| Show MIRZA IS FAITHFUL ASSISTANT OF HOBOKEN MERCHANT basket containing wares fasted around neck canine taught to sit for hours holding pipe in mouth new york over on river street hoboken close by the ornamental gateway that marks the entrance to the hamburg american there sits all day long an old man who eke out a living by the sale ot pen dis he has or an assistant a yel low dog of many breeds who Is as fat and comfortable looking as his master to judge by their appear ance there are few trades in the world so conducive to comfort that of selling lead pencils on a sunny street with the world ot commerce flowing by one all day long the old man has been selling pen ells in the same spot tor the last six years and in that time he has had two dogs as assistants the old one which died more than a year ago never was much of a help all he could do was to sit up with a little basket tied around his neck and blink in an unconcerned way at persona who stopped to buy the wares his master had to sell he gasn wasn t so ceable and he dian didn t have the true commercial instinct in act he never took the slightest interest in building up trade nor could he be taught to do any tricks to stimulate business but when he died and three little girls who live in west hoboken presented the old sidewalk merchant with the present animal then there was a doggie of parts even if she was only three months old when the ped dier set her up as his assistant and sign board that mirza Is not a dog of high de gree Is apparent at a glance she has the yellow coat ot a mongrel and a mixture of breeds Is to be noti d in her head and face that suggest a ox terrier for wisdom and a more pahleg matic sort of dog from her placidity it dogs had any say as to just what they should work at they probably would like to have a job e mirza s for she has a box all to 1 ersela set up alongside of her master s with a little pen on top ot it that keeps all the draughts off her legs more than this she wears a fine coat ol 01 dark green cloth all braided round and a separate garment for her legs that suggests the sort of trousers balzac used to haye made with feet in them to keep his eitrem M arza the dog merchant of hoboken atles as warm as possible when he was writing one naturally thinks of french things when writing about mirza for her master is an old frenchman whose name noel is french for christmas one might think it displayed no par nicular intelligence on the part 0 mirza to sit up in a little tray and wait all day long for her master to close up shop and go home to a warm fire but that is not the end of mirza s accomplishments around her neck is a little basket in the hot torn of which are a halt dozen pennies as a suggestion tor generous folk to add to their number it you drop a coin in the basket mirza Is all at at the click ot the coin and she will draw one of her forefeet out of her trousers and extend it to you in greeting and thanks all her sleepiness is gone at this mark pre clation ot her being at business and she Is one of the most wide awake dogs in hudson county the mo ment she realizes there Is a penn bing added to the store in her basket so many dogs hold baskets that this would be a too common accod ment to attract attention to the business of selling pencils and so master isoel has taught mirza to sit tor hours holding a great briar pipe in her mouth of course mirza never smokes she is too much of a lady for that but anat mirza is an old hand at keeping the pipe in her mouth is evident by the careless way she permits it to hang down by her jowl besides acting as a living signboard aliza Is the best of watchdogs in spite of the fact that she Is only 16 months old and has been working for 13 months her master can and does leave her ln charge of the stand while he goes away for a little while and he knows she never will stir from her box until he returns master noel never has any labor brou trou bles with bis assistant tor she never has gone on strike nor has she ever asked for more she just attends to business shaking paws with the generous handed i ass arsby amok ing her pipe the while and giving a ane lesson to those who read as they run of a peaceful philosophical life |
