The daily worker. [volume], March 01, 1924, Magazine Supplement, Image 7

About The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
THE LITTLE GREY DOG.
By HERMINIA ZUR MUHLEN.
(Synopsis: Benjamin was a little
colored slave who had lost his
father and mother. It was in the
old days of negro slavery down
south so Benjamin had to work
hard all day in the fields under the
hot sun and he was continually
beaten by the overseer. One day
Benjamin was surprised when his
only friend, a little grey do£ whom
he had saved from drowning,
spoke like a human being and told
him to run away. They ran until
they came to a river, where an
alligator was just about to eat
Benjamin up. The dog then saved
the boy’s life and got the alli
gator to take them to an island
in the middle of the river, where
they would be safe from the serv
ants of the rich slave owner who
were after them.)
‘\ thank you, mighty animal;
» » but how can we reach the
island? The water is rough and
deep, and my little friend can’t
swim.”
“I will carry you over on my
back,” answered the aljigator.
Benjamin and the dog seated them
selves on the scaly back of the ani
mal, and it began to swim. What a
strange journey that was! The waves
played over the back of the alligator
and the dog was afraid that the al
ligator might change his mind and
eat both of them for breakfast. For
that reason he spoke continuously to
the alligator, flattered him, praised
his goodness and declared solemnly
j that the alligators are the noblest
| animals in the world. This trick did
| not fail in its purpose. When they
landed on the island, the alligator
j called twelve of the strongest alli
gators to him, instructing them that
they must not harm a hair on the
boy or the dog, that they were his
guests. He also commended them to
swim along the bank of the river
and stand guard, keeping the people
from coming to the island. This was
well done, for when the sun was high
in the heavens, five men appeared,
sent by the rich man to look for Ben
jamin. One pointed to the island,
started to go into the water, when
an ifimense alligator pushed his head
out of the water and the man crept
back. “He can’t be there,” said the
man to his companion. “The alli
gators here must have eaten him."
Benjamin and the dog rested all
day on the island. The little boy
ate the sweet berries that grew there,
drank from a well, and at evening
the alligator carried them back again
to the bank and bid them a friendly
farewell.
Today traveling was more difficult
than it had been yesterday, for Ben
jamin’s feet were blistered, he
groaned and complained at every
step. The dog comforted him, en
couraged him, let him ride on his
back a little while tho the boy was
too heavy and after a few minutes
the dog’s bones would crack and he
would have to lie down. Deep sor
row tormented the dog, surely the
servants of the rich man were some
where in the neighborhood, deter
mined not to return home without
the boy. And even if they were not
found, how far was it to the North?
How will we get there if Benjamin
is already too tired to go further?
Toward midnight they suddenly
saw a fire burning on a meadow. Peu
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pie must be there. The dog dragged
the boy into some thick bushes, told
him to keep still, crept softly toward
the fire. A pot hung over the fire,
and a blond man sat before it Close
by stood a wagon with large wheels,
to which a brown horse was har
nessed. The dog looked at the many
very searchingly. He looked differ
ent from the people at home, had a
very light skin, kind blue eyes; sure
ly he was a Northerner. But was he
a good man? Then the dog remem
bered that only very good people un
derstand the language of animals,
and the dog decided to tell him the
story of little Benjamin. ‘ Carefully
he came closer to the fire and said
softly, “Good evening, man. Are
you a Northerner?”
The man looked at him in surprise,
but, oh, joy, he had understood the
words and answered, “Good evening,
my friend. Yes, I am a Northenet.
Do you want to eat something? My
supper will soon be ready.”
“I am not hungry,” replied the
dog. “But I want some help.” And
then he told the story of little Ben
iamin.
The blond man became red with
anger and his eyes gleamed. This
made the dog happy. “He is really
a good man,” thought he, “for only
good people are angered by the suf
ferings of other people.” When he
was thru speaking, the man said,
“Bring your little friend here quick
ly. My horse has rested enough. We
will ride off immediately so that no
one can capture Benjamin.”
How happy the little grey dog was!
In spite of his weariness, he danced
with joy, wagging his tail, and start
ed toward the bushes where Ben
jamin was hidden. Then he saw
something terrible. A man came
over the meadow with a dog, which
ran straight towards the bushes. The
grey dog howled with fright. The
blond man looked up, jumped for
ward and called to the dog, “Keep
the man back just a moment, and
all will be well.” At that the dog
ran toward the man. The man had
reached the bush, with one bound
the dog leaped at his throat, bit it
hard, did not loosen his hold in spite
of cuts and blows.
In the meantime the Northerner
had taken little Benjamin in his
arms, ran hastily toward the wagon,
jumped in, and called to the dog,
“Follow us, we will wait for you in
a safe place.” Then he cracked his
whip, started on the road, the brown
horse galloped ahead, for it know ev
erything that was going on.
The grey dog still gripped the
man’s throat, thinking every moment
that if he could detain the man, it
would be an advantage to the good
man and the little boy, and would
save his friend. But the man, tired
o? wrestling, took a large knife from
his pocket and plunged it deep into
the breast of the faithful dog. The
dog whimpered piteously and fell
heavily to the ground. His clouded
eyes still saw, far off in the distance,
a tiny spot that kept growing small
er and smaller; that was the wagon
which was carrying little Benjamin
to freedom.
Great joy filled the dog’s heart.
He wagged his bushy tail once more.
Then he died.
The blond man and little Ben
jamen waited a long time in vain for
the grey dog. Benjamin wept bit
terly, and his new friend comforted
him: “The brave dog will come run-
wm — J~\
m I'iL " IJI find out
I What it W 4-5 if
=3 JBBBU I buy *very .
I & paper ia town 1 -
The Poor Fish Says: 1 see where
the Mayor of Chicago is making war
on scantily dad chorus girls. This
is going too far. The next thing
they’ll be doing is putting trousers on
Cupid.
ning back. All is well with him.”
But tho Benjamin was safe, he was
always sad when he thought of his
friend. But he did not know that
the little grey dog had died for him,
paying his debt of gratitude to Ben
jamin with his life.
(The End.)
Translated by Ida Dailes.
IMPEACH COOLI0GE!
THE TRUTH
ABOUT RUSSIA
Lecture by
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" I wonder ~
what it was?
I
Youth Views
By HARRY CANNES
Hungary Trains Boy Scouts.
Good boy scouts make good fasc
ist!. Hungary has learned that les
son, and that’s why in Hungary you
will find a highly developed boy scout
movement.
A traveler thru that country sends
the news that he saw some of the
best types of boy scouts in the land
of Horthy. Not content with having
washed their hands in the blood of
the Hungarian Communists, the
white guard, monarchist leaders in
that ill-fated land are training their
youngsters to be the murderers of
any future attempts on the part of
the workers.
Would you be surprised to learn
that the Hungarian boy scouts are
the image of their American broth
ers? Even their creed is formulated
on the same “principles.” Boy scouts
the world over are merely army kin
dergartens. In the lands of the open
reactionary anti-working class (fasc
| ist) rule, the boy scouts are kinder
gartens of murder and destruction.
There is no mathematical problem
| involved in the question: How far
is it from a boy scout to a white
guard? It’s a matter of command.
“Obedience,” the central theme of
the boy scout creed, covers a multi
tude of sins.
What is most heart-rending, tho,
is to see some good, honest trade
unionists encourage these organisa
tions. It’s like taking a lion’s cub
for a pet, thinking you were bringing
up an Angora cat.
Every worker who permits his kids
to Join the ho"y scouts can iriame him
self when this same kid jabs a bayo
net into the ribs ol some siruuufc mel
low worker, or burns down some
trade union hall.
Why a uniform on the boy scouts?
drill? Why unquestioning
obedience and blind patriotism to a
Daugherty Injunction government?
Why such liberal contributions from
the bosses to the boy scouts? Ask
yourself these questions, worker.
A LAUGH FOR THE CHILDREN
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