The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 14 October 1915, Page 61

The Family Circle

MY DOG.

Whenever I start to go to school Rags tags behind me, and 'tis cruel The way I have to shake my head And tell him, 'Now go home to bed!' As I look back, he's sitting there "* With such a sad and doleful air j His ears are downhis tail is, too— How can I leave a friend so true? When I return from school, why he Is happy as a dog can be ! He's standing —his eyes so bright Just twinkle as I come in sight. It's hard for Rags, 'cause don't you see, He don't love no one else but me; He only wags his tail to some— He wags his whole self when I come. A GRENADIER OF FRANCE. ' How warm you are, brother,' said a charming little 2H'incess to the companion of her lessons and her play. ' I know that you have been playing ninepins with the old grenadier.' ' You are right,' replied the boy. ' And I have won three games.' ' Oh, he gave them to you ! He would not beat you, he is so kind.' _' Yes, he is kind : but what I like best about him is his big moustache, and the three sabre slashes across his forehead. They are superb !' ' How nice it is to have him to play with, brother! Every day when he is oil' duty, it is delightful to be wheeled about the terrace as he does it, so gently and carefully.' ' Yes, that is all right, sister: but not half so fine as the carbine exercises we have togetherhe and I. And he talks to me and commands me as though I were a regular soldier. That is what I like' ' But he is very proud, brother. The other day I offered him a pretty little purse containing two pieces of gold. He would not take it. His voice even frightened me a little when he said, looking directly into my face: "No, no, Mademoiselle, 1 serve you for pleasure and the honor, not for pay." ' ' Oh, how I love him and all the grenadiers,' said the boy. ' Uncle said yesterday that a prince could have no better friends.' ' And don't you remember he said also : " They are faithful until death"? What did he mean?' ' That they would give their lives for us. And, sister, I believe it.' The conversation took place in the garden of a. country residence where the royal children were sojourning in the warm weather, far from the restraints of the French Court. Walking slowly towards the house, hand in hand, they continued their praises of the grenadier who was so kind to them and so careful of them. After they had gone the old man appeared from the open space where, on the lawn as smooth and green as velvet, he had been playing with the boy. He had been on sentry duty the night before, and had had no rest as yet; for he never failed to spend at least one hour of the morning with the young prince and princess. At 65 years of age, after half the night on duty, a man has some excuse for being fatigued. When the brother and sister had disappeared, the grenadier threw himself upon a bench beneath the shade of a large tree, thinking to smoke a pipe before turning in, the August heat was so oppressive. Very soon the cool shade lured him to drowsiness. Removing

his enormous hat, he laid it on the bench beside him, abandoning himself to the most profound sleep."' **■ When luncheon was over, the children hastened back to the.garden with a book, prepared to enjoy it under the group of lindens which always afforded a delicious shade. But in a moment they caught sight of their friend, the old grenadier, seated on a bench at the end of the avenue, and at once ran to join him. As soon as they saw that he had fallen asleep, they began to move on tip-toe, whispering softly. The rays of the afternoon sun were beginning to penetrate the light foliage, and stream on the head of the old man. ' See how he is perspiring!' muttered the boy. ' And his face is so red !' rejoined the girl. 'He ought not to be without his hat in this hot sun.' ' What if it should make him ill V ' Shall we wake him V ' Oh, no, we must not do that. He needs sleep. He was on duty half the night, walking up and down in front of our windows when we were fast "asleep. ' Let us pull down those branches, and try to twine them more closely, so that the sun cannot reach him.' 'We could not do that. Besides it might wake him.' ' What shall we do ? See the drops of perspiration running down his face !' ' Let us put his hat on his head.' ' Very well. Come gently behind the bench, and we will try.' Moving on tiptoe, the two children lifted the immense shako, stiff with gold embroidery and heavy with plumes, and with great- gentleness succeeded in placing it on the head of their" sleeping friend. For an instant he stirred uneasily—an instant of suspense for the anxious brother and sister, who stood clasping hands and regarding him. But presently he was once more fast asleep. They drew a breath of relief. The old grenadier could now enjoy his slumbers without danger of sunstroke. They stole away as quietly, as they had come, unconscious that they had been' observed by the corporal on duty, whose beat lay within sight of the long alley of lindens. When the grenadier awoke, bathed in perspiration, he found his hat on his head. ' Maraille !' he cried to the sentry. 'I thank you for putting my hat on, otherwise I might have had a stroke. Heavy as it is, the sun beating down on my uncovered head would have been far worse. I must have been asleep a long time.' ' You were,' said Maraille. ' But it was not I who saved you from sunstroke.' ■ ' Who was it, then ?' The little prince and princess.' That night, at mess, the corporal related all that had occurred ; the gentle solicitude of the children, their effectual efforts to save their friend from the heat of the sun, the silence with which they had vanished so as not to waken him. All the soldiers were charmed with the recital. ' I'll tell you ! lam thinking of something,' said tho old grenadier. ' Comrades, let us confer together.' One and all they agreed with his plan, and soon coins began to drop into the out-stretched hand of the old grenadier. Several days passed, and the word went forth that the service of the grenadiers at the palace had terminated for the present, and that another company would take their place. The exchange being always attended with some ceremony, the prince, already well informed and deeply interested in military discipline, was ordered by his mother, in the absence of his father, the King, to review the companies. At the appointed hour, the children assembled, with their mother, their governess, and the members of the household. The two companies of grenadiers marched and counter-marched before them— newly arrived saluting, and the departing members making their farewell bows. After all was over, the first took

their leave, trooping away to the sound lof martial music. The others lingered ; and the officer's, stepping aside, gave place to the men, the old grenadier at their head. On they came in single file and presented arms. The old soldier, carrying in his hand a small grenadier's hat, bowed low before the Queen, and in a few simple words related what the little prince and princess had done for him. The Queen heard the story with emotion. The children listened shyly, pleased and smiling as the old man continued:

' One who knows how to honor and to care for an old soldier, as my lord the prince has done, deserves to be a grenadier of France. The prince deigned to replace my shako on my bald crown; I, in my turn dare to offer him, in my own name and that of my comrades, the grenadier's hat, and, with the permission of your Majesty, to place it on his head.' ' Do so, my brave man,' replied the Queen, motioning to the boy. The old man drew his sword, which was a signal for his comrades to do likewise. They stood at attention, as one man, while the grenadier approached the young prince, standing now with flushed face and eager eyes beside his mother. Remember, observed the grenadier, august son of the French Army, that our hearts are united in their love of you. Never forget that our swords shall always be drawn to defend you.' Falling on one knee, he placed the little hat on the head of the prince, and touched the sabre to each shoulder of the royal child. When the grenadiers had departed, the Queen turned to the prince. 'My son,' she said, 'never forget that however exalted the destiny that may await you, whatever the titles, one of the most glorious, one of the most to be cherished is that of Grenadier of France.' EASIER TO SPELL. Young Arthur, the pride of the family, had been attending school for six weeks, and his devoted parent thought it was high time he should find out how things were running. So he asked one afternoon: ' And what did my little son learn about this morning V ' Oh, a mouse. Miss Wilcox told us all about mouses.' That's the boy. Now, how do you spell mouse?' It was then that Arthur gave promise of being an artful dodger. He paused meditatively for a moment, then said : ' Father, I guess I was wrong. It wasn't a mouse teacher was telling us about. It was a rat.' OUT OF LONG EXPERIENCE. ' Barristers should always be respectful to the Court and accept decisions with good humor,' says Dr. Blake Odgers, who illustrates the proper attitude of the profession in the Yorkshire Post. A young barrister who held different views from the Court remarked on one occasion that he was surprised to hear the judge make a certain statement, whereupon the leading counsel apologised for his junior on the grounds of his youth. 'When he is as old as I am, my lord,' he said, deferentially, ' he will never be surprised at anything your lordship says or does.' HIS WIT SAVED HIM. Henry Miller in the following story proves how wit can effectually save a man from humiliation. ' During the Civil War, at a camp in Ohio, a captain fresh from civil life and grand in a brand new uniform, happened to observe two men shooting at a target. ' "Here, boys," said he, "let me show you how to shoot."

_| Taking a gun in hand, he fired and missed.'" ' "That," said he to one the soldiers, "is the way you shoot." :'.■'■'■ ' : v- ; «"•.-••"'. ' f K^^ jHe fired a second shot and hit the bull's eye. Vl* ' "And that," said he, "is the way I shoot." ' V AN UNUSUAL TITLE. In the highlands of Scotland a chieftain is always addressed by the name of his estate. An amusing story in connection with this custom is told of Sir Frank Lockwood. On one occasion when Maclaine of Lochbuie and his wife arrived at a social gathering they were announced quite correctly by the butler as « Lochbuie and Mrs. Maclaine.' Sir Frank and Lady Lockwood happened to arrive at the same time, and Sir Frank, having overheard the other announcement, whispered hurriedly to the butler. The man hesitated, but apparently Lockwood convinced him, for when he flung open the door to admit the Lockwoods the butler announced, 'No. Forty-three, Portman. Square, and Lady Lockwood.' J BRAVE BERRY. Berry is the night watch-dog at the Electra Company's plant in Cleveland, Ohio. He succeeded the human watchman some time ago, when the latter proved unreliable and was discharged. Berry is a big, powerful animal, part Newfoundland and the rest St! Bernard. He is on the pay-roll of the company at 70 cents a week, the cost of his food. Berry was recently the hero of a night encounter ' with two desperate safe-robbers, who had gained entrance to the office by sawing the lock. When the door was burst open, the brave dog gave instant battle to the burglars, who, armed with pieces of lead pipe rained blow after blow upon him. With howls of mingled pain and determination, Berry fought the human thieves until they retreated into the darkness. In the desperate struggle, Berry had acquitted himself nobly, and though frightfully injured, upheld the reputation of his kind for fearlessness and reliability. In the morning, he was found lying beside the safe, whose contents of several hundred dollars had not been touched, but with only enough life to give a feeble wag of welcome to his superintendent. Berry was taken to a hospital, where for two weeks it was uncertain whether he would live or die. Ho finally recovered, and has now returned to work. HIS COMPLAINT. 'You say in your paper,' said the man who had asked to see the editor, ' that Mr. and Mrs. Henry Peck are enjoying a visit from Mrs. Peck's mother. 'lsn't that statement correct?' asked the editor. ' Oh, she's visiting us right enough,' admitted Mr. Peck, ' and I dare say my wife is enjoying it, but vou can leave me out of it. If you put any more sarcastic remarks like that in your paper, I'll stop my subscription., THE REAL THING. The furniture man drove up to the door, and the new extension dining-room table was carried in. Little Willie stood watching as his father and mother, one at each end, pulled the table apart. His eyes grew big at his father put one board after another in place until the table was double its original length. - 'Gee!' said Willie at last. 'I always thought * addition tables was only something in the arithmetic book.'