Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-25
ONE OF The FAMILY

Tell me a realIy-truly story. Moth
err said Blue Eyes. as She climbed
On my knee at story time"
What kind of story" | asked.
"About one OF your dogs Was the
quick reply
Then snail tell about Rex. who
Vas really one OF the family.
He came TO the dear old farm
house, when he was soft. fluffy,
Z yellow ball. with sable collar and
1 snowwhite shirt front-al paws, like
most COLE puppies Such sober
faced dUEsie he was. even then. We
all peljed and coaNed him. those first
few DAYS, because We realized how
lonely he would he for the other SlN
rollickng brothers he had just lett.
Even Dutch, the black and white Kit
zen. helped. and his puppy days were
mostly spent with her. Ii was anus
,ng TO watch them play hide-and-seek,
up and down the big dining room.
Rex chasing Dutch from one place 10
another. Till finally she would take
refuge on the magazine table. When
he put his long nose over the edge,
she would catch it with her Two paws
ana bite (eyer SO gently, it * true)
and such scolding there would be.
However. Rex priced her SO much
that, one day his Master saw him
carefully carrying her across the yard
10 he place where he buried his
choicest bones. think he intended
o put her safely away with them but,
Of course, Dutch scampered off when
he put her down to dig the hole.
When Rex grew up, he was taught
10 take his share of the work. First,
it was to separate the chickens from
HE hens. al feeding time, so that the
chickens would get fair share. When
he sat quietly down between them,
waving his bushy tail, not one dared
70 pass for they seemed 10 know that
Rex was as firm as he was gentle. 1t
was Masters way.
Next, he learned 10 bring up the
cows. and promptly at milking time.
you would see Rex bounding down the
old lane, with its stone walls on either
side, 10 the pasture near the woods.
When all the cows were in the barn
yard, back he would come to his mas
ter. with wagging tail and much dog
talk. TO tell him they were waiting.
One night he came with short, sharp
banks and excited little runs back and
forth from house to barn. When mas
ter said, What's wrong, Old fellow
Rex said. as plainly as possible,
Come, do come, and see You see.
Rex could count and he knew ne had
brought only three cows, when there
should be four. Master went to help
find truant Mrs Cow. who had wan
dered in the shady woods and lost her
way. What excited yelping or dog
talking there was when, at last, they
found her and Master said, Good
dog"
Rex could always be trusted. II
Master and Mistress both left the
house, they knew that Rex would
never leave the yard, not for the
choicest bone or even chocolates in a
bag, OF which he was very fond.
He soon made friends with all the
neighbors, because he was so polite.
he t.
knew he would get tldbi and
scratch, scratch at the door. When he
was admitted, he would say, as plain
" as dog could, Il would like some
thing to eat" When it was given
him. he would carry ii out and drop it
on The ground, to give two sharp
banks for thank you" before carry
ing it home
Rex was clean doggie, too, and al
ways kept his white paws as clean
as clean One day IN the early spring
when all was mud. with just a few
patches of snow, he followed me to
The door but, after being told that his
! paws were TOO dirty, he was shut out.
| A few moments later, ] saw him
! walking round and round on a patch
/ of clean snow. Then he came care
( fully to the door and, Of course, was
! admitted.
rs that all, Mother"
"That is all for tonight. ] wonder
II you have learned anything from
Rex doggie that little girls might do.
too?"
swell, he was obedent--and gentle
land polite-and he could always be
trusted--and he always kept his pad
dies. I mean his paws clean
"Quite right, and think that was
why he was always such a happy.
happy doggie, don't your?
Nova Scotia has a workmen's com.
persation law.