Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-12-16

I
how he enjoyed it!
Mother had her canary-an ear
splitting, yellow ball of fluff thai
took infinite delight in drowning al
other sounds but his own.
Sister katherine had her dolls
One doll was silly enough. Donald
thought. but Katherine had no enc
or dolls. The sight Of his sisters
Joy over these foolish dolls made
Donald sick with envy. That is the
way, but with more reason, that he
would feel Il he only had a, dog!
AS the years of his empty life
4, went on = seven dull, aching years
!. had already passed-Donald felt him
self like a hyyocrite every birthday
and Christmas when he asked fol
"what he wanted most
Books" his lips said, while his
very soul was crying "dog!"
.A sweater-a V-shaped sweater :
"Dog!" demanded the inner long
ing.
Skates
.'Dog!" and so on each year until
the eventful year that held the Won
derful day.
1t was June-full June and vaca-
tion just began! The call Of freedom
only served to make Donald yearn
sfresh for the companionship Of a
dog.
He hated, to go with boys who
owned dogs He was afraid he would
try to wiz affection from dogs that
ought by all divine right to belong
to masters only. Once he bad made
Tom Aliens Trixey follow him q
whole mile even wien Toms whistle
grew ever fainter and fainter. Z ,m
had told him what he thought Of a
fellow who, would do thing like
that. and Donald, with sullen glance.
realized that Tom was right No.
every fellow must have his own dog.
While Donald was indulging in the
bitterness OF his thoughts, Mr.. Steele,
his father, came out of the house,
and prepared to mount his wheel.
He felt the tires, and. when he found
them hard and unrelenting. he grew
jovial.
What are you going to do to-
day, DOM" he asked. Better cele-
brate the first free day"
t'There isn't anything to dol"
Donald answered, looking gloomily
over the sun-lighted lawn. What
can fellow do without dog::'
"Ob,' said father, and he whistled
Cheerily. SO that's it. Same old
dog, eh?"
.'Yes. When I'm mau. I'm going
to set up dog first thing"
Better wait to see what your wife
will say
Burning tears rose to Don's an
CRY eyes. They even jeered at his
longing. He could not stand it! He
would run away! For a day, any,
way, they should seek him and not
lind him, then maybe they would at
Ieast respect his sorrow.
r With all his worldly wealth Git
was ten, cents) Donald skunk from
the house. No one noticed him, and
beyond the iron gates vacation and a
June world lay before kim. Seven
miles to the west lay Lake Consola-
tion. The name was inviting; be-
sides, it had good swimming beach.
The boys were permitted to go there
alone, for it vas safe, shallow lake,
and the water was shattered and
warm. Perhaps after walking seven
hot, weary miles, his despair would
permit Of a bath and the pleasure
1t always brought.
- So on Don plodded. Perhaps It
was an hour later when. Gust covered
and weary. he noticed a soft patter
behind him. He turned quickly, and
there, close at his heels. was a dog.
1t was thin, unattractive yellow
animal. Its hair bristlsd up in an
unkempt. disorderly fashion. and
even Don could see it was Just plain
dog! But, oa! its eyesi Brown
they were, and faithful and loving.
Poor little brute! In all its life,
probably, it had never had anyone
to be faithful, to or to love; but its
heart had never lost its Willingness
to do both, and that accounted for its
eyes.
.-'Whew!!" whispered Don; and he
sank down pn the dusty road and
called the dog to him. The yellow
stranger took time to consider. A
boy walking away from him held pos
sibilitiss his heart yearned for, but
that his experience had often proved
unreliable. A boy inviting him to
come nearer was another matter.
Boys had ways worthy OF inspection
and caution. The two looked long at
each other, and the need in each low
ing heart sprang into trust. With q
wag of poor scrub of tall, the
dog, like. a yellow streak, made for
the cutstretched arms; and, with the
satisfied feeling Of a long-cherished
desire granted, Don hugged the
small beggar to his heart.
4 81 don't believe You belong to a
living SOUL" whispered Don. Ap.
pearances certainly upheld this be.
lief; but the dog. with confiding
yelp, acknowledged the fact at once.
Then-for this dav-you are
mine." The thin. seujrn,ins BODY
palpitated with agreement.
Your name is Jingo." Through
the empty years that name evolved
as one eminently fitting for the dog
that-never-was. The present re,