Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1917-04-13
Observation-Disclosures.
BEAUTY and THE BEAST


its ferocity was almost alarming. As
WiStrOm passed the house with the
stone front 1t darted out from the side
passaSeway In perfect fury of angry
excitement and pursued him with par
oxy smal barkings the entire length OF
the low fence that separated the lawn
from the street. A day or two later
the same thing occurred. This time
WlstrOm made a threatening demon
StratiOn with his umbrella. Ii WAS an
unwise thing to do, for 1t did not have
a soothing effect on the little animal,
which from that time forth seemed to
lie in wait for the young man. who
lived only few doors away. The mo-
mcnt he came in sight that brown,
hairy streak would shoot from the
passage, leap at him. all but scaling
the tiny pickets. and raise such a
clan"r Of hatred that 1t seemed the
whole street must be alarmed. Wis
from became more ana more resent
ful. The dog got on his nerves.
One morning Us WIsiroIn started ont
~ A''4't u AlAstl Alif NUM- r~sltf ~ tEat
house with the stone front had been
left open. He Griprcd his umbrella
tightly and took n deep breath as lie
heard the preliminary yclp of defiance
at the passage entry. The next mo-
ment the dog was at the fence and the
next he had discovered the open gate
and was out on the sidewalk at Wiz
trOIn's heels. WistrDm stopped. Tie
dog retrcated. still barking furiously
he went on and the dog was again yap-
ping Mt his heels. Then, without turn
Ing. Wistrnm brought his umbrella
around with vicious force nnd--ol..
joy!-caugEt the dog On the ribs.
"Oh. You cOward"
1t was Il clear, youthful feminine
voice. Wistrom looked up as the
house door slammed and a girl with
very pink checks and abundant yellow
hair-a very pretty girl-cume running
down the steps and caught up the
bowling dog In her arms.
How could you be so cruel rs TO
hit Il poor little dog like tiati" she de-
manded. turning an Indignant pair of
very blue eyes on WistrOm.
II didn't exactly mean TO hit him
so hard" lied Wistrom in some confu-
sion. You see"
But the girl turned her back on him
contemptuously and ran up the steps
and into the house, carrying her pet
with her.
1t was remarkable thing, but Wis
from instantly regretted hitting the
dog.
All day long he thought OF the girl
with the blue eyes and yellow hair and
the more he thought of her the more
poignant became his regret. After all.
on eminent authority. it was the M
ture and delight Of dogs 10 bark ant
bite and why should they be struck
with an umbrella for following O pure
ly natural Impulse?
For weeks Wistrom looked In vain ut
the house as he passed for some sign
of the pretty girl. lie did not even see
the dog. On Sundays. when he was at
home all day. he did nothing but sit
by the window watching to see her.
Some time soon. he thought, the chance
would come. and then
II came at last, that chance. Wis.
from was walking down an obscure
street one afternoon when he saw
f0rlorn and mud-caked little dog that
was shivering and whining disconso-
lately in the shelter of doorway.
There was something familiar about
the dog. Wistrom thought, and he
stopped 10 look ut 1t more attcntivciy.
Yes. II was certainly the dog. If there
had been any duubt about it the way
he snarlcd and snapped when WiStr1rn
stopped 10 pick him up wcuid have in
stantly dispcIled it. Undoubtedly the
dog had strayed away.
Well, muddy and wet as he was,
Wistrom slowed him underneath his
coat, TO the coats and n white waist
coats ruin. and half an hour later he
was ringing the bell of the house with
the stone front. An elderly woman an
swered the ring and went into ecstuSieS
Of delight at the sight of the dog. 1t
was quite touching reunion. She
the elderly lady-was most grateful to
Wistrnm, too, and so pleased 10 learn
that he was neighhOr. The poor dog,
she explained. had been confined TO the
house in consequence of a rufiianly
young hoodlum having abused him,
and so being let out for exercise had
scampcrcd Off.
Wis;rom cOrghch behind his hand.
your daughter will no doubt he glad
to see her pet again." he said, politely.
"My daughter"
"I-er-supposed the young lady TO
be your daughter" said Wistrom. "a
rather tall young lady. with blue
eyes"
"Oh." said the lady Of the house.
"that WAS my niece. who was making