The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1921-09-29
ALittle Boy and His Dog

i L
Dogs go barefoot all the time and
boys 60 barefoot as much as their
mammals will allow-at least, most
boys do.
One time there was a boy six years
old, and he was good little boy. He
had a lot of pretty toys to play with
and he had good time every day.
His mother did not like for him to 60
in his bare feet, for she was afraid
that he would get splinters In his toes,
or, If not that, then there was danger
of the ants biting him on his feet and
you know ants can walk right up a
boys legs and they are SO bad that one
cannot tell when they may bite. So
this hoy's mother thought it was best
to wear stockings and shoes all the
time. lF
This boy had dog great big dog,
and he liked the boy better than any
other person he had ever seen, and he
stayed with the boy all the time he
could. The big dog liked to 60 into
the woods and he always wanted the
boy to go with him, but the boys
mother thought he was too little to so
to the woods and SO she told him not
to go, until he was bigger than he was,
and, of course, she did not know about
the dog wanting him to 60 so badly.
Dogs can't talk, at least they can't say
just what they want to, but they can
make people who love them understand
what they want nearly every time.
Well one day right after breakfast
the boy went out back of his house and
the big dog went too, of course, and he
| walked right by the side of the boy and
he looked right into the boys face and
| he seemed to say, My! how big you
are to-day, You are nearly as tall as
am" And the boy thought that was
exactly what the dog said. And so he
| said to the dog, g How would you like
for you and to go to the woods
today? l am big now. and SO we
will 60" And the dog jumped and ran
and wagged his TAIL and that meant
"Oh! goody, goody. let us 60 now"
And so they went to the woods.
| Down in the middle of the woods
| there is little river. People cali it a
creek, but little folks can call creeks
rivers if they want to, and the boy
called it a river because he wanted to
be big, and thought it would be more
fun to play that the creek was a real
sure enough river. AS soon as they got
| to the river the big dog jumped right
into the water and swan to the other
side, and then he jumped in again and
| swan back to the side where the boy
was, and he came right up to the boy
and seemed to say, "Come on and get
/ in the water and swim with me-" And
the boy thought that was just what he
said, SO he said, Il guess WILL" But
first he took off his shoes and stock
ings, for he did not want to get them
all wet. Then he went in the river
with the dog, and what do you sup
posed happened. Well. he stepped
right on top of IN old mud turtle and
it scared the hoy so bad that he jumped
right out Of the river and ran for home
as fast as he could go, and Of course
1.-the dog ran. too, for he did not know
what was the matter with the boy, but
he knew he wanted to go wherever the
boy did. They soon reached home and
the boy ran right in the house and to
his mother and she took him on her
lap, and he told her about the old
turtle and she soon made him know
that he was not hurt. Then she asked
him where his shoes We're and he
remembered that he had left them at
the river.
/ The boy was afraid he would get
whipped and he was afraid to go back
to get his shoes, and so he did not
know what to do. So he said, will
60 tomorrow and get my shoes and
stockings, hut don't want to 60 now
But his mamma told him she would
have to punish him If he did not get
his shoes at once and put them on
Now what do you think the dog did
Well he ran off and In a little while
he came back: and he had both the
boys shoes and both his stockings n
his mouth and he came up to the dOol
. and the boys mamma laughed and the
boy was so happy that he forgot al
about tile whipping that he shoQlt
have had. Now, this boy thought il
was fine to go to the river and so mex
day he said to the dog Let us 60 t
the river" but the dog went and laii
, down on the porch and put his heat
between his paws and looked at thu
boy, and he looked like he was saying
II you do 90 you will have to 60 b!
yourself, and you may want to ge
whipped, but am sure that I don't
, And so the boy did not 60.
LUTHER JEFFERSON.
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