The Story Hour: A Book for the Home and the KindergartenWiggin, Kate Douglas Smith
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The Story Hour: A Book for the Home and the Kindergarten
Wiggin, Kate Douglas Smith
Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Short stories
“Yes, indeed,” answered the little girl, whose name was Lola. “I ran
behind the cart all the way to the pound. I cried after Bruno, and Bruno
whined for me, and poked his nose between the bars and tried to jump
out, but he couldn't. It's a pretty long way there, and the man is as
cross as two sticks.”
But they started off, and on and on they walked together, Dicky having
tight hold of Lola's hand, while she told him about the wonderful things
Bruno could do; how he could go up and down a ladder, play the fife
and beat the drum, make believe go to sleep, and dance a jig. It was by
these tricks of his that Lola earned money for her uncle, with whom she
lived; for her father and mother were both dead, and there was no one in
the whole world who loved the little girl. The dear mother had died in a
beautiful mountain country far across the ocean, and Lola and Bruno
had been sent in a ship over to America. Now this dear, pretty mamma of
Lola's used to sing to her when she rocked her to sleep, and as she grew
from a baby to a tiny girl she learned the little songs to sing to Bruno
when he was a little puppy. Would you like to hear one of them? She used
to sing it on the street corners, and at the end of the last verse that
knowing, cunning, darling Bruno would yawn as if he could not keep awake
another minute, tuck his silky head between his two fore paws, shut his
bright eyes, give a tired little sigh, and stay fast asleep until Lola
waked him. This is the song:&&
Wake, lit-tle Bru-no! Wake, lit-tle Bru-no,
Wake, lit-tle Bru-no quick-ly!
When the two children came to the pound and saw the little house at the
gate where the pound-man lived, Dicky was rather frightened and hardly
dared walk up the steps; but after a moment he thought to himself, “I
won't be a coward; I haven't done anything wrong.” So he gave the door
a rousing knock, for an eight-year-old boy, and brought the man out at
once.
“What do you want?” said he, in a gruff voice, for he did seem rather
cross.
“Please, sir, I want Lola's little brown dog. He's all the dog she has,
and she earns money with him. He does funny tricks for ten cents.”
“How do you think I know whether I've got a brown dog in there or not?”
growled he. “You'd better run home to your mothers, both of you.”
At this Lola began to cry again, and Dicky said quickly:&&
“Oh, you 'd know him soon as anything,--he has such a cunning curly tail
and long silky ears. His name is Bruno.”
“Well,” snapped the man, “where's your money? Hurry up! I want my
breakfast.”
“Money!” cried Dicky, looking at Lola.
“Money!” whispered little Lola, looking back at Dicky.
“Yes,” said he, “of course! Give me a dollar and I will give you the
dog.”
“But,” answered Lola, “I haven't a bit of money; I never have any.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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