The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-09
Children at Home


Piper was a wonderful dog. Billie
OF the family. mother, father and sis
ter Alice. who had been douD.tal at
iirst. had begun to think so too.
lie was a small black Dog that Billie
mad found wandering about the streets
alone, 1t Is uncertain which adopt.
ed the other. Piper liked billie the
moment ne spted the smiling blue eyes
anu curly brown hair the swinging
arms and sturdy, tanned legs coming
around the corner OF Elm street The
truth was this: Piper was wonderins
what In the worla he was going to do
Tor something TO eat. and Billie came
along Just In tie nick of time Billie
smiled at Piper, Piper wagged his
tall, and the adoption was complete
They went home together u.s.
to Billie's home. Mrs. Clifton. BllIie's
mother, wasn't nearly so much pleas
ed with Piper as Billie was, ana Mr.
Clifton said he was probably a worth
less cur while sister Alice said he
was dreadful. bat Billie was so sure
that he was remarkable dog, and
seemed SO broken hearted over the
thought of giving him up, that Piper
was not turned OFF at once Then after
he had been we'll fed a few DAYS he
began to be so bright and ready to
learn tricks that nobody said any
thing more about sending him away.
Piper seemed greatly interested In
music. Billie sister played on the
piano and sang great deal, and
Piper liked nothi.lg better than to sit
by the piano and listen while she
played or sang. one day she was try
ing new song. She played the pre-
Jude, and when she reached the point
where she shou-u have begun to sing,
she went on playing the accompani-
ment without singing, Piper listened
minute disturbed, and then, as she
wouldn't sing, he did the best he
could at ii himself. He lifted up his
voice and sang through the verse,
stopping at the ei,d and waiting for
her to play the interlude before be-
ginning another verse.
Everybody who heard him was as
tonished and delighted. and after that
he frequently sang for company az
the Clifton home. Whenever he was
wanted to help entertain somebody
called: Piper, please come and
sing for us, and he would take his
place accommodatingly by sister Alice
at the piano and sing song after
song, always pausing for preludes
and interludes. AS have said, he
was always accommodating and Will
ing to sing, but there was one thing
he very. much objected to. and that
was being laughed at Jf any one
laughed as he sang he Immediately
stopped and no amount of coaxing
would induce him to sing again for
that audience.
Well. you may know Billie was
proud of that accomplishment of his
beloved dog, and he said to his
father one day:
Father. | think Piper ought to
have a house to sleep in. If he sleeps
out of doors all kinds Of weather he
may iniure his voice" You see his
sister Alice was very careful of her
voice.
Mr. Clifton laughed heartily at this.
but he had lovely little house built
for Piper. and at Christmas time
Santa Claus brought a beautiful col
lar for his neck.
Mrs. Clifton said everybody was
spelling the dog: she had always
been very careful to train her chill
dren to he good and kind and un-
selfish. so she felt anxious about
Piper as we'll, lest me become
spoiled. selfish dog. But Piper soon
proved himself fully worthy of all
their kindness by showing loving care