THE TALE Of A DOG.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2004, 11 March 1914, Page 8

THE TALE Of A DOG.

MICHAEL'S MEANDERINGS.

rAITHFUL, IET FAITHLESS,

Pr Mr*a Mam,) Dennis could not Jrave toliii yqtt when ho first bGi;ame acijaaiated with Jlidmcl. It was ce-rtanily Hot by ineaUs of a letter of introduction: for Michael was a dog. Tho earliest recofioction that Dcimis could bring to fljiud was tho stainUitig over a dreaming doggy form duo afternoon as ho Wfls toiling'«.p tho to his offices in li'ejitlierston -Street. Tiro kick but dimly cfc.t«i'betl the «k)g's dreams, but Senilis in the gwatn.es-3 of his liindnes-s for aniuial-s dttmb esteiidt'll his apolpg.ius by many pats on a-rßufrli-hairecJ'raat anil head. Sucli unwonted rcc«3iiitJon following oiw of tlio many kicks'of 'a hard woi'Jd Wotiglit iho dog to attention; ho yawned, Winked vk Senilis, feuiul him with caiiiiie cutciiess sincere in his solaeings and ?olloivcd Jiiin J:i[>..tliß few remaining steps to his oflieo dboway. Anotber Miit on the head and the many-letterod glass iKHiels clanged to. It- was one of tlwsq trifling incidents ivliieii lead to many o.f the most enduring friendships «f this world, Dennis was deep in business cares a few days later when a psrsistont scratching a-iici low wliiiios at his office dear at last broke the thread «{ hk work. He "would investJg-dUi. At the door ho discovered a dog of Irish terrier type, slowly wagging a -stainpy tail as if doubtful of reception. For a -iiM-me-nt Bwmis's HioinoaV missed locating his ■sailer j bat with remembrance ho jMittod his. pleasure at renowing the acquaintanceship. _ Inside iho office the tes-rior walked-; sized up tlio sttrreuudings as safe and curled t<? sleep. Ho Was not a haudsomo dog, Etennis admitted bororo -retunniig to tho point of interruption, and would not, fill tho requirements of the- fancier: Jiis coat was light and mousy; I«ad flat a-iid wide and other detractions; but a kindly ■k-eeiujess of cso made up -for. the 4off6tioMs of type. As with all his faiife ll« Was- of imdoAte-tl Irish ahcostry Dennis mentally named him Michael.' i<? the iirst fialling of fba name Jlfehael lolled a drowsy head. Callers, office bey's diseipThiings, and cen-espuadimwj. dictation bletted out thoviglits of Michael for a eouplo e| tan's, ami when at last Dennis glmicod nwiiid for him ho. \vo.s not to bo seen, Ho had gone oat tuiudicrod. Miriiael returned to Featiierston Street fl-t- spasmodic intervals: some- ■ times ho would visit Dennis's office for two of throe days 1-uiHii.ng; at other times tie would bo nbseirt tV weeks. In antißipatioa of his calls Dennis kept a .few biscuits in stock. Having fed. Michael would Ite on ttno floor, nose on paws, and su.elj became tlio band of companionship that Dennis would confide to him his hopes and fears on thfi fluctuating phases of the nharo market. With the wistlom .of dogcloiij Michael would listen iai silence to the comments bet-ffeeu pipe-'puffs: why Ptfraimdals ]iad risen a point or two and tlwi reason far tho unexpected ilrop i.n SpliJnxes. Piwitk-fl that th) oonfidoßoe was awfc too Jong Jjicitaei tt'-cwd widwo. it witfe a werthy ividc-,aivakef«lnßs-s—if. however, Tiis previous ■ pe-refirinating period had had its patches of pM'i.l uni privation lie- wouli nodwearily, and finally roll ovo-r on Itis Side and into shimte, ' to tho d-»ws--IH.K eanim Dennis wrmld fio on to his fiei-sration Wliieh generally was.,:.."WJion ' r»Sp_tnnsps 1 ;^o., rt ip- l ,i>iI f ifi,iy, a -6i t i a . collar Michftcl, oid boy, , * With tjio dofllrig of the oism> eeotalrd tlie.donnilsfr.of the:strect fiaii Micjiael■" would bo alert, and ready to go/too trotting sedately alongside to Dannie's dufi. J<o nioJuesmcnt or term of ttocUv cJKlcarm.oat could persuade laiiii mside- the pen-tal. There must h«ve 6een some hlamess abm;tt tlio MUhvx whibh brofiftbt to tJie aniinal's wind rteolloetions of -a place wljieh, i n tho maze of memory, was a detestable prison.. to keop clear of whicli was ytohahh the primary proniptins to a vagrant e-;ist-aßoo. '

So.metiii.i-os jjilicfeel vvoiiid sill! l )o i oirtsido ] when Bcn ff k fflappsared after jliseussinfi Jus prcprainlial sheivv : .aFcr totters, and a chat \i-itl, crenv* eiijjj. ■ men. Poriiaps t ro t-a MientW on, the kngtJi < s f liflnian dalbmg. j- w Mieliad «-wJd,-liafl lie licen so gifted havo ppobahly tola »i that he Wac not tljoono to • leave, a elimn in tlio Jw-oli. Wcro tho rtey a diort- one Afil rfiacl wwiWqoioldy pfci up Demii s ,i. n .a: atter a'fev tratimjs ami for even thougJi, j iu oMsfcrhe 4ft Jtotj fesm it te.nea.th ]& ity io mw ,-\ KWaly show piajipyish ivoiild ' e.roH along to tl» waiti. HWo a 'pat' es the ted tos Jfidiael's fa«r and ho iTOild depart-irhittior De:nni S .«vm fatmv nWieiKt 1 W tltouchf «f -tbd s-agaiend's va R a.ries as ho dinedin l«s mitorban hosio. ' " ■ Mu] so tlacy. drifted on ikvowh tlio summer, Mehiiel a-lmasftecflmmg' «no of tho staff of that office Jphinxe.s, had nat permitted the purchase of that collar. O : no evoning, dantig the qiiictiwss tsf the stroll to the- tram, tfe boftof dissolution of tho companionship came. "Hi, Hi;, there!". Senilis could lieaj Soinowo. ealiJng, him. Me tamicd round to.face a pnaiing, red-wttskeftd jßan, what am you doing with .my dW" tlie iwrsiior jjajgriiy ask<?d. "What, Michael?" Deimis 'by new hardly rcgardert Slitsliarf as 9 d:og. "He's Mftt Hielwet" Wltewed tli.o elirmiaiitj" liis imme's Tef&hce.) and I've been lwkin% for months for hjin Coijvo hero!'" ' '

It iK-eded iwt a Swlomon to sgo tho truth of the cteitr,. Evidence sufficient li-as M»eliacr» frintiiig at the almost forgotten ijawe, ated.Ws cralicliiiig behind Dennis.

"And float' you go --stealing otherpeople's dogs," was growled at Itamis as Ms diifm was led away on * siring. . "Fvo.a niiijd to givo yon in charge F Enchained once \ruom, Jli'eliaol moped in captivity. Sadly lip. missed tho s-liaro market quotations, which, with tlio biscuits, had l)«ffli)ie tlip joy -of Kf© to him. Slnrt in' Ms tamel one moraiiig, Tio could hear bis owner's -v-ofco ht'ar bv. It was tiro doK-tax mail lie was talking to, and the .'latter Md ju.stUnen iivfotinert that there tttis -no need for a "Cave Can em'* sign in that jilnco wTien jrieliaol. gave a yolp of jii'-o'Msst. Ttfiit was tlio ©ikl of t&o claimant'* claim on Michael—lie- disowned iit-m Uiei'o and tlwn, liiid Sficlwd waS-ii-fed flpivay to the linmicipal tennols, For a few days li.o jm-nw] i : n tliat Hioias which so defelits tlio Oficuia.l Bay people, and t-he.ii tlip tffhor we.t-k----eitd Citv Instwr-ta- Boyle «<*! lihij for a "Isftb" to "ft Serawiuii TAWster, But perhaps even til-** entlaiidi-sli qwfc. may. tew conic vi'Vu Afiqjsnc/l's r-tttfic in Ins nfcmSsiio thvn. and !ie ntav pemo day foteji b> Wftllintftcm city. In tlio meantime a Feai-lioi'sta.i ovisirtess lnafl sadly misses a twsty ceuSifluntfe crety man at tiiws litos a resjicftt£ui listonei , to Iris voflcetioit&i