Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-12-17
JOHNNY'S CHRISTMAS
~ SARAH HRVcR nou,r.,

"SFS All 700 DIG Tor the holea
ne said-he heard a sharp bark down.
stairs. Jimmy stopped at once. and
ms eyes and ears were wide open. At
another bark. half dressed. b dashed
out Of his room and downstairs. There
N the library he saw as pretty 4 little
Lox terrier as ever stepped on four
teet. Jimmy stood looking at the ter.
rier. and the terrier stood with his
pointed nose and sharp eyes turned
directly on Jimmy. Then By way Of
making Jtmmy's acquaintance he wag.
ged his tail. AT that moment JImmy's
father came into the room and said:
He's your Christmas present. lin.
How do you like him?'
Jim was 50 wrapped In admiration
o. bis, dog that he made no reply.
Finally be gasped:
lis be really all mine, papa?"
All yours. sonny. | intended to give
him to you at breakfast. but his bark
stood In the way. Come; we three viii
go up and finish your dressing. l sup
pose II have to help you now that your
attention Is diverted from your clothes.
Come on, Zip"
rs that his nameY'
That's a good one for him, don't
you think so? He looks as IL his name
might be ZIP"
And Zip the terrier continued to be
called. There is as much affinity be
tween children and dogs as there is
enmity between dogs and cats. From
the moment Jimmy saw Zip he loved
him, and from the moment Zip saw
Jimmy be adored him. Jimmy began
to 80 70 kindergarten that year. and
from the time be departed Zip did
nothing but wait for bis return. In
deed. be would have gone with his lit
tie master had the door not been shut
on him when Jimmy went out. But
as soon as Jimmy came home Zip re-
sembled q rubber ball on the bound
He Jumped all over the boy. his ex-
preston plainly denoting bis Joy
Then what times Zip and Jim would
have together. They would romp till
Jim was too tired TO romp any longer
Then Jim would get out his toys. and
Zip would sit by watching him. turn
ing his little head at Jim's every mo-
| ton.
! Jimmy's parents objected to the two
friends passing the night as well as
the day together. and this was great
hardship for both the dog and the
boy. Many a time. Notwithstanding
great precautioD. the family would
awaken In the morning 10 find Zip aud
Jim IN bed together. Jimmy's mother
threatened to send his pet away IL he
did it again.
One morning Zip waited as he was
always directed TO wait for his chum
to come down to breakfast Jimmy
did not come zip noticed that the
father and mother looked anxious and
| the dog was himself eorrespondingly
worried. He ran this way and that
way. butting his nose against a door
that confined him. and when a maid
opened 1t without thinking Zip sprung
through and ran upstairs into Jim's
room. There lay Jim In bed looking
| red and hot. His mother was bending
over him anxiously. Zip sprang up
on to the bed. The mother ordered
him on. but one look from Jim
changed her intention. and she per-
mitted Zip TO remain.
But Zip had to go when the doctor
came and was kept out OF the room Tor
the rest of the day. In the morning
Jim was little better. and his Christ
mas dog was let into his room and up
on to bis bed. where be licked the
boys hand. looking at him with mel
anchoiy eyes, as though his heart
would break. But be was not permit
ted to remain long. Jimmy was toe
III. Indeed. there were times when be
probably did not know that his pei
was with him. Zip was put outside
but remained at the door. looking "
wistfuily as people went in and out
as II for a bit of comfort as 10 biz
friends condition.
Jimmy grew worse. and 1t seemed
that be would pass away shortly be
fore the dying year. The day before
Christmas after the Doctors morning
call Zip saw Jimmy's mother In tears
She had been told that the crisis
would take place during the next
twenty-f hours. Zip could not b
driven from the door all day. In tht
evening be saw by the expression o.
the faces Of those nursing Jimmy tina
something important was taking place
II was I O'Clock. The dinner taoi'
was set below in the dining room. OI
the sideboard was a dish Of fruit. In
Guiding some Malaga grapes. But n
one seemed inclined to eat. and tn
room was deserted. The door Of Jim
my's bedroom opened. and traines
nurse came out. A few minutes late
zip hoped up on the sick boys be
with a BUNCH Of grapes in his mouth
! Jimmy's mother was about to tax
zip In her arms and set him outsid
when her boy opened his eyes Seeina
, Yin and the grapes. be put out N
hand. trying to break on a grape, eu
was too feeble.