stray crumb thrown
aside.
1t was toward the end of tho week
that Cinders. skulking under the trees
In the twilight. came face to face with
shabby, hollow-eyed man on one of
the park settees.
"Hullo! greeted the man.
The dog backed away.
We'll by Jove! you look little
moro hard MP than do. Come here.
SIR. d"
Tho dog did not stir.
Pretty tough old place. this world
--eh?' said the man, with weary
smile
SUI the dog did not stir.
Hungry"
Two mournful eyes gazed unswerv-
ingly into the mans face. The duet
OF the dogs heels stirred family with
the slight-the very slight motion O,
a tail feebly wagged.
"Iiumph grunted the man.
thrusting his hands into his pockets
and pulling out a dime and four COP
per cents. lie glanced from the coins
to the dog. and from tho dog back to
the coins. "Humph!" he grunted
again, rising to his feet Reckon
you need 'cm the most, old Fellow. "
And he shambied down the poth TINT