Connecticut western news., 1920-05-06
The Little Dog Joins the Army

The dew is still on the grass, Ma dame Garden Manual. You are surely not going out. You will get your grass slippers soaking wet. Uh" the Dictionary Man shivered and wrapped his crinkly leaves clo- ser around him, for the spring moIning was trifle chilly and the dew lay thick and glistening upon plant and shrub as if fairies mantles had been left hanging on hte flower stalks; perhaps the sun had caught the little people at their ball and they had fled leaving their cloaks behind them.
 Little-Girl thought the garden looked like Fairyland in the early morning. She loved to look from her window and watch for the little Elf Man, who was sure to pop out from under the step or from behind clump of violets; one never did know just where the Elf Man was going to bob up.
 The poor Dictionary Man had a crick in his back, so he did not care to get his feet wet, but as for Little Girl she loved to slip off her sandals and her little white socks and rest her feet upon the sweet wet earth and wiggle her pink toes into the sand and crumbly black loam.
 It was the most wonderful feeling. And if you walked on the grass it seemed to hold you up, and you felt as if it had springs, and you would not have been. surprised if you had suddenly flown right up into the pear tree, you felt so light and happy. And then the earth seemed to draw your feet down and kiss them; "mag- netic attraction" - wise people said. Little-Girl wished that she need nev- CT wear shoes. r''>, f>sf ',e.
 Big-Boy didn't wear shoes in the morning-no, not until he dressed in the afternoon; he could wriggle his brown toes as much as he pleased in the cool earth and walk right through the water in the tiny pool in the garden. Splash! Splashl >. .al
 Little-Girl sometimes wished she had been born a boy Even Father Frog could splash around in the water as much as he pleased. Little | Girl sighed and ran out to meet Ma dame Garden Manual. It must be admitted that Madame !; Garden: Manual was picking her steps. She really was trying to keep her grass slippers from getting wet and there was Big-Boy splashing along and something was Running by his side. Yes, tbarkingl It really z. was fdog after all, and well perhaps, Ku-ti-pi wouldn't be so very much scared. Perhaps .Big-Boy's dog would turn out to be a very gentlemaniy dog and woudl not run Ku-ti-pi up the pear tree. Little-Girl hoped so.
 e"He-ho-ho-o," said Big-Boy by way of good morning. "Come on, Bobtail," and, sure enough, the fox terrier had bobbed tail, but must say that Big-Boy did not bob the doggie's tail. No indeed, he would have not have been so cruel, for a dog needs it's tail to brush away troublesome insects and for other purposes, but as Big-Boy's dog had only stump of tail, Big-Boy de- cided to call him Bob-tail. He also | decided to be very kind to the dog and keep him we'll bathed and brush ed. Bobtail was very happy and ran around Big-Boy in a circle, jumped up and down, and was ] properly introduced to Little-Girl. i Madame Garden Manual stepped up on tree seat and waited unti. Pig Boy had assured her that Bobtail was well-trained dog and never had been allowed to tear books.
 'tI am glad to hear it," said Ma dame Garden Manual, "for some dogs worry and tear every book they can get between their teeth, and l am so full of valuable information that I can not afford to be torn up."
 "Will he chase cats?" asked Little Girl anxiously.
 "No, indeed, not this dog. My father wouldn't let me have him until he found out all about his habits. Why, Bobtail belongs to the school 1 Garden Army"
 "Bow- WOW, WOW! Bow, WOW, woww said Bobtail. He was very proud to be called garden soldier. "Me-ow, meow, me-oww the 1 great satin-black cat sitting on the gate post looked down at the com pany as if in doubt as to his next move; should he come down and be