Show bobs was a good beggar by CLARISSA MACKIE copyright outside OUTSIDE the hardware store on N P gay street was a low stand plied with kitchenware A few mischievous boys played around trying to make friends with a huge mastiff which sat patiently on the sidewalk waiting for some one within the store etore you dont darel challenged one boy to another jimmy smith elevated a freckled nose and manu evered tits his way to the display stand in a moment he had a shining tin pall and was offering the handle to bobs the dog that was how low it happened that people smiled as they saw the big dog sitting patiently tient ly holding the pall in his mouth around the corner peered tour four freckled faces eyes ashine with delight an old lady walking slowly along dropped a dime in tile the pall and went on bohs bobs moved an appreciative tall A young man absorbed in his newspaper saw the outline of tit the e supply cants figure dropped another lime clime 1 in the pall and to this day believes that lie he contributed to the vel welfare fare of a hunchbacked blind man mail then at last came jerry lamson he was late in getting to his office and had not a moment to spare but when he say sav the shining pall nud and the groat golden eyes of bobs he be paused long enough to pat bobs on his splendid head and flick a dollar bill into the pall pail this was too much for the watching boys and they made a dash for the pall jerry suspicious wat watched ched them and smiled bobs growled deep in his chest and showed his langs fangs he had something to guard its darned queer thought jerry lamson and hurried as lie he went blick back to the hardware store and entered the proprietor was in n the dw tant background talking to a customer Is that your dog out there asked jerry the one holding a pall tor for pennies A pall for pennies asked a new voice and tile the customer turned around jerry watched as she came down the store walking with the free stride of an outdoors girl her fair hair bair shone under a bright little felt hat her face was charming her clothes expensively y simple F from rom one gloved hand dangled a leash 1 I left my dog outside she said going to the door poor old boy murmured the girl some one played a cruel joke on us they ill take the pall bobs and we will give the money to the blind roan man on the next block she emptied the money into her hand band and replaced the pall pail jerry bared his head there anything amusing about it he said a little stiffly he smiled down at bobs and bobs thrust a friendly muzzle int into his hand jerry replaced his bis hat and went on jean manners watched him blin out of sight he splendid she thought find and blushed in the thinking bobs liked him and his judgment of men Is infallible not long afterwards jean and jerry met in a conventional manner at an evening party and mutual attraction led to a rapid wooing on the part of jerry a very successful lawyer and athin tour four months the engagement was announced by this time bobs and jerry were devoted friends then when a lovers quarrel came and stayed black stid BC nien menacing acing so that thai tile tv two strong rin natures tures clashed and parted then bobs was lonesome and depressed the young couple were aching to make up again but the same lofty pride ComIna dominated ted each of them they oth both resolved to forget bobs forget and one morning he be ran away from home straight down the shady street turning into center street down center to main alain trotting along sure of his destination when he reached the hardware store he paused and looked up at mr peet feet standing in the doorway lullo bobs he said bobs barked a response and looked at the display table and wagged his tall mr air peet lau laughed bed want something to carry eh he asked reaching back le e picked up a little broken basket and offered it to the open mouth clamp went the ble big jaws and there was bobs the mendicant once more mr peet dropped a bright penny in the basket and bobs dalhed olt off down tile the street the little basket dangling froni from tits his mouth two blocks down find up a to tile the first floor the door was opened and the ollice office boy laughed when hobs bolis cleared tile railing and went straight toward jerry lammons Lam sons s door private vate nothing was private to rob bobs AN otlien ben lie he was after one he adored lie ile pushed open the dour door and walked in sitting down beside jerrys chair and looking up aith ft ith sub slid appeal in tit eyes that jerry dropped lots ills own sad face down on lie missive massive head alii t did you come alone holis bobs lie he asked e v nas as the smell of rl fielli asb s and there was jean a little breath less wistful I 1 forgive me dearest they chey sat aim in unison and bobs bel beamed tined ills approval |