-}
Of
CHINA MAIL
FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT. APRIL
course, women are all right,
about the house, if you know what I mean. Em keen on the Missis as she is on me, and while she ran that joke of a dress shop I did my best for her. Sat at the door the whole blessed day, smiling at the
women
but they most of them said something idiotic about "Dear dog!" and walked on. I'd like to have had one bite for remem- brance! Missis had saved a bit and started the shop, but she had no head for business. It crashed.
So you see I was mighty glad when the man, Clifton came along, just as the Missis was getting desperate, and cleaned up the mess, and she told me they were going to be married soon!
Big, meaty chap, he was; not too keen on me nor I on him, but respectful. Though he did say a big Airedale wasn't the dog for the Missis to have around. And she flushed up and said she was no end fond of me.
*Any way I shall need Wam- pus for protection in the bunga- low till till you're there, for good."
That was the first Pd heard of the bungalow, but it was a good idea. Clifton was quick over any before business he was set on- you could so much as bark he had cleared the Missis out of the shop and down to a bungalow right on the shore Not too near other people, nor the town, but new and handy and all that.
I thought it was going to be a bit dull at first; but at the next bungalow, only two minutes across the sand, my luck was in with the most perfect specimen of a Peke you ever saw. From the first mo- mert Yipper bounced out at me, shrieking from all corners, I knew life was going to be worth while!
But things went a bit wrong for the Missis. Clifton came down- the first week-end on the Friday and the Missis got the spare room all shining and beastly clean. But after dinner there was the father of all rows and it seemed he hadn't expected to use the spare room. He cleared off in a flurry with a face like a black cat when you come on it unexpectedly, and he left the Missis crying.
1. 1938
FIND YOUR MAN
she did it to please me, but after it she just sat on the sand and moped and stared out to sea. She didn't know a soul, and Yipper's missis never even saw her when she passed close by.-
“I won't give in, Wampus I.. simply won't," she said to me. "But I shall have to sell the fur niture to pay the rent and get back to town somehow. And. then well, dear old thing, I'll have to find a home for you and get a job of some sort Oh, dear
it isn't an easy world for dogs. and women, is it, Wampus?”
Well, that set me up and doing! I hadn't realised how truly ser jous things were. Of course hadn't been sorry when Clifton disappeared, really a bit too free with his toe, he was, when I barged into him by accident. thought things would go quietly but now something had to be done, and mighty quick!
sands
I strolled off along the the opposite way from Yipper the Peke's home, because I didn't want- any distracting amusement at that moment. I wanted to think.
It was lonely, nothing but just the sand and an occasional groin running out into the water. Quite a distance to the next place where humans lived. A sort of but, as plain and untwisty as a place could be.
I sat down to think, rested my chin comfortably on my paws, the way the humans do when they're the sensible, and stared out at water.
The Missis was in a nasty hole. I knew she'd put all her savings
Short Story
into that beastly shop and -. now she was deserted by that outsider "He never meant it
Clifton not the marrying, Wampus
and he's rushed off like that and thinks I'll give in he knows I haven't got spent the trifle a penny, old boy
I had on clothes. Thinks I'll send to him and give in when I'm in difficulties again but I'd die first!”
She's a frail little. piece, the Missis; you're wanting a chance to bite something for her sake when she cries like that I did
best to comfort her, and when she was quieted down went along and tried to lure that fea beetle out from his lair.
laid low under his Missis
she's a large angu
and
about
millies that made me But I didn't get one decent chew at him and had to go home and grow) myself
Never been so miserable in my life.
weren't
Things
comfortab after that
ississ counting over her money and there wasn't much of it. I insist ed on her bathing and she thought
what was to be done? Obviously she needed a man. She's not the sort to fight for her- self- but where on earth in a dead-and-alive place like this could I dig one up for her. Wonder if one might get hold of the Clifton bounder and give him one good nip to teach him manners? -No
she wouldn't look at him any more: she'd been so upset.
There was actually a man walk- ing down from the hut place to the water! Not much to look at bit on the thin side and pale still, a man Would he do?
He was certainly better than nothing for the Missis; but how
do collect him for her?
him!
bounced in after him. water flying and found good sort right away. He at me and we went bundl
under the water in the Every time I came grabbed me and down-- If I was on top I bited into him and over he No end of a game I gave But the Missie didn't come fing along as I'd hoped she
I got a bit anxious after a while —and I suppose I wa
was looking over my shoulder and was care- less-like. Any way, I made a dash at the man, bowled him over and he went flying backwards and hit his head an awin crash against the stone groin behind him!-
Under he went, after just one yell, looking so astonished I laugh- ed--but he didn't come up to go on with the game, and after a mid- ute I plunged at him, and there he was on his face under the water
perfectly
I set my teeth in his suit and tugged for all I was worth but he was a pretty heavy weight and I had to leave off when, I'd get his head clear of the edge of the water. But he stayed still-I didn't like it.
I called for all I was stood by and dragged him a bit further when the water came up too far-called agaifi till I set Yip- per screaming with excitement.
worth
Then at last in the distance I. saw the Missis come out and I simply shrieked at her-
2
"Here, come on! I've got man for you and he's helpless if you're quick! Come on, can't you!"
Well, she came scuttering along and when she saw the man ly- ing there she was frightfully ex- cited, just as I expected her to be She took a good hold on him and I did a bit of pulling myself and we got him right out of the water. Then he blinked and looked up at the Missis and sat up. She and chattered on like the Peke he laughed and rubbed his head:
By Nellie Tom-Gallon
"Wampus, this scoundrel here, Well, fetched you to me, did he? that's about the least he could do when he'd tried to drown me," the man said, and his voice was jolly Though he called me a "scoundrel” it sounded matey..
"I'm most frightfully sorry." the Missis said: "He is a bit rough, bad lad.” Of course I went down on my belly and dragged my- self towards her, apologising. The man took a grip on my throat and gave me the loveliest shake, and I talked deep in my throat and he laughed and I knew he was good enough for the Missis right away,
"We were having the most mizg nificent wrestle in the water and I slipped up and knocked my head —that's all,” he said. “But- mighty glad if it brought
Missis blushed brighter than she'd done and they talked away picked up sand and let through her fingers, so that the man could look as much as he liked
I got bored after a bit, they weren't paying a bit of attention to me, so I just strolled off to- wards home
the top of my voice and Tipper
came bundling out, shrieking, and we had a comfortable little dust- hysterical and
mething Meaning yo eh?" - I enquired
Pekes
and
like a real
of im- long-legged you
her they might
rative
member that I have a man for my Mi more than you -fetched one along
at sight of her,
He shrieked
beetle
Just:
found
is
you *for it
Heapt
Fhrow
bit
keeps.
and
stone
for my ear. Bet him off he'd taken Then his old dragged him in and the
at me, but I showed her my teeth were all there and she fled and bolted the door, shouting some thing about "Such creatures and their curs should be got rid of!”
Well, that was a pretty satis fying day, so far as it went. The man I'd found his name was Jim Wardle I found out, and he wrote things, but the Editors wouldn't let him make a fortune. He and the Missis made friends beautful- ly, just as I'd arranged but will. you believe me when I tell
you they stuck at that?
Day after day they'd spend more and more time together on the sand or in the water, and you could see them as pleased with each other as could be Yet I actually heard him say
I'm a lonely beggar, and the worst of it is I can't be anything else. The more fond I might be of a woman the less I could ask her to marry me because I could- n't make a living for her
can't even for myself. It wouldn't be fair to ask someone, frightfully beautiful and with the world be- fure her to marry me. It simply wonndn't do, would
And would you
believe that idiot of a Missis of min ally whispered "I suppose it wouldn't," instead of telling him not to be an ass but come along and say things before some man as the humans do when they make up their minds to share the same kennel
Well! I'd like to have washed my hands of the whole business, -but I couldn't. For the next day
the Missis packed some clothes
in a suit-case and put a hat on and sat at the window staring at the man who was sitting all alone on She the beach in the distance. was mying her eyes out, as she sat there waiting for the coach to come along, and I guessed this was the end and that she was leav-
the furniture for the landlord hase for his rent, as she'd said he would And she was saying ke that to Wardle, after him for her?
no more time
when the huma things up with
"pride." They fuss bout what they call hey don't eat when
feel like it and sleep until they wake they fuss about cat- ching trains and things, and knew the Missis would be off in
an hour when the bus
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