Fitzgerald leader. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1921-1921, 1921-03-19
~ % % % % &c &c 900 900 900
F.L)O
BY JOSEPHINE MURPHY.

1t was Betty who logged him home,
to the intense disgust and, indeed,
against the express command of ma
dem0selle.
"What brute =" shuddered the gov
erness. Betty, do not touch him."
poor little puppy; was he dirty
and hungry and wet, and had they
been throwing stones at him?" cooed
Betty, lifting the dragged, yellow cur
from the sidewalk and holding him
against her warm little heart.
Mademoiselle reported Betty's dis
obedience to Ruth, who ruled the big
house and the little sister with the
grave severity of twenty-five. But for
once. Ruth did not decree stringent
punishment.
"Oh let her keep it," she said. zone
dog more or less-what does it mat
teri"
'Mees Ruth grow gentle all of
sudden" confided mademoiselle to Mr..
Stanley's secretary, when next she met
that young man. "An' j know de rea-
son. She would like to ave 'er own
way, yes; an so she give 'er little sis
ter 'er own way. Miss Ruth want to
marry dat-vat is 'ees name?-dat
Jimmy WoOdford, an 'er papa, e say
neyaire. For dat Jimmy WoodfOrd's
fader made 'ees money-'ow Mistaire
Black?
IRAN lottery" replied Mr.. Black
tersely. "Mr. Stanley is quite right.
For his daughter to allow herself with
a family of that kind would be a So
cial crime"
"Oh!" said mademoiselle, narrowing
her eyes and surveying young Mr.
Black quiZzically. "An' Mistaire Stan
ley never was dishonest in 'es family?"
'Never," declared young Mr.. Black,
loyalty.
MademOiselle turned to the window
to conceal a skepticism and an amuse-
ment which were, perhaps, merely
radical. Through the glass the little
new dog was visible, gamboling about
the stable. The older dogs were look
ing gravely on.
Before the end of the week he had
won his place among them. Daily
washings did wonders for his personal
appearance; daily food filled out the
hOllOws between his ribs. He learned
eventually to respond to the name Bet
ty gave him-Fido
When Fido had been an inmate of
the Stanley household for two, weeks,
he came Juggling at Betty's skirts one
morning. She followed where he led,
and he revealed to her the hiding place
of fine, juicy chop. He wagged his
tail and awaited her word of COM
mendation. He seemed astonished
and downcast when she gave him
scolding instead.
He was an incorrigible thief. Food
was his plumber, and no kitchen sill in
the whole neighborhood was safe from
him after he learned the way to and
from his own home. But of all the
provisions In the region, he preferred
the Woodfords'.
One weekend as they were walking
along toward the farm they were &C.
costed by blind man.
excuse me, ma'am," he said, "but
you are talking of dogs. I have lost
my dog"
"when did you lose him?" asked
mademoiselle.
"About two months ago."
1--WE found dog about that time,"
said mademoiselle again.
eff you will come this evening"" said
mademoiselle, "Mistaire Stanley he
will see you about de dog" Then she
and Betty moved on, leaving the old
man muttering to himself.
y
The conference on Fido was almost
over. Betty, swollen-eyed and resent
full, and Ruth, dignified and regretful,
sat together on the library lounge.
Their father and the old man confront
ed each other across the table. The
old man had confessed being arrested
for vagrancy on the day Betty found
Fido, and that he had spent two
months in Jail.
Really" began Mr.. Stanley, leaping
upon the opportunity for preaching, 81
scarcely know how to say it, but theft
is theft, whether one commits it with
ones hands or with ones dog"
''Theft is theft, is it?" retorted the
old man. ooh, guess you don't al
ways call it that It's thieving all right
when a blind mans dog snatches him
a chop; but what about a big railroad
robber who forces down the price of
stock until he ruins the small holders
so that he may buy it again? Your
father, Mr.. Stanley, was financier.
"f 1t wasn't for him I'd be well of
today. Read the old papers and see
what they said of your father 80 years
ago."
"If you can prove that" said Mr.,
Stanley, 'rll do something for you"
II can" responded the blind man. a
have the documents and shall furnish
them tomorrow"
The door had closed upon the old
man.
"Why. Ruth" exclaimed Mr.. Stan.
ley, what do you find to make you SO