THE DOG ON THE ROOF.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9738, 28 May 1897, Page 6

THE DOG ON THE ROOF.

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"Jes, I stole the dog. Maybe it's the only thing I ever stole, and maybe it __ t. That's nothing to you, is it ? You asked mc for the story, and I will tell it to you. I don't suppose you're a headquarters detective. I know you are not. Why? Perhaps I know them all. Perhaps it comes handy in my craft to know them. That's nothing to you, is it V " You asked mc for the story, and I'll tell it to you, if you'll print his name right, and say that he was square. Never mind mc ; it's him Tm thinking of—always thinking of. Whether I've got all I wont to eat or not, or whether Fv_ a place to sleep or not, it isn't myself I'm thinking of—it's him. He was dead square. He • was educated, too, and had the brains to turn a trick that would make the town talk about him for a month, but he wouldn't do it. He was just square all the way through; but he was my friend. " Well, you saw the dog on the roof, you say. You know he was well bred, eh? You know a thing about dogs, then. He took first prise in his class up at Madisonsquare Garden. That's right. He sold for a thousand the next day—and I stole him. "My friend's name was Marty —Martin Borden. We went to school together on Broome street. Yes, they call that part of town Poverty Hollow, and that's right too, I guess. He went longer than mc ;he was educated. He went up to fractions, but I left when my mother died and my father was sent away. I guess I was about eight, something like eight, but I'm not quite sure. They've got it at headquarters with my picture. Yon can look there, if you like. " Marty's father earned good wages in a foundry down Corlears Hook way, and Marty was kept in school until he was ten, I think.

" Well, when Marty's dad died, Marty got a job down in the foundry doing little jobs a kid could do. "One day—he'd been there a few years while I was up the river—an iron beam fell on him and did something queer to his back. No, I don't know what it was. The doctors at Bellevue had a lot of long names for it, but they didn't do Marty's back any good. lam calling on him every day and fetching him things what I could until they said Marty should go to the island. ". That near broke his heart,' 'cause he knew it meant he was never to be cured, and was to live over there in the hospital all his life. I saw him crying one day when X —r__r. t_> _£_U_-v _c. and __ _,___ s_t Tne _c___r_ " Well. I went; t>o the boss and naked -why

had Marty to go to the island, and he says because he had no home to go to. That set mc thinking. I got something that day— never mind how—and-1 rented a room and went to the boss and-said I'd take Marty home with mc. I showed him the room rent receipt, a_tct srso-w-_>_. -_xi__ __l_ money to hire a- c_.r____s— to take Marty l_.o_x__ **-<->» —■—.<—

It was a little room, just under the roof, with a step-ladder running up to a glass skylight, which had a sliding window. "I was on Fifth avenjie one. day, away up by the Park, kind .of Mir-g. around to see if anything would come my way, -when a young swell comes along with a bull terrier. The dog was a beauty. I saw the swell hadn't owned him long, for the dog wasn't friendly with him. I don't know just how it was, but all' of a sudden it strikes mc what good company the dog would be for Marly, .and I. sneaks up, and grabs it. I made the chase all; right, for'l don't think the swell missed the dog until I was out of sight. "Of course, dogs are better than most men, but Marty was as good.as a dog, and those two took to each other from the time they looked straight into each other's eyes. Honest, it is a wonder the way'they were chums from the word go. I told Marty Fd found the dog, and would look out for an advertisement for it, and return it. Well, the advertisement came all right, and there were pieces in the paper about the prize winner the swell had paid a thousand for being lost. The reward kept jumping every day until it wa3 §230 and no questions.' "The day that happened I only had enough food for Marty and the dog, and I made up my mind I'd return the dog and get a lot of nice things for Marty. '' I'll tell you why I didn't. When I went to our room*- thought first Marty had gone dotty, for he wis langhing like nothing was the matter w"tl*>his back, and there was no pains in his head. "Comfort—that was the name Marty give the dog, for Marty was educated and knew a lot of words—Comfort was on the bed doing all the tricks yon ever heard of. Marty told mc Comfort could climb the ladder, push back the window, and go on the roof. Honest, while Marty was telling this the dog was looking at him with his head On one side, and his eyes cocked up knowing, and when Marty stopped, the dog ran up the ladder and was doing all his stunts on the skylight. Every once in a while Comfort would stop his tricks and stand with his forefeet on the edge of the skylight, grinning, and his ears cocked like he was saying, 'How do you like that Marty ? *

"Then he'd dance all over the tin roof and make a noise like it was raining. When it was terrible hot up there Marty would say, 'let's have a rain,storm, Comfort,' and the dog would go up to the roof and patter around with his claws on the tin till Marty would call him down.

"Sol didn't take the dog back for the reward.

"That was the way it was till Marty— till the end.

" When I could get the money I'd have a paid doctor, but Marty said not to. He knew it was coming, but he never showed he was getting punishment. Comfort seemed to know, too, and I guess he stopped sleeping at all; for if Marty would make a move at night that wouldn't frighten a fly, Comfort would be at bis side as quick as mc; kind of kissing his hand and making little talks to him, you know, the way dogs do. 4 c Well, Marty quit one night; one hand in mine and one on Comfort's neck. The waggon came for him—l hadn't any money that time for a hearse—and when the men took him out of the room Comfort went up on the roof. I was standing on the sidewalk while . they were putting Marty in the waggon, when some people said ' look at the dog 1' " Comfort, was on the edge of the roof looking down, and as the men shut the door of the waggon on Marty the dog jumped. I broke my ann here, trying to catch him, but be struck the sidewalk. He licked my hand when I picked him up, and tried to tell roe he did it on purpose to die—and then he died. . . -..

" The officer who came up for the crowd recognued the dog, and I'll get six months to-day for stealing him. Well, I did steal him, and I'll aaj so how ; for Marty's gone —and he never knew."— From The San.