The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-11
Eoening Story
A Little Dogs Day.
BY H. LEWIS RAYBoLD.

d n. LEW W 10 NA BULL.
Just before Jim Houston went to
France he took his most valued pos
session in his arms and had a heart to
heart talk with him, Little dog" he
said, I'm off to war and, while I'm
away, I'm going to give you to the
dearest girl in the world. I can't ask
her to be mine, yet-me. a poor dufier
anybody else have her until Pm back
and get in the game again. So say
ing, he sat down the thorobred
littl~ Boston terrier and, putting on
his leash, took him to Betty Lancas-
ter.
Here, Betty" he said, lis a re-
minder of me. But, joking aside,
1 hope once in a while he will make
you think of somebody who, even if
he's getting a whack at the boches,
will be thinking of you all the time"
';Oh. the darling cried Betty, get
ting down on her knees and fondling
the dog, who did not object in the
least. Indeed. don't need anything
to remind me of you, but I love him
already and will take the best of care
of him until you come back" she con-
cluded wistfully. This old school
chum's going off meant more than
she dared let herself think. I'll write
you and knit for you-and-''
Jim wanted to say the words that
trembled. on his lips, but he had had it
out with himself the night before, that
he would not deem himself a man to
bind this girl when the future was so
uncertain. So now, Goodbye, Betty.
girl" was all he permitted himself.
and one last touch of her hand. His
last glance back showed him Betty
standing, with her saddened eyes, hold
ing fast the leash of his dog
Now he was back home. When
peace had come, he had thought joy
fully that now he could get back to
Betty. She had kept her word, and
knitted socks and mufflers and
sweater, and when he had written her
of his promotion to top sergeant, she
had replied how, glad she-was and
added that she had named the little
dog Sergeant"
Jim, gthru a lucky chance, was able
to return ahead of his regiment with
a company of casuals. Betty did not
know of his arrival in this country and
he had no time to notify her. When,
upon reaching camp, he found that he
could have a three days furlo, he
decided to surprise her-her whom he
would now dare to ask to marry him.
For, even starting at the bottom as he
would have to, the wait could not be
very long with such goal to strive
for.
1t was dusk when Jim got off the
train at Bolton. He had to stop for
word with the station agent and then
was waylaid along the way uptown to
Betty's home by welcoming friends.
When at last the weil-remembered
stretch of maple trees came in view
shading the Lancaster lawn. his heart
beat unmanageably.
AS he drew nearer, he heard the
laughter and gay voices OF young peo-
pie sounding from the Lancaster
porch. He felt twinge of disappoint-
ment at having to see his sweetheart
.
upon her as that very thing-his sweet
heart.
Wondering whether to go away and
come back later, or at the worst, early
next morning, Jim walked more slow
ly. AS he reached the gate he heard
a voice he recognized as that of Billy
Van Norden, a schoolmate of his who
had been wounded and sent home.
q Van Norden was saying: When
Toots and are married. you'll have
to be very clever to bother us. No
rice and old shoes for US. eh. Toots ?"
A merry girls laugh followed. But he
could not quite catch it. Who was
Toots?
Then another voice broke in, Hear
the man talking already about getting
married and he and Betty have only
been engaged two days!" More
laughter.
+ Jin's heart-the heart which had
carried him unafraid thru patrols on
No Mans Land and over the top
almost failed him now.
Betty engaged = Betty engaged
Betty engaged! He leaned against
the fence for support. Was she fas-
cinated by Van Norden's lieutenants
uniform or the fact that he was
wounded or-no, that wasn't fair.
thought honest Jim. Billy Van Nor
den was a dandy fellow. He deserved
corkfng girl. But his Betty.
Z Ton Iyk
had only been engaged two days! He
was two days too late. provided things
hadn't cotton too far before that. He
hadn't dreamed
Well, he would go away as unob-
trusively as he had comeback to
camp and then-anywhere but Bolton.
He might sign up for the regular
army. He might
What was this bounding down to
the gate? Good old doggie,' whis-
pered7Jim. Good old doggiei" sus-
picious moisture gathered in his eyes
This was the little dog she had played
with, had named for him. Sergeant,
you couldn't keep her for me. could
you. old boy?"
Here, sargie. here. sargiei" he
heard Betty's dear voice calling.
He tried to send the dog back, but
Sergeant, overjoyed at this glimpse of
his master, would not be driven away.
He frisked about Jim's feet jumped
up and licked his hands, and barked
joyously.
..I must see what that dog is up to-"
said Betty, and before Jim realized 1t,
she was down the path and at the
gate. searching for the cause OF the
dogs excitement
What she saw made her step back
quickly. her hand on her throat.
There stood Jim looking wtstfully,
hungri1y at her.
"Jim," she said, "Jim!'
Betty, came--I came to-hang 1t,
Betty, why couldn't you give fellow
a hint?'
"Give you a hint, what?" asked Bet
ty, still in a sort of daze at the sud
den appearance of this person she
thought was thousands of miles away.
That You we're getting engaged
said Jim reproachfully.
But I'm mott" she cried. I'm not!"
Then what did Billy Van Norden