Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-04-01

brought the little eager feet to a halt,
and sent the dog Sinking back to the
shadows, there to stand with wistful
eyes gazing after the shabby figure dis
appearing down the street.
after all, where's the use Of 1t,
Weary Willie?' asked the man one
night when, the sandwich gone, the two
sat together on the bench. where's
the use Of it? There's no one to care
what becomes of us, you and me. Let's
chuck it."
The dog thumped his tail against the
seat.
"Humph Think It's joke, do you?
Well, maybe it's, maybe it's"
There was something queer about the
man that night. His voice shook, and
was not quite clear; his step, too, was
far from steady, and he dropped on the
seat with a curious relaxation Of all his
muscles. The next night 1t was worse,
and the next worse still. There was
fat bottle which he brought again and
again from his pocket and put to his
lips after a cautious look about him.
He stayed longer and longer each night,
and sometimes he seemed to sleep, so
low was his head bowed on his breast.
At such times the dog spent long min
utes in motionless watching of the ST.
lent figure, giving occasionally low
whine-a whine which met with no re-
Spouse.
There had been almost a week Of
this when one night the man slipped
from the seat and lay half on the
ground. Cinders leaped to the mans
side and licked his face, his hands, and
again his face. He whined, then bark
ed, then stood quiveringly alert for the
slightest movement. At that instant
down the path came several boys eat
ing bananas.
There was chorus Of jeers, then a
fuslllade of banana skins. Cinders,
fierce and bristling, faced the crowd
and barked. He growled and showed
his small white teeth, as from all sides
came men and boys on the run. More
banana skins, and even small stones,
struck the man, fine dog and the ground
nearby. Still the dog stood firm, thrust
ing his tiny, fierce little self between
the inert figure and the crowd.
Suddenly the man opened his eyes.
One glance at the mob, the dog and the
flying stones and banana skins cleared
his brain With a snarl of rage he
caught the quivering little dog in his
arms and staggered to his feet. There
was a cry of THE cops comm v'-and
the man found himself all at once alone
with the dog, while up the path came
blue-coated, hArrying figure. Clasping
the dog yet more firmly in his arms,
the man turned and walked rapidly In
the opposite direction.
"COme, come, what's the meaning Of
all this?" called the policeman, between
short, painting breaths, as he realized
the shabby mans side
Nothing" returned the man, lacon-
ically.
But the crowd-what We're they do
ing?"
"Stoning the dog-and me-"
yOus DeGH uIIuhlu
do act drunk?" retorted the man,
sharply.
The policeman gave him a long,
shrewd glance.
Mighty near it, he growled. Then
he tried a new tack.
"Whose dog is it," he demanded
mine" There was a ring Of def
ance in the mans voice.
where's its collar? Got a Ilcense?"
probed the policeman.
ut will have by this time to-mor-
row."
"Looks to me mighty like the little
devil of a beast I've been chasin' in
these ere. parts fur the last month. I've
had more'n a dozen complaints Of a
stray dog; but couldn't catch the lit
tie varmint."
you'll not have any complaints of
this dog" said the man, quietly, as he
turned off at one of the side paths.
1t was then that existence for Gin
ders changed yet again. 1t became
now a thing Of kind words, scanty but
gladly given food. and bed in one
corner Of a sparsely furnished room up
many flights of stairs. There were the
same walks in the park only now he
both went and came with the man.
There was the same bottle, and there
was the same cautious tipping OF it to
the mans lips-but perhaps less fire.
quently now. At all events, there new
er again came a time when the man
was not fairly erect and in his right
mind as he sat on the bench.
As the summer passed the mans
clothes became more shabby, and his
cheeks more hollow. At first he had
gone away from the room each morn
ing and returned at~night clinking a
few loose coins in his pockets; but
now days and days passed when he did
not leave the room until night, appar-
- II g.,