The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-02-08
MARCUS AURELIUS
Copyright, 1906. by Joseph b. BowIes)
BY HAROLD AVERY

paren.ly lost In a deep keverie, and
wearing on his head an absurd model
of top-hat. On hearing my footsteps
he rose and shambled across the grass
to meet me. his hat (Which was se-
cured with an elastic band) cooked
knowingly over one eye.
why, you remember hlm!" cried
the boy. This is the dog ! bought at
the farm. We call him Marcus Au'
rellus because he's always meditating.
He's awfully clever; I've taught him
heaps of tricks"
The animal sauntercd up and wiped
his paws on my trousers by way OF
greeting.
Hello Mare" said his master. sit
up"
The dog promptly Popped down fun
length on the grass.
Il didn't tell you TO die" cried the
boy. sit up you little blackguard' "
Marc, with his top.hat hanging un.
| der his chin like nOse-bag, rollei
over and entertained us By dying
on his back.
That's Just like him" said the boy;
ITS the easiest trick he's got; and
whenever / tell him to do anything
else he always will die; he won't 81.
| up or run round after his tall
Mare having died" for what he
| considered a reasonable length OF
/ time. now rose to his feet and saun
tered back to his mcdi,ations, this
time wearing his top.hat on the back
/ OF his neck as though It was SOL
| dicrs knapsack
whats he got that on for
WHY. | want him TO get accus-
| toned to t. because I'm going to teach
him to wear It when he goes out into
the street"
What can he do besides die"
We'll" answered the boy, II think
he'd mako n good sporting dog be
cause he's always digging holes in the
garden. and think hos kill rats If he
had the chance | tried him once with
a mouse that caught in the stable.
let Il loose on the kitchen floor, and
somehow Marc lost Il. and It 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 lie isn't allowed even to lie In
front OF the dining room fire, but al
ways has to 60 into basket Women
never value a good dog, they don't
know one when they see him DO they.
&arc?"
The og-who appeared now to
have finally determined 20 carry his
top.hat as a chest protector-on hear
ing his name called, awoke with
start from his rcyeric, and after mo
mcnts hesitation as though he forgot
exactly how the trick began, turned
slowly over and died
Many years have s-rped away
since first saw Marcus 'urclius medi-
tatlng on the sunllt law, and though
| know him as baby find him TO
be quite a grayhalred old man. No
top.hat appears rakshly perched upon
his shapcless head, and he stretches
himself with perfect confidence upon
the sacred hcarthrug and suffers no
rcbukc.
Mare" says mother, with a slight
| trrmblc in her voice, where's your
MASTER"
The dog w2g3 his stumpy tall, but
It is a hcartlcss proceeding, and he
does not even raise his head. Per
hans he knows as we'll as we do that
wide seas roll between himself and
Australia. aud long before the boy Will
ever think Of crossing them again.
Marcus AurclIus Will have performed
hts old trick in sober earnest and
shamblrd OF down that dusty pathway
troddcn years ago by the family OF
Juvenile porkers, TIE old sheepdog
and all the other friends of his youth