BLIND BEN’S DOG.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18229, 17 January 1931, Page 15 (Supplement)

BLIND BEN’S DOG.

f)LD BLIND BEN lived In the slum of London. He was a kind ol soul, and always helped other peopl when he could possibly dd so. Durin the daytime he went through th streets with his dog, whose name wa Blossom, and who guided his maste with great care. Blossom was an ol sheep-do'g ,and he knew every wor that Ben said to him. For years be fore my story begins Blossom ha been going through the streets wlti Old Ben, carrying his cap and collect • ing the pennies which kind peopl threw to them. One summer morning Ben set ou very early, and began to pace thstreets with slow, unsteady steps with the faithful Blossom . leading When they reached the corner when they always stopped Blossom barked and so Ben knew that they had com< to their usual stopping place, and j after seating himself on the pavement he began to put Blossom through those tricks which he himself had taught him. Blossom could do almosl anything, and went through his tricks time and time again for the pleasure of some little children or some interested grown-up person. Blossom loved children, and so .did Ben, and whenever they had the chance to help any child in distress they always did their bdst. It happened that on- this very day there was to be a big circus held in one of the smaller parts of London, and all the children were getting very excited about it. As Ben w'as putting Blossom through his tricks a tall gentleman with black hair and twinkling eyes stopped to watch him, and was so interested that he stayed for quite k long time. Then he went up to Ben and said—- “ How would you like to come to the circus and bring your dog, and let him go through his tricks in front of the people who will be there?” “/There is nothing I should enjoy more, if you will allow, me to do so, sir,” said Old Ben, rising to his feet and pulling his forelock with great respect. “Then you shall do so,” said the man. “But I think I had better tell you who I am first. My name is Tom Sanderson, and now I should like to know yours.” “My name is Ben Beaton, cofnmonly called ‘Old Ben, ” answered Ben. “Come along then, Ben, and I will Introduce you to some of my circus men before the show begins,” said Tom, taking Old Ben by the arm andhelping him along. Blossom followed them, and kept barking for joy, for he seemed to understand what had been said to his master, and to enjoy the idea of going in front of people, and acting before boys and girls. The queer trio soon arrived at the building in which the circus was to be held, and Tom led Ben through the doorway. Soon Ben heard voices, and knew that they were near the circus men’s quarters. Then they entered a large room, and Ben heard ♦,iTom Sanderson say—“l have found someone to All up the gap made by Sam, the clown.” “Have you really, Tom?” Ben heard another man say. "How splendid! And what fine dog the old man has got]” “Yes, Blossom Is a beauty, isn’t he?” said Old Ben. “And he is clever, too." “He is that," put In Tom, very eager to let them know that he had found a treasure to All the place of Old Sam, the clown, who had suddenly been taken 111. “Will you come this way, Ben? and I will And you something to eat and somewhere where you can have a rest before the performance begins," said Tom, taking Old Ben by the arm once more. Old Ben walked slowly beside Tom, and was soon settled in a little room at the back of the circus ring.- Here he had a good meal, and then lay back in a chair. He raised his • sightless eyes and smiled as if he haa seen something beautiful. Tom watched him olosely, and then his eyes wandered to Blossom, who was making a good meal provided by one of the circus hands. “Our Arst performance starts at 3 o’clock this afternoon,” said Tom, “and we have another one at 7 o’clock to-night. The performance this afternoon is for the children, and the evening performance is for the adults and for anyone else who likes to come.” “We love to perform in front of children, donlt we, Blossom?” said Old Ben. “And I know some jokes

s , which will be sure to make them d laugh.” e j When Blossom heard his name meng ! tioned he pricked up his ears and .e j wagged his tall; but when he saw he is j was not wanted he went on with his srj eating, and Tom and Old Ben sat d j talking about the circus lor some d j time. i- | Tom told Ben to try to rest for a d j little- while, and then he left him to h i get on with some work which had to - be finished before the afternoon pere formance began. Old Ben did not wake until the performance was about t I to start. a I He was then dressed in old Sam’s I clown clothes, and he looked splendid. . j Blossom was tied to a piece of red 3 j ribbon, which Ben held in his ,hand, , I and then they were both led into the j j ring. ,' “Allow me to introduce to you a , favourite among you all. This is Old i Ben, of the London slums, and this i is his dog Blossom, one of the most ; ( faithful creatures in the whole of i London,” said Tom, bringing the* two i forward together. Everyone clapped and cheered, for Ben was well known to many, as his 1 kind little deeds had won the hearts i I of both young and old, and they also . knew how very clever Blossom was, for many of them had seen him perform his tricks at street corners. Ben began to put Blossom through all his tricks. Blossom was especially quick that afternoon, and the children j cheered and laughed and shouted for more until Tom got quite excited, and a kind light twinkled in his eyes as he watched the dog obey his beloved master. When the tricks had been gone through so many times that Blossom was tired Old Ben began to crack jokes with the children, and they cheered and laughed at his clever jokes so much that Tom feared the whole of the circus performance would not be able to be gone through; but, anyway, the children enjoyed it, so what did it matter? After the afternoon performance was over Tom took Ben back into the little room at the back of the ring and gave him some tea. “You did very well indeed,” said Tom, grasping Old Ben's hand in his i own. “I think we-shall have to keep 1 you with us.” “I should love it very much,” said ] Old Ben. “I don't like wandering j about all day long; but I am afraid I : i should be a great burden to you.” 1 “I wish you would stay,” said Tom, ■ looking at Ben very'eagerly. i “I will, then," said Ben. “But be ' i sure to send me away if you And I am a nuisance to you.” i “I don’t think you will ever be in J the way here,” said Tom. “I am very j pleased you have decided to stay.” l At seven o’clock that evening Old Ben was again introduced, but this | time to a large crowd of enthusiastic 3 1 parents who had been told by their J I children to be sure not to miss going ( to see the wonderful dog and his master. Again Ben was a great sue- 2 cess, and the spectators cheered and a clapped until their throats and hands ' were sore. . Old Ben began to think i that, after all, his life would really be t worth living, for he had been made r very happy by Tom and his kind friends. s ★ * * * About three years later Tom returned t to town with his circus. He had be- “ come very well known during this ° period, and Old Ben was still with b him, but now he was not blind. During the time he had, been away Tom had seen a specialist about Ben’s eyes, and he had said that he could cure him if he would not mind going 0 through an operation, which he hoped v would be successful. Ben said he J would not mind anything if' only he y could see all the things about him v and the people who had been so kind to him. His eyes were now the same d as any other man’s, and. he was a very h happy old man. P He came back to London a famous n and popular man, and he visited all his T old haunts once more; and told the jj poor little children tales of his wan- rl derings. When he went away again sj everybne was very sorry to lose him, but they all wished him luck. rr Tom and his friends had grown to be very fond of the old man who had °' come to them in a time of need. Sam, si the clown, had recovered from his illness, and he and Ben became great , friends, and their turn in the circus performance was the most popular of all. Blossom was still with them, and was loved by all the circus hands.

ORANGE-SPOON. Have you ever tried this game with spoons and oranges? Each-player has a spoon and an orange, and a shallow bowl is placed at one end of the room. The players stand In a row, and at the word "Go” they make their way to the bowl, each rolling an orange over the floor with a spoon. The player to get his or her orange in the bowl first is the winner. A DISLOCATED JAW. A boy dislocated his jaw, and his mother took him to a doctor, who, after a good deal of truble, put it right. On being asked what.his fee was the doctor, not knowing exactly what to charge, looked up a medical treatise and read: “Dislocation of the jaw—one to three guineas.” Knowing that even the smaller of these charges was unlikely to be paid in this instance, the doctor asked: “Was the boy’s jaw ever dislocated before?” “Aye, wance,” answered the mother. “And what did the doctor charge you then?” “Wan an’ sixpence.” “Did you not consider that rather a remarkable charge for sucii an operation?” asked the doctor. “Aye, we did that," replied the woman; “but we just paid it without grumblin’.”