The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-12-18

~ LID MAN NEGLEY was walking
home from his days work on
Vine street, when Billy Rayner
joined him and trotted along beside
the old handy man. The boy was
much interested in something The had
seen as he was coming back from
school. He was eager to tell Negley
about it for all the Wine street chill
dren regarded him as their IlOved chum
as well as, looking ON hfm as the one
fount of knowledge about dogs.
'"There was a blind man sitting on
the curb" Billy began, land the was
playing an accordion and his tin cup
was lying in front OF him. And along
side the cup there was "a square of rag
carpet about as big as 'handker-
chief. And ON the carpet sat ia white
poodle dog not mwch bigger than a
cat.
st sat there, as wise ;as judge.
Whenever any people came past the
poodle would pick up the tin cup in
his teeth and he'd sit up on his hind
legs, waving his front paws and
wagging his tail at the people that
were coming near. had IA nickel /
was going to spend at the corner
store. But I couldn't help dropping
1t in the cup, after saw tthe cunning
way that poodle acted. He seemed as
pleased as his master was when put
the nickel i'm his cup. / stopped and
watched him. Lots of people put coins
in there just because he was SO cum
ming. One fellow tried to take coin
out of the cup. The poodle set down
the cup as quick as flash without
splitting any Of the money and he made
q vicious grab at the fellows hand.
A cop saw it and he told the fellow
to clear out"
II know that poodle" said Negley,
smiling at BillyHs eagerness. "And
know his master. They live down near
me. The man was a fine outstanding
laborer till chernical explosion Blind
ed him five years ago. The chemical
company got him TO sign off for $500
before any lawyer could get. hold OF
him to get him his rights. Ee and his
wife were dead broke. All they had
was that poodle puppy, about six
months old.
II don't believe in begging; but the
world sure owes that poor chap "a lliv-
ing. I told him to go out and play
the accordion at street corners. While
he did that, I took the poodle in hand
and trained him. The man could play
the accordion like a professional. But
that's all the good 1t did him. He
couldn't average fifty cents a dayNby ut.
'When / got the poodle trained for
him, his luck changed right away.
The dog rouses peoples interest and
pity much more than the poor blind
man does; though there is nothing
about the poodle to be pitied. He has
a soft mat to sit on. He is we'll fed,
and his thick coat keeps him warm.
He is gold mine for that master of
his. Not only by being SO cute and
persuading folks to put money in the
tin cup but because he can guide his
master safely anywhere. through the
thickest traffic.
The man averages from three to
four dollars day now. More in very
tad weather or around Christmas
time. He and his wife have been able
to keep their snug little cottage; and
they are well fed and warmly clothed.
The poodle has done it all for them.
That little dog lives on the fat of the
land. They think everything of him.
'In stormy weather the man wraps
ap warmly and rigs up sort Of lit
tie tent for the dog to sit under on
street corners. Then he plays Home,
Sweet Home on the accordion. Folks
going past hear 1t. They pity the poor
man and the poor dog. out in the
storm with no home to go to and with
the wind and the snow all around
them, while the man plays so sweetly
about Home'l It brings lapful Of
coins, and now and then dollar bill.
"All the time the man is warmly
dressed and has rubbers on. The dog
is dry and out Of drafts on his mat in
his little tent. Neither of them is the
worse for the bad weather but they
look so pitiful. with that home
music wheeling out Of the accordion,
that everybody comes across with a
coin If the day is stormy enough