The New York herald., 1922-12-24
JIMMY WINS A REAL
OUTFIT FOR HIS DOG
Too Late to Get Gift From
Animal Christmas Tree at
Humane Society.

When Jimmy MacLean feard from his
friend Tony Andretta that the HUI
name Society would have Christmas
tree this year for dogs and horses.
Jimmy was very happy. Was not this
Midgets first Christmas, and wasn't
Midget the finest dog in all Charles
street, or all New York, or all the world
for that matter? So when his mother
wasn't looking-and one had to be
pretty sharp about it. too-Jimmy
sneaked Midget to bed with him every
night for week preceding Christmas
and whispered into Midget's woody ear
all about Santa Claus, and Christmas.
and the fine things one could ask for
even if one didn't always get 'em.
Saturday was to be the great day.
Tony had said, and SO 1t was yesterday
that Jimmy, after doing numerous and
sundry errands for his mother. pre-
pared for the trip. 1t was already time
to start when Jimmy suddenly be-
thought himself of Midget's appear
ance. Midget had been born a clean.
white poodle but now he resembled the
mop with which Jimmys mother some-
Thunder-why had 1t never occurred 10
him before? Had ne himself not been
warned time and again that Santa
Claus never visited boys who have no
speaking acquaintance with soap and
water? What a chance. then, had Mid
get-Midget, who was now so black we
couldn't find him in a back alley on a
dark day.
So Jimmy took Midget-and here they
had a dislike in common-and soused
Midget In one of his mothers tubs.
scrubbing and securing. until Midget.
subsiding from yelps of terror to whines
of pure misery. began to show white
where once there had been only black,
and pink where once had been scurvy
brown.
BY this time II was getting late. His
mother said she didn't have a nickel to
spare, so Jimmy. carrying Midget in his
arms. hiked to the offices Of the HUI
name Society. at A Seventh avenue.
Here Jimmy found lot OF dogs swag-
gering up and down the sidewalks dogs
resplendent in new collars. leashes and
warm blankets: tail wagging chop lick
ing dogs they were. But all the pres
ents were gone. Even the tree had been
taken away. There wasn't a solitary
dog biscuit left.
Jimmy stood on the corner. 1t was
raw. 1t rained a little. All the dogs
were happy except Midget. who looked
up into Jimmys face with q dumb ques-
tioning. Midget shivered. A lump in
Jimmy's throat began to grow bigger
and bigger. A couple of tears tricl<led
down and dropped on Midgets clean
coat. Jimmy didn't want Midget 20
know he was crying. so he turned his
head away. But Midget knew and
Midget whined sympathetically and tried
to be comforting by putting his cold.
wet nose against Jimmy's cheek. IL was
useless. Jimmy started to 20 away
and them
She had been watching Jimmy from
the window of the Humane Society
ofice-although Jimmy didn't know Il.
she disappeared from the window and
went out to the sidewalk. She caught
Jimmy as he was about 20 cross the
street. She led him back TO the office
and bade him enter where IL was warm.
And so Jimmy sat down and told her
all about Midget. and the washing. and
Midget's first Christmas. He wondered
once or twice why she cried a little
had she been late with her dog. too?
And then she told him that Santa
Claus had expected such occasions and
that II he would bring Midget around on
Tuesday he'd find a collar. leash. bian-
lset, biscuits--in short. everything that
a dogs heart could wish for-waiting
for Midget In the Society's office. n
was happy Midget and a happy
Jimmy that went back to Charles street
last evening.