Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1912-08-28
JUST PETER"
IAmbrosine salisbury, in Our Dumb AriH,ais.

result. The red thing never even stopped
but left behind it a cloud OF suffocating
dust and patch OF something brown on
the road, Geoff, after the first shock o.
surprise, went forward, wondering why
Peter didn't return to him when he called
His sturdy legs carried him TO the spot
Where the brown heap lay, and he sale
softly; "Pete, get up, you lazy dog. I'd
be ashamed to play you was q deadert
But Pete gave no signs of getting mp, and
somehes Geoff's little legs began to shake.
was II possible, no, it couldn't Der Peter
did psssy like that sometimes, and Geofr
essssssn to worry.
Could he be hurted so bad that he
couldn't get ups BE would see. stoop-
Jig over tie silky brown body, yet warm,
Godfrey slowly lifted one little leg, then
another, No, there'd seemed no reason
why Pete couldn't get up, his legs were all
right. Then, with quickly beating heart,
Geoff raised Pete's listless head. The soft
ears hung Imply over his hand, and the
loving brown eyes never opened once,
GesH put down the head. and with
very frightened; white face. sat down on
the dusty road by the side Of Pete.
A great lump seemed growing inside OF
hir,, as slowly the feeling came over him
that little Pete, his own puppy, had gone
deadi He had heard of such things be-
fore, vaguely wondering what it meant;
and if they all went to heaven, what
time God must have answering the door
bell, and il he had an elevator, like the
big store In town.
Geon sat very stilh pathetic little
figure, with the sun beating down on his
straw hat and the immovable puppy
stretched beside him.
Geoff never had any mother that he
could remember, and he had become used
to thinking out things for himself because
Dad never had any time in the evenings
besides, he didn't always understand.
This was the picture which met the eyes
of the Reverend Malcolm Brown as he
rode down the road on his bay horse
Geon and he were already acquainted, and
it was with sundry misgivings the young
minister slipped from his horse and
touched the staw hat.
''What's the matter, my boy? Petei
hurt himself"
"Yes," came Geoff's voice, strangely
quiet, the young man thought. ~ CUES:
hes" and the other words died away.
The bay horse waited; he never quits
knew what his master would do, but thert
was trouble here, SO he stood at attention
There was a minute when the minister
wished he were a woman; then he put hi.
arm round the dusty figure. ''Sonny
you're in danger here, right in the middl.
of the road, and I'm going to carry yor
awsy!"
'Don't," said the little boy, passionately
''don't you see Pete's hurt himself SO h,
can't walk, an dye 'spose Pm goin' tC
leave him?D
9But Pete might get hurt again. sale
the minister. 'sSse here, IN carry Pete
and you take the bay over to the grass"
The strain of the last hour was begin
ming to tell on Geoff, and as the ministe,
tenderIy raised the little brown pup
Geof struggled to his feet, and, reaching
up for the bride, followed the minister tc
the grassy stretch, safe from red cars.
The boys straw hat had been thrown
down. and his agonized heart throbbec
against the minister's vest, while seaIdinl
tears ran down his cheeks. The young
man sat holding the child in strong
clasp, waiting till the first paroxysm wa.
over. 1t was no use shamming, Geof
knew, although the brown pup lay as il
asleep. The car had been merciful, the
little back had been snapped like twig
and Pete lay at their feet in his last sleep
Geoff never had been like other chill.
dren, and the minister began to wonder
what would happen when the boy found
his voice.
SIT was that red carl called to Pete, an
first he began to come, and then he started
to run and-I called him, an he wouldn'i
get up - and come, and / went over tt
him"
The minister just stroked the curly hail
back, as he said: 81 know, sonny, but YOU
wouldn't have had Pete live, il he was
hurt badly, and would suffer all the time
would you? You love him too much for
thatl"
Geof's eyes looked up quickly, his mind
WIS trdfclllS ldstcT ludu lndt OF the MIN
lister.
''If God takes care of things when they
die, has the pain stopped hurtin' Pete
now?" he demanded.
Surely" said the young man, seeing
theological discussions Of a difficult char
acter ahead.
.Don't you 'spose God had enough pups
without taking mine from mel" again de-
mandeG Geoff, 'snd oh! l do want him
back, and the child gave way to uncon-
rrolled sobs.
There were rocks coming, the minister
was sure, and, still holding the sobbine
child, he began telling him of the Indians
and how they believed in God who
would give them good hunting-g grounds
when they died and how they thought
their animals would go with them, too.
The hov,s sohs lessaued as he ltctanas