Mexico Missouri message., 1915-05-20
THAT DOG TWEEDLE
BY MAY ELLswoRrHX.

silver gone, and Mrs. Briggs in
faint beneath the table. Upon the
floor sat the woolly dog, blocking at
me reproachfully, as II to say: You're
a nice soft of householder, to let bur-
glars come in the night and stuff me
so full of delieacies that can't eat
any breakfast" That is the sort Of
dog Tweedle was.
He was the most useless dog ever
knew. Ali he could do was to run
round, eat, and utter his shrill little
bark. One day he came to me with
ball of blue yarn in his mouth. A
thread stretched into invisibility at
the end of the garden. Presently /
saw somebody coming across from I'M
der the peach trees. It was the girl
who lived in the house behind the
garden. Sometimes 1 would see her
she was dressed in white and had
blue eyes, and she was holding the
end of the wool.
ooh, please, your dog has taken my
skein," she said TREMENDOUSLY.
After that it seemed easier to make
the girls acquaintance. Sometimes I
would venture to sit beside her under
the trees. We found we had lot to
talk about, but our meetings generally
lapsed into silent ones, and yet we
both felt perfectly satisfied with them.
She introduced me to her mother and
brothers, but paid them little atten-
ton. l used to think lot about the
girl, and l was glad she was fond
of Tweedle.
l had to go West for six months
to settle up an estate. l told the girl.
She looked at me with sort of in
quiry in her eyes. So explained how
sorry l was to go, and that it was
unavoidable. was not going to rent
the house, though, and-would she
take care of Tweedle, since she
seemed fond of him?" 60.
She looked at me very strangely.
'Is that all-all you want of me?" she
asked.
81 wouldn't dare to ask more Of
you," I answered.
"Yes-I1l take him." she whispered,
and, turning suddenly, ran into the
house. / fancied she was crying.
When went to say good-by was told
she was indisposed, but she sent word
that she would take care of Tweedle.
1 was whole year in California, be-
! cause the business had more ramifica-
tions than / had expected. / thought
good deal about the girl, and won
dered how Tweedle was getting along.
When / got back to Montclair the
house was closed, ] was sorry
missed the girl and Tweedle.
had no more business in the city.
spent all my time in my home.
found 1 was moping One day Mrs
Briggs told me that 1t was said the
house was going to be opened up
again. That was correct; man and
woman came to live in it. Two days
later saw the girl under the peach
trees. I went over to her. She was
surprised to see me.
I'VE have just come down for 8
week to arrange about the SALE" she
said. I'VE are living in Washington
Did you want Tweedle?"
NO." l answered, "but want you
l have missed you. I never knew"
She interrupted me. "You should
have told me before" she said. "a
have been married three months now
But I think" hysterically-"you had
better have Tweedle."
mo, thank you, don't want to see
Tweedle," replied. That is all I re
member of that interview, except thai
mans voice was calling somewhere
behind the peach trees.
Two or three years passed. hat
bought the old house and lived there
Somehow l liked to associate 1t il
my mind with the girl who had walke'
among the peach trees.
I liked to sit under the peach tree
when they were blooming. was seat
ed there one day in early May, whel
/ saw a ridiculous little black, WOOL!
dog come through the gate. The crea
ture seemed to recognize me, and be
gan frisking about my knees. Whel
I stood up my knees were shaking, be
cause was looking at the girl VIII
had sat where was sitting now.
$50 it was you who bought thi
placer" said the girl.
"Yes," 1 answered, looking at her Il
wonder. She was changed goo
deal; not in features or figure, bu
spiritually, I thought.
why did you buy it?" asked th
girl.
( II wanted to think of you. You SEQ
learned too late that had love
) you"
/ "And I never thought you loved me,
, answered the girl. THAT was why
I married-because felt too wretche
' to let my thoughts dwell on you. 70
see, was so simple--it never o,
! CURED to me that could think Of 20
I after was married to another man.
{ "But you have?" cried.
Q The peach-tree girls head droope
J, down, and l saw two tears tremblin
; upon her eyelashes. And then--wel
a.