Leon’s Tale

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 256, 25 July 1936, Page 25

Leon’s Tale

I am Leon, a cocker spaniel, with long, floppy ears, and a silky, curly black coat, with a white tie, and shirt-front. I was called a beauty when I first ran round the kennel with my brother and sister pups, and I always tried to look intelligent, by putting my head on one. side and giving visitors my paw—that is, after I was sure they were welcome. Being born on a farm in the Wairarapa, I was often taken rabbiting and duck-shooting, and, being able to swim like a fish, the boys could all rely on me to bring out their shot, birds. I was the old man’s companion, aud when you would see him busy in the garden, I would be there, guarding his coat, or seeing him down among the bees. I'd be near. One day a ladv came from ' ■ tVaiKato, and made u great iu» >•. ’ie t had known little of ladies, for I was a man’s dog, but the lady lw ar >» to lake me to her home. I dreacteo going to au unknown home, but it seemed the lady assured the old man that I would be taken care of, so I was put on the train. To you. that sounds lovely, but to me, it meant a little hot affair, under the guard's van with a grating in the front, and being jolted and tossed about in the darkness, there being no windows to look out of to see where I was going. I was at last let out, but it was dark and cold. A porter put me in a goods shed and gave me some straw to lie on. and from the tearooms he brought me a meal of cuttings of crusts from sandwiches. So I stretched out and went to sleep. In the morning a man came and patted me. and said: ‘‘Ready for a mile run?" So lie took the chain, and I ran beside him until we came to the town, then I was taken to the house of the lady I had seen the farm, and put into ,a nice cosy kennel, and given a good brush down, and warm porridge, and dog biscuits to eat. Bur 1 felt very homesick, for I was a man's dog, and was not used to being tied up. Afterwards I found that the lady let me run loose, but never out of Ine garden. I liked her very much, so kind and thoughtful she was, and sometimes the man took me rabbiting. Every day we took our exercise, and she took me to the bakers shop, and gave the baker’s girl a Id. to give me a bun —that was fun. After a week she put the penny in my mouth and said: “Now Leon, get your own bun." So every day I got my bun with the penny myself, putting the penny on a stool an 1 taking the bun which had been pla”ed there. But one day, the shop-girl put two small buns on the stool, instead of _my usual big one? I was puzzled, but decided one must be for my lady owner. I ran round the back of the counter aud found a paper bag, tore it a bit with nose and paw, but at last got it open enough to place one bun in. and then take it out to the lady, who always waited outside for me. , , She took me back into the shop for the girl to explain, and found that as they had been out of penny buns the girl had given me two halfpenny ones instead. Now I have told my tale, but I must add that I grew to love that dear lady ir Waikato as much as I had once loved th old man in Wairarapa.—Original, b Dad's Cobber (9), Carterton.