The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-07-07

Woofus almost held ofiice. He bossed his master. He bossed Biil's wife. Gertrude. and their three year old son, Johnny. Woofus also had the run of the sheriff 's office. He was always welcome in the store of Doc Springs. the corr oner-undertaker The entire court house belonged to the small dog. He knew the faces and smell of every one in the place, including the dark odor of the janitor in the roomy basement and the pretty golden-haired stenographer in the county clerks office, the only girl in the building with the latest in Parisian perfume.
 Almost any time of the day one might find Woofus. curled up on the desk of his master on the sec- ond floor. Bill Spreckels had Il habit of talking aloud to Woofus when his wife, who acted as his secretary, was home preparing lunch for herself, Bill, Johnny and the maiden aunt who took care of the boy during business hours. They lived across the street from the courthouse.
 |. When Bill went into Judge Henry's courtroom to prosecute a case, it was not at all strange to find the little wl1ite-haired Woofas entering behind him. Woofus usually curled up behind the wit ness chair and no amount of shouting by the defense lawyers or his master disturbed him during the court session.
 This seems contrary to law, doesn't it, to allow a dog to sit in at a trial But all the town of Andiron knew Woofus. He was d pretty well-behaved dog; he never parked when the judge was de- livering his final instructions to the jury. He never bothered any one. That perhaps, accounted for the high position NVoofus held.
 Bill and Gertie were liked even better than Woofus. Bill had the remnants of a minor inferiority complex, which he had inherited from his college days in Indiana, before he and Gertie and Woofus moved into Andiron, and Bill be- gan the practice of law. Bill was elected to the office of prosecutor, mainly because Big Boss Pat Curly liked him.
 Bill was almost too honest to be a county politician; he believed justice should prevail, and in that, he had second and third in Gertie and Woofus. Of course. Woofus only tail-thumped for an answer, but that was a lot.
 Bill had bought Woofus as a pup and as present for Gertie. She loved the dog. Bill might just as we'll have brought brand of his pet cigars for Gertie as a wedding anniversary present for his wife; Woofus was devoted to Bill, liked Gertie and adored little Johnny.
 Last December, Bill came home one night and instead of turning on the radio and grabbing his favorite magazine and chatting on the side with Gertie over their days business, petty trials, in- formations, and such business of the morrow, he said nothing. Gertie sensed that something was wrong.
 FED WYNN'S ON
 TONIGHT, HONEY"
 Ed Wynn's on tonight, honey. w dnI IuS tO tuuC uAlIL HI SAS asked casually.
 "No;" snapped Bill and Gertie jumped. She watched him as he stared at the floor moodily. She wasn't startled when he announced abruptly that he was going to bed. You see, by this time she knew Bill pretty well.
 But it wasn't like Bill to%act like that. It was unfair. It wasn't like the honest man and later, the honest prosecutor, she married. Something was surely wron g. Quietly Gertie went to bed. Bill was tossing from side to side. Ger tie reached over in the darkness and touched Bills arm. She felt the strong muscles ripple with ten sion. It gave her a feeling of con- fidence, of strength. Bin was strong. mentally strong.
 Bill, dear" she whispered, her voice subdued in the darkness, please tell me what's the matter. Perhaps can help"