Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1922-10-11
BUTTONS
BY MARION E. LEIGHTON

|
Nose on extended paws, Buttons
watched with devoted but troubled
eyes the shoulders Of his pretty young
mistress as they heaved convulsively
with each heart-broken sob.
| The previously undisturbed calm of
Buttons domestic happiness had been
rudely shattered during the last week
| by frequent quarrels between the two
| beings he loved most on earth-his
master and mistress. One short year
Of perfect, home-loving bliss and,
| then--this!
Buttons had grown up with his
| pretty young mistress and loved her
with the devotion she deserved His
master had been later acquisition
and was accepted by him at first be-
cause his mistress seemed to desire
1t, and later because Buttons learned
that he was a man to trust. Now,
| something's foolish thing, Buttons
thought-had pricked this rose-colored
| bubble Of domestic joy and it had
burst with bang.
| AS ne watched his mistress out of
soft, brown, adoring eyes it gradually
dawned in Buttons alert mind that it
was up to him to patch that bubble up
| or go drown himself as no-account
quadruped.
| That it was Mistress Mans erring
brother that had been the cause of all
the trouble, Buttons knew. Brother
Jack was old enough to know right
from wrong, and young enough to re-
gard family interference in his affairs
as nothing short Of impertinent pre-
sumption. Master Harry had protested,
coaxed. threatened and finally warned
him to conduct himself with greater
discretion, or seek another home. Gam
bling. drinking and several escapades
in which he was requested to tell it
to the judge" had been overlooked, but
this last incident had been too much.
Buttons wasn't satisfied (any more
than Mistress Nan) that brother Jack
was guilty Of stealing-even if circum-
stances and Master Harry did convict
him.
Jack, was wild, yet; but Buttons
thought he could spot criminal when
he saw one, and he had never re-
garded Jack as anything worse than a
little-too-gOod fellow. He didn't be-
1ieve (and here again he agreed with
Mistress Nan) that Jack had taken
that roll Of bills from Harry's bureau.
Sorrowfully Buttons rehearsed the
quarrel between Harry and Nan. Har-
~ had finally told her that she must
choose between Jack and himself, us
he refused to remain in the same
house with a thief Nan had Loyalty
defended her brother. and Buttons. re-
membering, loved her the more for it.
Jack had been left alone in the
house the previous afternoon and the
money had been on the bureau then.
(Nan knew that, too; and though she
couldn't account for its disappearance.
she didn't believe that Jack had taken
it, Jack hadn't returned that night
and was still absent, which looked bad.
Buttons admitted this to himself
He wished he hadn't allowed his ca
nine nature to lead him on that chase
after the Bakers yellow tOmcat and
hold him at the foot of the big maple,
where TON" had taken refuge, for
nearly an hour; he might have kept
an eye on Jack or the money-or both.
Oh, well-dogs will be dogs.
Let's see; how could that money
have gotten out of his masters bed
room? The window had been open
the curtains were rustling in the
soft spring breeze-Master Harry's
soiled shirt was thrown over chair
"a pair. of slippers a wilted collar
and pair of socks Uttered the floor.
Buttons remembered that because he
had taken Master Harry's afternoon
paper up to him just after lunch ca
trick Nan had taught him along with
some others).
What else? Oh, yes, pair of old
shoes that Buttons had heard his
That was 1t! That pair of shoes!
Why couldn't the wind blow that
money off the bureau and
Buttons jumped up and disappeared
through the open doorway that was
letting in the soft spring sunshine.
| After many Greetings and snif1ings and
| pawings of the rubbish pile in the
! back yard he emitted little "Woof"
| Of triumph, and carefully lifted an old
| shoe in his mouth. With his tail wag
| ging joyfully. he took it inside and de-
| posted 1t in Mistress Mans lap.
She wiped her tear-stained cheeks
and regarded it with, surprise. Buttons
pushed his damp nose into her soft
palm and gazed up at her with plead
ing eyes How he hoped she'd under
| stand!
Nan looked at the shoe wOnderingly
and something green inside caught her
eye With a little gasp of surprise she
thrust her hand into the shoe and
drew out the missing roll of bills.
That evening Buttons lay with nose