Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-03-20

'.You little beast, said the dogs mas
ter between set teeth, drew in the string.
caught up the dog, and flung it far into
the water
ALI thrilled, made step, stepped. The
dog Was swimming. Had the dog in the
story been able to swim? 1t dragged it
self ashore.
Come here, sir!7 shouted its master.
The little shrinking slave covered and
retreated
Come here, sir!'' The master got his
foot on the end Of the string.
"Ill teach yon to come when vou'ra
called said the slave driver. He short
ened the string, caught the dog bv the
neck and Alf's heart thrilled to the an
guished cries of the helpless little slave.
1t was a swagger stick such as soldiers
carry-a horrible stick, with knobs on It.
Stop it, said a voice Aft did not
know
Mind. Your. Own. Business. said
the other with, between the words. full
stops that the blows made
stop it, say" said ALI in that new
voice.
Only the sound of the stick against
soft flesh and bones answered And at
each blow the dog cried out anew.
Then Aft snatched at the dog-got it
held it tight. The other boy was coming
at him; he would take the dog away.
would beat it again. Aft pushed, there
was cry and splash. and Aft ran He
paused under the railway areh-there
was no pursuit. What was he to do?
He dared not take the dog home to his
aunt. Perhaps Abe Toovey's father
would Keep it till he could think of a
way to make his aunt see how much he
wanted it. He buttoned the dog inside
his coat-the dream-detail he had loved
best. The dog resisted till it felt the
warmth of his breast; then it ceased to
struggle, and presently, as he walked, the
cold nose was laid against his neck, the
warm tongue caressed his ear.
The moment was the dearest the child
had ever known, the first fruits of the
love, given and returned, that was to
light the lamp of Joy. A dream jewel to
be paid for by the whole dream treasures
of life.
Before the magistrate next day, ALI,
confused and dizzy with horror. heard
terrier, had made murderous assault
on a harmless little boy, the son of an
eminent solicitor, had tried to drown
him, had induced school fellow to hide
the stolen property-this a very damn
ing clause-with other offenses.
He tried to say that the harmless lit
tie boy was eruel-was beating the dog.
All sorts of people sprang up to say how
l. Il FL L
good to dumb animals the harmless lit
tie boy was.
THE dog is very much attached to my
son." said the eminent solicitor. eff it
could be produced in COURT"
The dog, at least, would bear witness
for him. Alf's wide, horror filled eyes
fixed on the door by which the copper
had gone out to fetch it. The dog would
show before all the world that love which
had thrilled through them both when the
wet body had lain against the child's
breast, the loving tongue had licked his
ears.
Someone said, "Let the dog loose"
ALI leaned forward, breathless The
solicitors little boy whistled, and the
dog sprang to fawn, in this safe, dry
place, where was no river and no swag-
ger-stick, on the hand that had hurt so
hardly.
"You See" said the solicitor, waving a
large pink hand.
Then indeed the child saw that he was
alone. Even the dog Face to face with
this mighty unexplained machinery of
policemen and angry grown-up people,
he was dumb as any driven beast at the
gate of the slaughter house. He fought
for words. There must be something he
could say to make them understand He
was struggling in despair's deep waters,
where words float out of reach before one
can grasp them. He clutched at spar:
Il wanted dawg," he said, scowling
to keep back the tears.
"Callous little ruffian," said the solic-
itor's wife.
Il wanted dawg." he said again Il
told aunt wanted dawg.'
Evidence of generalization.
People told each other that this sort
of child was a menace to society.
The court was a sea of white and pink
faces-wayes of blackness surged across
| it. "Reformatory" was the word that
struck like heavy club III dark
night.
The aunt says that the disgrace has
broken her heart.
Something else was broken, too. ALI
dreamed no more dreams.
Nobody's fault, of eourse-least of all
the fault of the majesty of the law. Yet
that little, pitiful, dumb child; that ire
sistible, tremendous, imperturbable mai
esty And under majesty's triumphant
chariot wheels, the poor dreams, faded
crushed forever in the filthy dust !-E
| Nesbit in The New Age.