The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-01-25

BEAUTY AND The BEAST

It was an exceedingly small dog. but
it, ferocity was almost alarming. AZ
Wistrom passed the house with the
stone front It darted out from the side
passageway In perfect fury of angry
excitement and pursued him with par.
oxysmal 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
Wtstrom made threatening demon.
stration with his umbrella. It was an
unwise thing to do. for II did not have
q 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
ment he came In sight that brown,
hairy streak would shoot from the
passage. leap ut him. all but scafinR
the tiny pickets. and raise such q
clamor of hatred that It seemed the
whole street must be alarmed. Wis.
from became more and more resent.
full. The dog got on his nerves.
One morning as WistrOm started out
he noticed that the front gate Of the
house with the stone front had been
left open. He gripped his umbrella
tightly and took deep breath as he
heard the preliminary yelp 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 Wis
trom's heels. Wistrom stopped. The
dog retreated. still barking 'furiously I;
he went on and the dog was again yap
ping at his heels. Then, without turn
ing. Wistrom brought his umbrella
around with vicious force and-ok
Joy !-caught the dog on the ribs.
. .
"Oh. you coward!"
1t was a clear. youthful feminine
voice. Wistrom looked up as the
house door slammed and a girl with
very pink cheeks and abundant yellow
hair-a very pretty girl-came running
down the steps and caught up the
bowling dog In her arms.
"How could you be so cruel as e
hit poor little dog like that?" she de
manded. turning an indignant pair Of
very blue eyes on Wtstroln.
IL didn't exactly mean to hit hin
so hard" lied Wistrom In some confu
sion. "You see"
But the girl turned her back on hin
contemptuously and ran up the step,
and into the house. carrying her pei
with her.
1t was remarkable thing, but Wis
from instantly regretted hitting thu
dog.
All day long he thought of the CIR.
with the blue eyes and yellow hair ant
the more he thought of her the more
poignant became his regret. After all
on eminent authority. It was the ma
ture and delight Of dogs to bark anG
bite and why should they be struch
with an umbrella for following pure
~ natural impulse? +.
For weeks Wistrom looked in vain a,
the house as he passed for some sigr
Of the pretty girl. He did not even SCI
the dog. On Sundays. when he was al
home all day. he did nothing but 81,
by the window watching to see her
Some time soon, he thought. the chance
would come, and then
1t came at last. that chance. Wis
from was walking down an obscur,
street one afternoon when he saw Z
fOrlorn and mud-caked little dog tina,
was shivering and whining disconso
lately in the shelter of doorway
There was something familiar abou,
the dog. Wistrom thought, and h,
stopped to look at 1t more attentively
Yes. 1t was certainly the dog. If there
had been any doubt about It the way
he snarled and snapped when Wistron
stopped to pick him up would have in
stantly dispelled It. Undoubtedly thu
dog had strayed away.
|
Well, muddy and wet as he was
Wistrom slowed him underneath hii
coat, to the coats and white waist
coats ruin. and half an hour later hi
was ringing the bell Of the house witt
the stone front. An elderly woman an
swered the ring and went into ecstasie,
Of delight at the sight of the dog. Il
was quite touching reunion. She
the elderly lady-was most grateful Il
Wistrom, too. and so pleased to learr
that he was neighbor. The poor dog
she explained. had been confined to the
house in consequence of a ruffianly
young h0odlum having abused him
and so being let out for exercise hat
scampered of.
WistrOm coughed behind his hand
"Your daughter will no doubt be glad
to see her pet again" he said. politely,
my daughter?"
"l-er-supposed the young lady ia
be your daughter" said Wistrom. "A
rather tall young lady. with blue
eyes"
"Oh." said the lady of the house,
shat was my niece. who was making
me visit a few weeks ago. She went
back to Dubuque and was married last
Thursday. A lovely grit"
Rags was growing ut his rescueI;