The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-04

2
mind; he was q kindly and gracious
spirit; he was incarnste good humor;
he was the soul OF fidelity. These,
then, we're all transient? oh, the
unfathomable cruelty Of It! Unbe-
lisvable as 1t may sound, right here
is where crept In your first doubt
about the God Of. your childhood.
Why should He have bothered to
take Pat? What good was your dog.
your one dog, to Him who had such
worlds Of possessions? You dropped
your hand upon the well-loved body,
then-then you sprang frantically to
your feet; you needed some warm
human sympathy to help you bear
the dreadful facts which that chance
! touch had established.
Coming across Cook you forgot
her usal ssperities and told her, as
we'll as you could. for the dry clutch
at your throat. Of what had happen
ed: and she said 1t was precious
good riddance. Had she coarsely
slapped you upon your two eyes she
could not have shocked you more or
deepened more the biackness OF your
misery.
You sought your mother and told
her; and in turn we're told that per-
haps 1t was better so. The heartless
words "a precious good riddance"
shone Enthusiastically in her relieved
eyes.
You were alone then in your sor-
row. And before you-alwayS
alone-was the grim, and brutal
task of burying. The tragedy Of
all the years to come, the years when
, you would suffer, alone, and lose.
alone. and bury, alone, focused IT.
self in vague shadow of premonition
Us you dug out a resting place for
your past companion. And talk Of
hravery-when 1t came to lifting
that poor companlon-but why talk
about 1t all?
Just moment you paused before
hiding Pat forever and in that mo-
ment you heard the ieering but
sweet, high laughter Of your Aunt
Leila. The sound smote you like a
whip and you covered above the
open grave as II stricken by so many
lashes. What mischief are you up
to now?" she was calling challeng-
ingly. But you did not answer. II
you could spare poor unloved Pat
the insult of laugh by remaining
silent, you we're going to SO remain.
hoping that she would go away. She
came nearer, In slow amazement;
then hurryIng-she knelt beside you.
why, Pat! why, Pat-why dear old
dog" her shaking voice was muir
r-urlng. and the tears which rainec
upon his dingy coaa we're not all
yours, which had not fallen before.
came like a storm at sight OF hers
and at the tribute OF her white hand
with its pretty rings petting and
stroking the poor stark body. why
Pat! why, Pat!" In flash You
learned a great truth, that the mer-
ry heart which goes through the
world laughing where It may, is also
the heart which weeps when t must
and gives instant gift Of sympathy to
all in need. For a second or so you
gave way utterly. forgetting tina:
/ you were a man and weeping to
finish the greater part OF your agony
In her comforting arms, which had
gotten around you somehow, you
didn't quite know how or when. As
a rule. you couldn't stand arms.
1t was a little touch-a very lit
tie touch, that about the handker-
chIef-but you have remembered 1t
all these years, and always with a
rush of gratitude. 1t was her nice
one, lace-edged and perfumy, but
she put 1t over Pats dear face that
the earth-oh, we'll, It was all years
and years ago.
A woman who could do that sort
Of thing must have a little sense,
even II she was your aunt. so you
trusted her with big question:
as this--?" You paused for
words great enough to fit the
thought: but none would come. So
you used the little ones. rs this
the end of him?" You pointed TO
the grave, a mound by now, the
tears once more drowning you. Your
gruff speech was deeply metaphysi-
Cal-even theological. In your haZy
mind we're iumbled the comfortable
words the resurrection and the
life," and you knew they had moth
ing at all to do with the case In
hand; but. oh, IL they only had!
Aunt Leila. trump that she was,
went magIcally to the very core Of
your Inquiry, to the shrine Of your
mystic hopes.
People say mo-; but. sonny-boy.
l think there's a dog-heaven. do
indeed"
You cheered as magically. On the
strength of that slim think" you
reached out toward life again and
were ready to find 1t sweet.
London Bridges.
Few are aware of the extent to
which the cIty NJ T,ondon is hrIdpAd