The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-10
TAKING CARE OF Bob
BY ELLA CYGAN.

likes to talk, that Bob was gentle as
a kitten and so affectionate that IN
contrast a pair of love birds were pet
rified images of heartlessness. She
said many other things, too, over the
telephone about the bull terrier that
In q misguided moment they pur-
chased some time ago, but that was
because she was trying to make me
think was crazy to have him while
she and her husband went to Panama.
Il was to pass a few days with her
and get acquainted with the paragon
of dogs. Amy said that she always
felt perfectly safe with Bob In the
apartment, because he would chew up
any burglar who appeared. On the
way over grew rather worried. won
dering whether Bob was clever enough
to distinguish between caller who
was burglar and caller who wasn't.
Then | recalled Bob's gentleness and
took heart.
when the front door was opened
I thought the end had come. Some
thing huge and white fell across the
hall table, and, stepping all over me,
attempted to climb on my shoulder
and perche there | screamed family
and wondered If the Pasteur treatment
hurt much. Then was conscious Of
Amy's voice.
He's so affectionate! said Amy
in proud voice. Il never knew him
to take such an instant liking to any
one before! He realizes that you love
dogs, am sure!"
I'm crazy about them!' assured
her, as intrenched myself behind two
chairs and a davenport. However, l
don't care for these aerial effects my
self! Can't he keep his feet on the
ground?'
Amy looked hurt, and said she
should have thought that l would ap-
preciate a dumb animals fondness
for me. She was interrupted by Bob's
giving an exhibition Of his dumbness
when he saw the postman out Of the
window. Dashing at the glass at a
speed of 60 milos An hour, he let out
a roar that shook the apartment. Then
he turned and wagged his tail and
twinkled his eyes. think these dogs
greatly enjoy life. 1t must be fine to
feel that you can make the whole uni
verse bow to the ground and climb
trees if you wriggle your chin or flop
an ear.
Il unpacked my suitcase neatly and
then when went to dress for dinner
l found that Bob had eaten the heels
off my evening slippers.
It's the funniest thing! Amy said,
enthusiastically, when walled out
the trouble. That dog always has
had the most insane fondness for shoe
heels! We couldn't have q decent
shoe In the house when we first got
him. He is so intelligent
when Bob was taken out Of doors
1t was with as many precautions as
though he were man eating tiger.
For my part l would as soon sally
forth with the jungle beast as with
that animal. He had q harness on
Of battleship leather-well, they have
battleship llnoleum, anyhow-and
snapped to that was leash with a
loop to 60 over your wrist and then
you had whip.
II felt as though the band was go.
Ing to play as | entered the sawdust
ring when | took Bob outdoors that
day. He shot up the street instantly,
and as 1t was slippery I hung on and
slid, shrieking at him to stop. Pre-
tending 1t was a game, that diabolical
animal merely tore on, whisking me
around corner into a perambulator,
but maybe | crawled under anyhow,
| was half block ahead before the
nurse had picked herself up from the
ground, and Bob was so impetuous
that couldn't return to inquire.
1T might have been all right II he
hadn't seen a cat Amy said after
ward reproachfully that ! shouldn't
have allowed him to see a cat. How
ever. she did not say whether l
should have run in front of Bob and
held my hands over his eyes or chic
reformed him till the cat had strolled
by. If | had fancied up to now that
Bob had been Fastening. l was mis-
taken. He had been dawdling, but
when he saw that cat he turned on
full speed
All remember is hurting through
the air, hanging to the leash for dear
life. for Amy had cautioned me that
I had the safety Of the public In my
hands, and SO dared not let co. Bob
spread himself low over the ground
and just ate up the distance. We
chased that cat down the street, then
through an alley and then whizzed up
the steps of big house Just as the
front door opened and perfectly love.
ly man emerged attired for an after
noon wedding or tea-fght.
Il let Bob go then. because l fell
over the top step.
THE tea-fght man, after rising from
where he had been tossed by Bob,
picked me up. There we're awful
sounds Of riot from inside the house
where Bob had freed the cat On Q
mantel It really was an unusual sit
uation.
He Is such an intelligent dog
suffered. And 80 affectionate!'
"The tea.fght man actually grinned. |