The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-10-31
A BIT OF LIFE.

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BIT OF LIFE.
The persimmon tree that marked
the forks of the road was laden with
frost ripened fruit. In the woods
scores of nuts awaited the shake of
vigorous hands; the wild grape vines
hung low with their burden Of juicy
black punches, and the red haws
cleaned like tiny points of flame
amid the low growing bushes. 1t
was distinctly the accepted time" to
garner in the harvest so dear to boys,
but all these things were as naught to
Dan Mason, that October day. He
was even deaf to the appeals of Cuff,
his dog, to whose keen ears the
"whirr" of the quail, as they broke
cover, was call to come and kill.
In the fourteen years of Dams life,
mighty few things had lived as close
to his heart as this same Irish setter,
with his silky hair and great human
like brown eyes. AS the boy sat
there on the horse block, his battered
hat drawn low and his dark brows
lower, his thoughts were mostly ofthe
dog. But they were of his father, too,
who lay within the rough log house,
racked with rheumatism and DOW
and again the vision of the young
man from New Orleans, and the gold
coin he had offered for Cuff, obtruded
itself.
Dan had at the time laughed his
offer to scorn. He was poor, but
then so were most of the people there
about, save the folks up at the big
house. He did not sharply feel the
need of money, and no amount of it,
he had proudly declared, could buy
Cuff but sickness brought necessities,
and resultant perplexity as to ways
and means.
Notwithstanding the reiterated
statement of Aunt Polly, who had
brought him up by hand" that she
had taken "sight O. pains in his
raisin'," " Dams knowledge of various
Scriptural teachings, whereby we are
adjured to love and honor our parents,
was of the vaguest description. In
the "old mans" right to click" him
when he deemed 1t wise, he recog-
nized parental authority; but of pa
fFfohs1d Ffom ddatfsf datfsfssti9a a64gh Rs knew nothing.
forts ten dollars would buy for the
sick man, and instinctively turned to-
ward inclination which In doggish
guise thrust loving, if cold, nose
into his palm.
The boys fancy was not of the liv-
liest, but the impossibilityoflife with
out Cuff was strongly borne in upon
him, and again and again he said he
could not give him up. Yet by and
by, when the slanting shadows pro-
claimed the approach of evening, and
the faint blue haze of the autumn day
took on gray tone, he slipped down,
his young face stern with resolve.
Whistling to Cuff, he set off through
the woods to the "big house, F." where
the young man was visiting.
Deep in his heart, I doubt not. Dan
prayed that the possible purchaser
of Cuff might have gone. He must
have felt as deeply the hopelessness
of his hope, for, before he reached the
house, he went down on his knees,
and, taking the dogs head between
his hands, looked appealingly into his
eyes.
"Yo' sho'ly know don't want to
sell yo'," he said; "but I'm 'bliged
to-"
And Cuff whined and licked his
masters tense young face sympathetic
ally and understandingly, for just
so had Dan confded his joys and sor-
rows since the day when Cuff, curly
brown ball of puppyism had been
given to him for his own.
The visitor from New Orleans was
lounging on the gallery, chatting with
the SON and fair young daughter OF
his host, when Dan came up and tim
idly asked If he still wanted Cuff, and
would give ten dollars for him. The
Young man had not learned to look
beneath deeds to ascertain the motive
ere sitting In judgment. nor had years
brought to him the force of what
Goethe says about life teaching US to
be less strict with others than with
ourselves Just now he was some
what pessimistic, and rather proud
of being so. Smiling obliquely to-
ward Miss Halle, he murmered some
thing about everything having Its
price with the lower class" and
thought of several high sounding and
sarcastic remarks upon the subject,
to be said later. Yet, at the same
time he was conscious of sense OF
disappointment. He had appreciated
the fneness of the boys refusal, and
felt vaguely regretful that he had not
kept to it, though he assured Dan oi
his willingness to pay the price asked,
He handed over the ten dollars, and
straightway began to make friend:
with Cuff, after the approved fashion
ofgentle pats andlow toned confidence
Dan took the money silently and
half turned away. Then he stopped
eff you please, sir" he said slowly
while the cords of his throat seemed
to be tying themselves into uncom
Portable knots, would you mind If
kept his collar? Of co'se you'll bu!
him a nice one, an'-an'-"
"And that one will do for anothe
dog when you get him some day
Certainly you may keep it."
The young man smiled meaningl,
again. He was thinking that the la
hadlevidently no intention Of givingto
much for his ten dollars. He muse
upon the grasping disposition genel
. ak. euinced hY the Clover class,