Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-08-01

Il little rush. set a large. rude paw
upon the sensitive face of Flopit and
capsizcl Kim. Flopit uttered Il bitter
compla int in an asthmatic voice.
"Oh. Massey dray bid horrer! cried
his mistress. turning quickly at this
sound and waving a pink parasol at
Clemats Shoe Dirty dog. go way!
And she WAS able somehow to connect
him with he washtub and boiler, for
she added. MASSEY laundrymans to
have bad dogGics."'
| Mr.. Watson rushed upon Clematis
with angry bellowings and imaginary
missiles You disgusting brute" he
reared How dare you?"
Apparently much alarmed, Clematis
lowered his ears, tucked his tail under
meath him and fed to the rear, not
halting once or looking back until he
appeared round the corner whence
had come. "There," said Mr.. Wat
sou, II guess he won't bother US again
very soon"
1t must be admitted that Milady was
one of those people who do not mind
being overheard, no matter what they
say. LUCKY for u.s." she said, I'VE
had a nice dray bid mans to protect us,
wasn't it, Flopit?' And she thought
It necessary to repeat something she
had already made sufficiently en-
phatic-
"Nassy laundrymans"
II expect I gave that big mongrel
the fright of his life," said Mr.. Wat
son, with complacency. Hell prob
ably run a mile"
The shoulders of Genesis shook as
he was towed along by the cOnvulsive
tub. He knew from previous evidence
that Clematis possessed both high
quality and large quantity of per-
sistence, and it was his hilarious Opin-
ion that the dog had not gone far. AS
matter of fact, the head of Clematis
was at this moment cautiously extend
ed from behind the fencepost at the
corner whittier he had fled. Viewing
with growing assurance the scene be-
fore him, he permitted himself to
emerge wholly and sat down, with his
head tilted to one side in thought.
Almost at the next corner the clothes
boiler with legs and the washtubs and
Genesis We're marching Oh, and just
behind them went three figures not 50
familiar to Clematis and connected In
his mind with vague, mild apprehen-
sion. But all the backs were safely
toward him, and behind them battered
that small live thing which had so pro-
foundly interested him.
He rose and came on apace silently.
When he reached the side of Flopit,
some eight or nine seconds later. Glenn
ats found himself even more fascinat-
ed and perplexed than during their for
mer interview, though again Flopit
seemed utterly to disregard him.
Clematis was not at all sure that
Elopit was dog, but he felt that 1t
was his business to find out. Heaven
knows, so far Clematis had not par
ticle of animosity in his heart, but he
considered it his duty to himself, In
case Flopit turned out not to be dog,
to learn just what he was. The thing
might be edible.
Therefore, again pacing obliquely be-
side Flopit, while the human beings
ahead went on, unconscious Of the ap-
preaching climax behind them, Clema-
tbs sought to detect by senses keener
than sight some evidence Of Flopit's
standing in the geological kingdom,
and, shifting at the top Of Flopit's head
though Clematis was uncertain about
its indeed being a head-he found him
self baffled and much disturbed.
Flopit did not smell like a dog; he
smelled of viOlets.