Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

recosnized was the yellow bodied blue-roofed
wagon that belonged to the man. with the
golden earrings whom he accepted as master
That the same man had stolen him when
tiny puppy from a famous st. Bernard kennel
meant nothing to Bern. The tricks that were
painstakingly taught by the man meant
nothing.
What he did know was that the mans name
was Tia that his own name was Bern. DE
was years old and powerful before he ever
knew what it was to be soaped, bathed, comoeo,
and offered for sale.
"Thees genoone from HoSpice San Bernardo
Madame Been train carry the message, save
thee travelairs 1 show you" were words TO
which Bern had become accustomed. They
meant that he to go and pull his master
by the clothes when he threw himself down and
shut his eyes Finally, how he must seize the
fallen ones clothing, taking care not to eaten
the flesh with his teeth, and drag him away.
TIA had been gnarled and gray-headed
when Bern first remembered him; but he be-
came mere so as time went on and the derision
of his fellow nomadS for repeated failures 10
sen Bern began to take effect He stuooornly
became kinder to the dog and Bern responded
with an unreasoning affection. He could not
comprehend when, one propitious DAY an
old woman had offered considerable sum 1or
him, TIA had hesitated, almost accepted, then
wrung his twisted hands and said In broken
English, mo- Madame. I have reconsider
The baths and combings ceased. He was no
longer for sale
THE yellow caravan joined others and formed
part Of procession into far and unusual
land Bound for the Pacific Coast. The roads
were unusual hard and barren. The hills were
bleak They halted on the outskirts of town
where there were strange men who wore strange
clothing There was the smell of horses and
the believing of steers, scent Of newly cut lum-
Der.
rr,,o ,,,ro.;o. tLrova L5orce traders had done
well while the fortune tellers counted heaps
of coin At night the camp dogs joined dis
tant coyotes in baying the moon.
1t was on the third day that the tragedy took
place. The last day Of a rodeo.
There had been party OF strangers, even 10
this strange land; women with gay, soft rustlng
silks: men who wore hats and garb unlike those
about them From one of these women TIA
had Snatched one of those brilliant, glittering
things she carried so loosely in her hand. She
had screamed and a crowd had Swirled around
them.
Bern had run distractedly here and there,
shifting always for some guiding scent to lead
him to Tia
It was late at night when he came YEARLY
back to the camp. He sought the place where
Tiza's blankets had been spread, but he found
no master there.
Always the camp awoke at dawn, but he
found a new note in its voice on the next
morning There was something of unusual
slightest attention. He sat on the pile of de-
serted blankets and pondered, and listened, and
sensed anxiety All he could poignantly under
stand that something had happened to
TIA. Then there was exodus of the men
of the camp, all talking, gesticulating, intense,
and he followed.
There was a stone house in the middle OF
the square
To the stone house all those he had been
associated with those of the gypsy scent we're
r1ix ok1odh cfa 10 lied
close to their heels, &R)needed. No one OBJ
jected when, finding al open space, he threw
himself down, laid his great head on his paws
and slept. Now and then he was disturbed by
droning voices, which meant nothing.
Then through his slumbers invaded some
thing familiar, a voice that he knew, and he
lifted a momentarily bewildered ear listened,
became alert, and dashed out into an aisle
leading toward the front of the room
For a moment he paused, heard again that
voice and with bark ran toward the sound
A barrier, a ridiculous thing of turned posts
with rail on top and gate, stopped him.
He bounded over it.
THEN he saw TIA, and was caught in pair
- of skinny arms and gnarled hands. There
were grooming Sobbing sounds from the voice
that he had so long known. He Struggled up
against the wisp of man within the dock
frantically licked the ugly withered, wTinkled
face and then, not understanding at all that
roar of Order in the COURT but feeling the
strange resulting quietude, pulled away from
the arms that had become listless and hopeless
and, to see better, planted himself in front Of
the prisoner in the dock and with forepaws
resting upon the narrow support looked around.
He did not understand what was meant
when the judge said, "Bailiff, never mind that
dog The hearing will proceed"
Bern quoted down, was patted stretched
himself in the little rallied Enclosure Of Tiza's
feet and went to Sleep He was barely dis
turb- d when Tia stood up and was not in the
Ina.t auare What Il meant tn TIA and him