Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-30
Shaggy Playmate
OF Garfield Gang
Faces Official Ban
Dogs Franks Irk Care.
taker and Wreck Plumb
ing at Playground.
RY GRETCHEN s. SMITH.

One of the 12-year-old members OF
the gang at Garfield Playground is in
serious danger of being thrown of the
grounds. Those in charge Of the up
keep and protection of the Districts
parks are becoming just little tired
of the mischief caused by this habttue
of the Garfield garden spot.
Besides getting in the way OF those
who play ball and running off with the
ball when he catches it; deviling those
sitting quietly on the benches to play
with him when they don't want to, he
now has caused serious complications
in the plumbing of the wash room on
the grounds.
A staff of plumbers was called to the
grounds to repair a serious overflow
caused by the latest devilment OF this
popular member of "the gang" His
misdemeanor has in no way detracted
from his popularity with the rest OF
the fellows, but at present he is out
altogether with Caretaker Wllllam
Boyd.
I'm gettin' tired of it," Boyd growled.
About every three or four months he
goes and fills the works with stones and
causes trouble like this" indicating the
plumbers at their labor.
who did it? Why, Bob. He's been
hangin' around these grounds for about
IL years and I'm goin' to ask his folks
to keep him home"
No Chance to Keep Him Away.
Caretaker Boyd knows there is as
little chance of keeping Bob OF the
grounds as there is in stopping the
trees from budding. Bob may be q
nuisance-he may forget he has stone
in his mouth when he's thirsty and
runs to the wash room to get drink
He may drop a stone day by day into
the waterworks of the Garfield Play
ground lavatory system and cause an
occasional overflow, but then without
Bob, big, shaggy coated old Bob, there'o
be no joy to the children who meet on
the grounds when school Is out.
Bob's falling from grace may be
attributed to his besetting weakness
stones. Throw Bob a stone and he'll
never miss it. And if he likes the stone
he's not apt to give it back. In fact
that's at the bottom of the lavatcry
overflow. Bob has forgotten several
times in the past that he was still
holding a stone in his mouth. thirst
alone compelled him to drop it, and
then in the wrong place.
Bob's ability as a stonecatcher is indi-
Gated by his teeth. Once strong ano
white, they're mere little pegs from the
stones. When Bob can't get any one tc
notice him, hell amuse himself by pick
ing up stones and rolling them himself
from the top of hill and running tc
the bottom to catch them.
Gang Would Launch Revolt.
Yes, Bob may be a miscreant, but
there'd be an uprising of the Garfield
gang If he were refused admittance tc
the grounds. For IL years, the lovable
old dog, whose ancestors were probably
of collie and shepherd stock, has beer
the tireless playmate of the children Of
that neighborhood. During vacation
time he stays on the grounds from
until S, going home at noon for dinner
as regularly as his playmates.
On school days Bob is not apt Il
be seen until he hears the closing bel
at 3 O'Clock at the nearest school THAI
is his signal to meet the gang. The frs
! member to arrive is greeted by old Bob
wagging his tail waiting patiently fol
some one to throw him the stones which
have caused him to be listed as "unde.
srable" by the caretaker of the GARFIELD
Playground.