Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BEAUTY and THE BEAST

Its ferocity was almost alarming. As
WistrOm passed the house with the
stone front 1t darted out from the side
passageway In a perfect rury Of angry
excitement and pursued him with par
oxysmnI barkings the entire length oi
the low fence that separated the lawn
from the street. A day or two later
the same thing occurred. This tiine
Wistrom made threatening demon
strntion with his umbrella. II wus nn
unwise thing to do. for II did not have
a soothing effect on the little apimal
which from that time forth seemed tn
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 n. him. all hut scalin;
the tiny pickets, and raise such u
clamor OF hatred that II seemed the
whole street must ne 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 gure
and was out on the sidewalk ut Wis
trom's heels. Wistrom stopped. The
dog retreated. still barking furiously ;
he went on and the dog was again yayl
ping at his heels. Then. without turn.
ing. WistrOm brought his umbrella
around with vicious force and-ol..
joy caught the dog ON the ribs.
'Oh. you coward!"
II was a clear. youthful feminine
voice. Wistrom looked up as the
house door slammed and 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 Sc cruel as to
hit poor little dog like that" she de-
mhnded. turning an Indignant pair of
very blue eyes on Wistrom.
IL 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.
II 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. 1t was the ma
ture and delight Of dogs to bark and
bite and why should they be struck
with an umbrella for following a pure
ly natural impulse?
For weeks Wistrom looked In vain at
the house as he passed for some sign
of the pretty girl He did not even see
the dog. On Sundays. when he was at
home oil day. he did nothing but sit
by the window watching to see her
Some time soon, ne 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 a
forlorn 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 to look at II more attentively
Yes. II was certainly the dog. II there
had been any doubt about II the way
he snarled and snapped when Wistrom
stopped TO pick him up would have in
stunlly dispelled 1t. Undoubtedly the
dog had strayed away.
Well. muddy and wet MS ne was.
Wistrom slowed him underneath his
coat. to the coats and 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 ecstasies
Of delight at the sight OF the dog. It
was quite touching reunion. She
the elderly lady-was most grateful to
Wistrom. too. and SO plensed to learn
that he was a neighbor. The poor dog.
she explained. had been confined TO the
house In consequence OF ruihnnly
young hoodlum having abused him,
and so being let out for exercise had
scnmpered of.
Wisiron coughed behind his hand.
Your daughter will no doubt be glad
to see her pet again." he said. politely.
MY dnughter?"
"l-er-supposed the young lady to
be your daughter" said Wistrom. "A
rnther tall young lady. with blue
eyes"
"Oh." said the lady Of the house.
'fhnt was my niece. who was making
me visit few weeks ago. She went
back to Dubuque and was married last
Thursday. A lovely girl!'
Rugs was growing at his rescuer.