The Mena weekly star., 1916-08-17
Ubts leratrie Dog
 5tafttreo Aunsbine
(Ft Worth (TeH.I Star -TeleEram.l

Finnegan is dead. He died of tu- berculosis at Carlsbad Tex. He spent most of his short life cheer ing the long. lonesome days with his nranks for Mac, who was his master, and who was confined to his bed. He contracted the disease from Mac, and now lie has paid with his life for all the joy and comfort he brought into Macs weary. bed-rld- den days.
 Finnegan was a prairie dog. He was born on the free, open range which stretched from the doorway of Macs bungalow to the very edge of the sky--as far as Mac could see as he gazed out at the unchanging landscape from day to day Nor mally Finnegan would have frisked about that prairie for several years, playing through the days with his fellows and incidentally running the range for the cattle. Under the new
 prairie dog law which has de- clared war on all his race. however, he might have been destroyed in the interest of fat cattle Thou sands of the little d0ggies who were born in the spring of i9i5-the same time Finnegan was Dorn-were sent to prairie dog heaven before the fall. But not Finnegan He had a mission and he lived to perform 1t.
 Mac Learned to Love Him.
 The story of Finnegan is simply this: 4 boy captured him when he was few weeks old and took him to Mac to be his companion. At first Finnegan did not want to stay and he was kept c0oped up in a wire cage Mac. who was now growing to be more than a middle aged man, and who was forced to be apart from his wife and little girls at home in an effort to pro- long his life a little while, soon found 1t a comfort to care for the little prairie dog. He called him Finnegan, for no reason in partic- ular except that it seemed to fit him.. He had found something to love, and Finnegan soon grew to love Mac tooa le.
 When Finnegan grew used to the place he was permitted to leave the cage and nip the young grass that grew in front of the bungalow. Mac Iised to watch him for hours as he frisked about in the grass. pulling it with his fore paws for all the world like a human. It brought something of sweetness and light into Macs weary life.
 Proud of Dirt Mansion. The time came when the impulse to dig hole for himself made it. self felt Finnegan was not yet big enough to dig a deep hole, but he amused Mac with his great industry in making the dirt fly in all direc- tions Finally he constructed one about two feet deep, and he seemed to be awfully proud of it. He would dart into it. and then turn round and peep out of its mouth, as if to say: See what smart dOggie l ann
 It was a carefree life that Finne- gan lived. and he seemed to realize Macs kindness to him and to kaow he enjoyed seeing him frisk about. | Mae fed him well, and all who vis- tied Macs cabin vied with each oth- CT in bringing him dainties. But the cold weather came. and there was no deep, deep hole such as his parents would have dug, to keep Finnegan warm. In spite of warm bed, made in a box for him, Finne- gan would whimper through the cold nights. Finally, on one occa- sion, he got up in the middle of the night, climbed upon Macs bed and rooted his way under the cover. He snuggled up at Macs side and slept comfortably. until morning.
 He Slept With Mac.
 That was the beginning. After that he insisted upon climbing into the bed when it grew cold, in spite of all Mac could do. As frequently 1t was very cold, Mac finally con- sented to let him remain in the bed with him when he persisted in do- ing so.
 So now Finnegan is dead. A post mortem examination showed he had contracted tuberculosis. Both his lungs were in shreds and other or gans of the body were infected. But he lived a more useful life than he would have had he remained on the prairie and destroyed the range for the cattle. His race has been de- qlaped frv iaofcla five npaetnpnf "a