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and I'm coming home with a dog."
"Well, I suppose he can eat the
scraps," said his wife grudgingly.
The imminence of the event startled
almost terrified her, but her hus
band's eagerness quenched all
further objections on. her part. She
even began to picture their neat little
home with its new occupant.
"I hope he won't be a noisy, ill
tempered dog, Seth," she' said. "And
don't -get one that going to bark all
night, unless there's burglars round.
And mind he isn't a biting dog."
They discussed all manner of dogs
that night and finally settled upon, a
fox terrier as likely to give the most
satisfaction. When Seth had de
parted next morning Ada found, to
her astonishment, that she had be
come almost as eager as her husband.
She paced the floor nervously in the
intervals between her duties, and
once she caught herself in the act of
Dolishing the chairs, as though some
human visitor were expected. "I
wonder what sort of dog Seth will
bring back with him," she mused.
And when at length Seth stood at
the. door, dejected and dogless, a
great discontent settled upon her.
"Couldn't you find a single dog
that would suit, Seth?" she snapped
out.
"Couldn't get near 'em," her hus
band answered apologetically. "I
found the society all right, but the
woman secretary wouldn't let me in.
No, not even finish what I had begun
to say. I hadn't got the word 'adopt'
out of my mouth before she asked me
if Lwere married. 'Married 30 years,'
I answered, 30 years, ma'am, and to
the best woman ' 'Then bring
your wife along,' she said. We
don't have dealings with men.' "
"Y5u mean to say they take all
that trouble about a dog?" inquired
his wife. "You'd think it might be
babies they were giving away instead
of dogs. I reckon," she added
thoughtfully, "she must be one of
those suffragettes."
"Well, I suppose we'll Just have to '
give up thinking about a dog," an--swered
; - husband gloomily.
"Now, isn't that just like you
Seth!" replied his wife. "The mix
ment a trifle happens to upset your
plans you want to give up. You
promised me a dog and a dog I'm
going to have." 1
Seth looked at his variable wife in
amazement "But I thought you1
didn't like the idea of getting a dog,
Ada," he said.
"I did and I didn't. When you first
spoke about getting a dog naturally I
was scared a little. But I've been
thinking it over since and 0, Seth,
I want a dog as much as you and
more," she sobbed.
Her husband drew her to him ten
derly. Her old gray head rested upon
his shoulder. He knew it was the in
stinct of motherhood within her that
had provoked her grief. At last she
dabbed her handkerchief to her eyes
and smiled at1 him.
"Ada, "my dear, you're going to
have ybyr dog, and the finest in the
land,"-he-said, "even if it takes the
last penny of our savings."
"But It's not going to cost a penny,
Seth," she answered. "Because I'm
going into" town tomorrow and and
I'm going to bring back our (Jog."
Seth Earl put his wife aboard the
train next morning. He was to do
the housework that day, while she
was gone upon their errand. And as
the hours rolled-by hie, too, was over
taken by the same impatience that
had overcome his wife on the pre
ceding day, and he, too, found him
self dusting the furniture and",
straightening the chairs as though a
human occupant were expected. And
when at last he heard a tinkle at Jhe
bell he could hardly open the door, he
felt so shaken.
Ada stood at the door, a basket in
her arms, and her eyes were bright
with happiness, and the look on her
face was almost like that she had
worn on their wedding day. She en
tered and set the basket down.
"Let me see him," cried Seth, as