The Washington herald., 1912-06-30

IL Dog had guarded the big brown
III house. he had barksd at all the
strangers who came in at the
front gate and had growled Al
every tramp who came in at the
back door. For all these years he had
had his three meals a day out of his owr
yellow bowl. Every bone that came out
of the soup kettle was his bone, every
morsel Of steak or liver that came from
the dining room belonged alone to him
Everything was his-the kitchen with It's
warm hearth for winters days, the cool
space under Tibfs bed in the yellow room
for August weather. There was a spot
worn on the library lounge that showed
that the library was also owned by the
Little White Dog, and, besides this, a
painted box, with a green cushion in it,
stood in the upper hall just near enough
to the front stairs for him to exercise a
proper vigilance over his entire domain
at night, when, as every dog knows, a
bark in time saves rowls nine.
But, besides the big brown house there
was the family. They were. indeed,
much more to the Little White Dog than
his home, for they were everything that
is dear. He loved them all. He wei
coined them at the front gate with equal
show of affection. He barked himself al
most hoarse and wagged his stubby black
tail as hard as its brief length would
allow as he capered his greetings. But
after these were over, he came painting
back to Tibi and sat on the hem of her
skirt, for, after all, he was Tibi's dog.
he belonged to her.
1t was Tibi who whistled at the front
gate when he strayed too long down the
avenue with his friend woof WoOf. the
bull terrier. From the safe shelter Of
her arms he felt that he might bark de
hance even to the unfriendly Smiths col
lie. And, if there was anybody who
could be permitted to plaster up a battle
scar or wash the dirt of his back it was
Tibi.
OF course, when one has owned a home
and a family and a mistress. besides, all
for ten long years, one is bound to resent
the advent of any other dog upon the
home grounds.
This particular dog did. he put to
flight the big setter that had got lost and
was wandering aimlessly around the
grounds of the garden. he almost de
poIshed a wire haired terrier that came
to call with his owner, and it was only
through the sheer luck of .Iibfs rescuing
him in the nick of time that he escaped
death entirely from the jaws of Nibs, who
came TO stay at the Little White Dog s
home for two whole days.
But one day something happened that
was like neither the setter, nor the wire
haired TERROR. nor Nibs. 1t was letter.
Of course, the dog hated the POstman.
All dogs do. And when the postman
came. and when the Little White Dog
had harked at his heels all the way up
the garden path to the house-and back
again to the gate-there was Tibi stand
ing with the letter in her hands and
he knew that something that concerned
his own individual rights was in that
letter. something that threatened his
ownership Of Home and the affection OF
every member of his Family, for Tibi
gathered him up in her arms and car
ried him upstairs TO the yellow room,
and. when she had let him chew the let
Ter I'D into vicious bits, and after the
Little White Dog had worried the enve-
lope too, Tibi took him up in her lap,
and held his two front paws and looked
earnestly into the Little White Dogs
clear brown eyes. "Oh, Little White
dog" she said, what is going to hap
pen! Another dog is coming to this
house to call it His Home, too!
"Gr-r-r-r!" growled the Little White
Dog. Il thought 1 smelled something
in that letter! I'll bite the
postman next time see him! III fight
any dog that dares to come inside this
fence and call my Home and my Family
his.'
81 know it," returned Tibi, patting
the two black ears of the Little White
Dog. But he is a big dog-a big collie!
You are ten years old, Little White Dog!
You lost two front teeth when you fell
downstairs, just lately-the other dog
viii get the best Of you-poor Little
White Dog!'
"Gr-r-r-r-rr' returned the Little White
Dog, pulling his paws loose and going
pack to nose about the torn envelope.
III chew him into little bits if he dares
o come near you. won't have any other
log around here. He can't have the
Sitchen or the library couch, even the
:ront veranda mat. I won't have him
around. l own this house. This is my
,ome. l won't share it with any dog"
But Tibi only sighed. She picked up
he bits of letter and put them in the
crap basket.
That day he heard the Family discuss
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SSNNNNSSsSSNS
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