The San Francisco call., 1908-09-13

POOPiC'. nave hHOWH many " CIOSS
1T and not be comforted in the least.
Quite otherwise. But 1t comforted Mr..
Stortz. Time and again that day he
mentioned it with great satisfaction.
- ah, he would say, when dot At
lantic ocean freezes over you can haf
dot Tschep, Mister Dooleetle.'
1t was O'Grady who suggested that
it would be easy to prove that the dog
belonged to Mr.. Stortz, and it was
O'Grady who telephoned for carriage.
1t was large carriage, a double one.
but 1t was rather full when Shep and
Mr. Stortz and Mr. Doolittle and
O'Grady and Anna and Willie had
crowded into it.
"Shtopp' cried Mr.. Stortz when the
carriage was within IL or 13 blocks Of
his house, and the driver stopped the
horses.
Here we get oudtm said Mr.. Stortz.
Here we put Tschep oudtr'
They did. They took him and lifted
him out of the carriage and stood him
in the street. Mr.. Stortz bent down
and picked up an imaginary stone. He
raised it in the air. Cit home nit
you! Raus." he shouted, and Shep
lowered his tail to the angle of defeat
and scurried away.
"So!' said Mr.. Stortz complacently.
Il prove you dot iss mein dogI You
come nit me by my house now, undt
you find Tschep on der back porch in
soap box behind the kitchen door.
So | prove dot iss mein dog. Nothing
else iss necessary Und not until dot
Atlantic ocean freezes over iss dot your
dog"
They walked after Shep. Mr. Stortz
led the way around his house. Shep
was nowhere to be seen, and trium-
phantly Mr.. Stortz drew back the
kitchen door and behind the kitchen
door was a soap box, and in the soap
box, shivering and silent, was Shep.
For the first time Mr.. Stortz smiled,
but 1T was an angry smile.
1T iss mein dog!' he said. Il haf
proved itp'
never said it was not your dog Mr..
Stortz OF course it is your dog. You
have proved it,
Mr.. Stortz gasped. He swelled up
and his face grew red
Then why you make such a fool
oudt of me?" he cried. why you get
so madt aboudt it? Why you call me
all dose names?"
Names? Mad?" said Mr. Doolittle,
gently. Did l? l did not know 1 had.
l am so sorry. if I did, His voice was
like steel dipped in vinegar. 1t had a
cold, cruel sneer, and Mr.. Stortz'
breath came hard.
And now said Mr.. Doolittle. 'T will
take my dog to my house and prove to
you that he is more my dog than your
dog. | am a plain, simple American
citizen, Mr. Stortz, and not quarrel
some, but no man robs me of my dog.
This is my dog, and you shall not have
him. You have had your proof. Now
let me have mine
Sure said OGrady, "'tis no more
but fair"
What I shall show you is not mere
ly that dog that makes friends easily
will lie down in box" said Mr. Doo-
little. II have cat at home that eats
dogs. 1t can smell dog half mile
away, and as soon as it smells one it
goes for 1t. But not for Shep, l will
show you that my cat and my dog will
drink milk out of the same platter. All
1 ask is that you let me prove it,"
No wan cu'd ask anything more
fair" said Mr. OGrady. 'Ye see 1t is
fair yersilf, Misther Stortz."
1T makes nothing oudt to me-" said
Mr. Stortz with anger carefully re-
pressed into an air of carelessness.
"Mebby- you haf cat such as drinks
nit a dog, but not nit Tschep. l go
nit you, but 1t will be to brove dot
Tschep is not dot dog. / know dot
Tschcp dog undt. he drinks nothing
nit cats. He eats cats. Undt unless
Shep wheezed as he was boosted
into the carriage, and it was a silent
ride to the home of Mr. DoolittIe. Then
Shep and Mr.. Doolittle's dog hating
cat stood side by side like lifelong
friends and drank skim milk out OF the
same saucer, while Mr.. Stortz breathed
deeply and Mr.. DoolittIe allowed the
first faint flicker of smile to crease
the parchment of his face.
That proves il. doesn't it?" asked
Mr. Doolittle. gently.
Nothing iss proofed," cried Mr..
Stortz, angrily. 'Once 1 say. and twice
I say. undt all times / say, Tschep iss
mein dog. Such foolishness iss no
proofs Not yet iss the Atlantic ocean
frozen ofer, by himmel! You shust
wait, Mister Dooleetle, you shust wait
keep dot Tschep, undt when 1 get me
word of dot Atlantic ocean freezing 1
send him by you. undt l send Tschep
NIT But untir'-
Now a man, an ordinary man." said
Mr.. Doolittle, would say that 1 had
proved that this is my dog But am
fair. 1 will leave it to Mr. O'Grady
who owns the dog
O'Grady coughed gently behind his
hand.
"'Tis not fer me e say" he said,
But wan thing I do
know. an that Is that tn courts OF tn
city w'u'd mighty soon say which av
ye TIL dog belongs to. I w'u'd lave
it t tn courts
"Yah!" said stcrtz. so will II No