Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-10
(HonorabIe Mention)

M ARY'S hand trembled as she un-
V rolled the rich, thick rugs. She
could not imagine what that al
most indistinguishable whining sound
could be that came from the inside Of
the wrappings. She was almost breath
less as she finally revealed-what? At
first Mary did not know, and then she
concluded it must be dog. But what
a dogi Mary had never before seen
one so small 1t had no eyes, or at
least not that, you could see. It's ears
hung clear down to the ground when it
stood up and it's hair was very thick
and so long that you could see neither
its eyes nor it's little feet.
Mary was now sitting fiat on the
ground gazing at the tiny object in her
hands in mute establishment, and did
not realize how cold it was getting I'M
til Whimper came from the dog and
made her jump to her feet and run to-
wards home, wrapping it up in the
furs as she went.
She had forgotten school entirely, and
as she ran she felt some snoWf1akes
float softly down on her and she sud-
denly realized that she was very long
way from home, and that it was go
ing to snow hard and that she was get
ting very tired-and-and-
if she would ever see her darling
mother and father and Jessie and Jack,
and she cried louder than ever.
Finally right ahead of her she saw a
road branch off from the main road,
and not far down that was little red
house. 1t was really showing very
hard now, and Mary involuntarily
turned and ran right up to the door of
the house and knocked. To the door
came a CHEEKY faced matron in white
cap and big checked apron, who, upon
seeing very detected looking little girl
at her door carrying a big bundle in
her arms, at once picked her right up
in her strong arms and carried her to
the blazing fire. When Mary was fully
warmed she telephoned her mother,
telling her where she was and told her
to send her father or Jack after her.
Soon she heard a merry jingle of
sleigh bells outside and ran out and
was tucked Snugly in among the fur
robes.
Mary's mother was there and Mary
showed her the tiny mite of dog and
told her that it had probably dropped
from the magnificent cutter that had
passed just before. Her mother, how
ever, did not know what to do with it.
AS they neared home Mary saw that
same cutter coming flying down the
road toward them. The occupants were
looking along the sides of the road for
something. Perhaps it was for that
| little dog! With a sudden impulse
Mary caught up the little animal in it's
furry wrappings and flung it right into
the arms of the woman. There was no
time for the lady to thank Mary for
the service done her, for the driver Of
the cutter could not stop the horses,
but the next day Mary received a
daintiIy perfumed little note from the
| lady, who her mother said was Mrs.
Louis Van VaIkenburg, wife of a rich
New York manufacturer. 1t asked
Mary to come to her home that after
noon at o'clock At the appointed
time, as Mary was starting out of the
gate, the Van Valkenburg cutter drove
UP to the curb and Mary soon felt her
self fairly flying.
When Mary entered the drawing
room what do you think she saw? All
of her dearest friends and Jessie and
Jack all calling to her to join them in
their fun. Mary looked questioningly
at Mrs Van Valkenburg, who smiled
! as she replied: For saving Darling,
! dear. 1t was deserving of a great re-
ward, for Darling cost $4,000, and he
is a dear treasure"
FERN BROWNING,
! Age 13, grade eight, Corona, Cal.
Again she heard the cry hut this