The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-30
EVENING STORY
A Dog Star.
by MARTHA McCULLOCH.
1918, by Mcclure Newspape
GvnAfcofat


tude IN the dog armament OF course
since ne belonged to Sidney Lee. SID
ney was a fancier of sorts. He ran,
cie,i among other things he couio
have given points to the original COZ
maker Which was a pity, seeing
Happy Jack, head of his kennels,
sale IN the strict privacy of his own
mind. EFF them dumb brutes knoweo
what sort O. Teller that owned en-
they5 never hold up heads ner tails
again.
This was not in malice. Happy
Jack was ready to admit the boss
h-.S his uses, and was even wise IN
the way of neckties, womenkind ana
other like trifles. But dogs! Dogs
were the be-all and end-all of ex-
peared to him a special providence
that he himself was set in actual
charge of the fine four-footed crea-
lures. He pampered them, of course,
all he dared-also INDUCED them
Thereby hangs this tale. Orion run
ming free of leash upon the lawn out
before his kennel, leaped the hedges
in pure wanton joy of supple strength,
and before he could be reclaimed
wrought havoc among the prize ducks
of old Miss Stretton. who lived next
door.
Result very pretty quarrel,
made prettier by the fact that Miss
Stretton, fat and scant of breath. left
the settlement OF 1t to Niece Ellen,
one of the modern Portals, whom un-
til the quarrel rose, she had cordially
disapproved. Now i. was very con-
venient to have even a girl-lawyer in
the family. OF course the slaughtered
ducks, especially Sir Alexander, be-
ing of the highest prize winning
strains, were not TO be valued as
mere poultry. Happy Jack insisted
that they were nothing else. He had
indeed half a mind to claim a rebate
owing to the fact, that certain thrifty
servants had dressed and eaten the
flows. But since by his reckoning, a
matter of twelve dollars, ninety cents,
woulu square accounts. he let that
part go by defau1t-he would never
be til, man to grudge other wage
earners the chance to make or save
a trif,e on the side.
I'm here to pay in full, ma am, for
the fine dogs little diversions" he
said to Miss Stretton in a tone meant
to be diplomatic-even propitiatory.
"Oh," said the girl. her widest eyes
looking thru him. Just how much?
1 hope we agree in our estimates
Happy Jack, after some fumbling.
produced a bill, written out in the
round school-boy hand of his son and
heir. Miss Stretton glanced at it,
frowned, bit her lips to keep back a
laugh over the document, then pulled
out fountain pen. added two ciphers
to the sum, and gave back the pa per,
saying: I've kindly corrected your
little mistake"
NO mistake at ALL If We live till
We see any twelve hundred and ninety
dollars O. Sidney Lees money, yen
make Methusalem look like a baby"
Ha ppy Jack cried scornfully-excite-
ment brought back a trace of his
Scotch burr always.
It's crazy We are-I might say
worse he went on. Twelve hundred
dollars for three ducksHand We ate
them" The last in scornful triumph.
I've considered the drake at ten-and
the fule ducks
You are overlooking the fright
the distress of mind-the upsetment
to my aunt" Miss Ellen interrupted
Also the fact that Sir Alexander
swept the show ring wherever he went
won five hundred in prizes this last
six months-and could readily have
sold for as much, any day in the
| week"
I've heard folks tell tales ere this"
Jack snorted. "a brakes a drake
no more. no less. Besides, we've
Gods plenty O. his duckling-"
| Il believe you have a litter or so
or Orian pups!" Miss Ellen interrupt
ed. Beauties they must be, if they
look like him. Why. there he is
right at our door,
Let me get him-the murderin
pirate" Happy Jack cried, starting to
push thru the gate. Miss Ellen
clicked it shut in his face. saying with
little laugh: "A dogs dog by
your reasoning. Happy. Stay outside
| unti1-my aunt's claim is settled
| HE won't that! He shan't! Wo-
| man! The idea O. leavin' a beast worth
thousands to be fed on table scrapsl"
| Happy Jack cried angrily shaking the
gate. 1t was of iron. with a spiked
top. and rather unreasonably tall
| swung to stone posts, and thanked by
very stout and prickIy hedges. But
| these would not in the least have
| daunted Happy-what he feared was
law-which he knew only vaguely. and
the woman fronting him knew by
heart. He began to temporize. Sup
pose now-we wait till We can see the
hands on that rascal, I promise We,
iye'l never see his track again"
Just what I'm afraid of-therefore
you can't have him until the matter
is settled" Miss Ellen said, a covert
smile playing about her lips.
| IF you poison him I'll have the la w
| on ye.' he Missed. his eyes swapping.
Orion was the center of his universe
moreover the most famous of the
bench shows lay just fortnight
ahead- The dog had been off his feed
a bit-hence the liberty that had bred
! lawlessness- Vainly Happy Jack
whistled and called-Orion ran about
like mad thing. shifting at the walk
which led around to the poultry yard
giving the while short, ecstatic banks
Miss Ellen smiled watching his
gambols. He knows what he wants
and how much he wants it" she
said, reflectively, then piteously IT'S
a shame to kill him, or even send him
to the pound-but 1 don't see how we
can possibly keep him-and the
ducks!
woman! Ye'n no have the hearth
Happy Jack burst out. And Just then
motor car buried to a standstiIl he
hind them. In a wink Sidney Lee NO .
out of it. smiling and bowling to Ellen
and asking particulars. That made
Ellen blush uncomfortably-she had