Clarence Hawkes

“ Far down the track—at least a mile away—was the bright headlight of the Red Dragon, steadily growing bigger and brighter.
"The hateful thing!" said Dan with a snarl. "I would like to bite it."
"You hadn't better," said Ned. "A dog was killed not far from here last week because he was on the track."
"It wasn't the Red Dragon that killed him," said Dan. "He is a coward; for when I growl he always goes by faster."
"We had better be getting off the track," said Frisky.
And all of the dogs but Dan went and stood under a tree to watch the Red Dragon go by. ”

“ Besides, here you are safe, and in the woods there are all sorts of dangers."
"I know it," said Gray-brush; "but it is not something to eat that I care for; the woods are my home, there I can run and be wild and free; but here I can only mope, and break my heart at last, for no one of my people was ever kept in a cage but he died of homesickness at the end."
"That is very queer," said Frisky; "I should think that you would like to have a kind master like ours, one who would feed you and keep your cage clean and nice." ”

“ I got some warm water and a sponge, and washed the blood from Frisky's eyes and nose that he might see and breathe better; but he could only gasp and sob like a sick child. You may think it queer that a dog should sob, but they do when in great pain. ”

“ I knocked off one of the boards of the box, and forth came Old Speck, clucking and bristling, closely followed by the black chicken. About the lawn they went, "Cluck, cluck, cluck; peep, peep, peep." I never have seen a chicken before or since that could peep like this little black bunch of feathers. His note was as loud and as clear as a canary's, and as persistent as it was delightful. "Spring, spring, spring," he seemed to be saying; "Spring, spring, spring," from morning until night.
"What, have you got chickens?" asked a neighbor. "Yes, one," I said. ”

“ When he had been lying in his nest a few minutes, Dandy, our white cat, who thought everything of the dog, sprang down from the hay, and came and rubbed against him.
"I am sorry you got a licking," he said. "What makes you be a naughty dog and have to be punished?"
"I wasn't very bad," said Frisky; "a dog has to have some fun once in a while. But I have got a great secret to tell you."
"What is it?" asked Dandy, with interest.
"I went with master to-night to the city to a place where a wicked man has got a terrible growl-box." ”

“ But, like the rest of the squirrel family, he believed in making the best of what he had; and so he would jump upon the wheel and make it spin around until all you could see was a dim and indistinct circle. When he got tired of scampering away so fast, and never getting anywhere, he would spring from the wheel, and stand on the bottom of his cage twitching his tail over his back and looking at us with his bright eyes. Sometimes when he got very lonely and longed for the woods, oh, so much! ”

“ Dogs have almost as many kinds of out-door games as children, and it is very interesting to watch them at these sports. Spot was too old and stiff to take an active part in any of the running and jumping games, but he always attended, and sometimes acted as referee; but he liked best to be a spectator, that he might cheer for his friend, Master Frisky, when he was lucky enough to beat. When Frisky won the high jump over the front gate, Spot's joy knew no bounds; and he tore about like a wild dog, barking in his hoarse voice. ”

“ I made them a dove-cote with a chimney and a real door; and they took possession, and were as proud and happy a dove family as I ever saw. We named the new comer Dodo, and for Bennie's sake, as well as her own, were very good to her.
Each morning they would fly upon the carriage-house to sun; and then Bennie would exhibit his plumage, and tell Dodo all of his thoughts. First he would spread his splendid tail to its greatest width, and march up and down, his breast flashing in the sunlight, and looking very proud. Then he would spread his wings and do the same thing ”

“ Bennie coaxed and coaxed, and would fly across to the limb of a tree a few feet away to show how easy it was, until at last one of them spread his wings and flopped across. But he flew too low; and instead of lighting upon the limb, he flopped and fluttered to the ground. As he did so a white figure shot out from the shed. "Dandy," I cried, "let the dove alone," and he went back. As soon as the doves learned to fly they thought it great sport, and would go about from shed to post, but always returned to the dove-cote. ”

“ Sir Cock-a-doodle is probably standing on the barnyard fence, proud and erect, perfect in form and plumage, sounding his note of defiance to the neighboring cocks, while the hens walk admiringly up and down, saying to one another, "Isn't he magnificent?" ”

“ At first he thought it must be a bear; although, as he had never heard one except in his dreams, of course he was not sure, but when he got fairly waked up, he discovered that it came from old Fan's stall.
"What is the matter?" he asked.
"Oh, I am cast, and the halter is choking me to death," groaned Fan. "Call master, that's a good dog, quick." ”

“ Two Dogs Go Frogging, but Do Something Better. One bright May morning, about the middle of the month, when the air was fragrant with the scent of the swamp-pink, and a few early buttercups fringed the roadway, Old Spot and Master Frisky started for the swamp for frogs, and who should they meet upon the way but Dolly and Dot. ”

“ Whenever there is anything strange that the other dogs do not understand, they bring it to Master Frisky; and he can usually explain it, although his explanations are not always like those his master would give.
He is my friend and constant companion, following me about like a shadow, and many pleasant walks we have together.
Even now as I write, he is lying upon the floor beside me, with his paw confidentially across my foot. And occasionally he will lick my boot to express the love in his warm dog heart. ”

“ So cold it was, and so wintry, that you may imagine my astonishment, on going to the barn one morning, to find Old Speck setting.
"Why, you foolish old hen," I said, "you don't want any chickens this time of the year; they would all freeze to death." ”

“ When a dog stands still, and holds up one paw, he says, "It is very interesting; I wonder what it can be." When he puts his tail between his legs, he says, "I am awfully afraid;" and if he is a timid dog, you will see him run.
When one dog starts out to call on another, and does not find him at home, he leaves a stick near his kennel; that means, "I called on you to-day, but you were not at home." If he leaves two sticks, it means, "Come and see me to-morrow." If the dog cannot find a stick, he makes a great many tracks in the dirt that mean the same thing. ”

“ It was stern Thomas, the family cat; but Tony did not know. He thought that it would be nice to make friends with the stranger, and so he tried to get up; but his legs were very wabbly, and as soon as he raised his nose, stern Thomas gave him a terrible box on the ear, and poor Tony thought that he was killed. So he lay very still; and after that whenever he saw Thomas looking into the basket he got as far away as possible, and he most certainly did not poke his nose up at him. ”

“ Dandy looked very much astonished. "And what was the man doing?" he asked.
"He was kicking at the dogs, and pulling the cats' tails; and all these folks were there hearing them growl and meow, and thinking it was funny."
"How dreadful!" said Dandy. "I do not believe our master knew what the man was doing, or he would have stopped him."
"Perhaps he didn't," said Frisky; "but I am sure that was what it was."
"Can't we do something to help them?" asked Dandy.
"That's what I have been thinking," said Frisky ”

“ Frisky would reply; "it is because our master is always scraping and brushing you. If I was a horse I wouldn't always be hitched up by the head, and have to stand one way."
"That is better than running away as you do," old Fan would retort.
When Master Frisky felt mischievously inclined, he would circle about Fan, teasing and barking in a manner that greatly irritated and disturbed her. During one of these pranks she brought her hoof squarely down upon his paw. ”

“ It was that marvelous picture of the sleeping shepherds of Bethany. There was the bright ladder of light upon which angels were descending to earth, and the child in the manger, and over its strange crib the wonderful star. ”