A REMARKABLE DOG. 



"Mike" belonged to a blind man who 

 was daily seen on the streets of Wichita, 

 Kansas, a year ago. He was just an or- 

 dinary-looking, medium-sized black dog; 

 but he exhibited so much sense that he 

 soon became an object of much attention 

 to the frequenters of Douglass avenue 

 and Main street. There is only one pump 

 on the avenue — a relic of early days. Mike 

 found this pump and led his master to it 

 every morning. The blind man filled a 

 canteen with water for his supply through 

 the day. This done, Mike led him down 

 the avenue until some busy corner was 

 reached. Here the blind man seated him- 

 self and made the air ring with the dis- 

 cordant notes of an old accordion. Mike, 

 in the meanwhile, lay down in some 

 chosen place not far away, and — to all 

 appearances — was soon sound asleep. At 

 the sound of his master's whistle, how- 

 ever, he was always ready for business. 

 Occasionally, the old man gave him a 

 little tin bucket, and this Mike would 

 carry up and down the block, wherever 

 he saw a group congregated. If no at- 

 tention was paid to him, he would pass 

 quietly by ; but if a man made a move of 

 his, hand toward his pocket, Mike stayed 

 right there until a coin Vv^as put into the 

 bucket. 



Sometimes after making his round he 

 placed the bucket on the sidewalk and 

 lay down beside it. Of course a crowd 

 soon gathered, waiting to see what the 

 dog's next move would be. When quite 

 a number had collected Mike would get 

 up and pass the bucket again ! 



One day Mike led his master to the 

 corrier of Douglass avenue and Main 

 street. This is the place where all the 

 trolley lines of the city center, coming 

 from eight directions every fifteen min- 

 vttes. Beside the cars, there is a contin- 

 ual stream of traffic surging up and down 

 the two streets, with automobiles and bi- 

 cycles tOi add to the danger of crossing. 

 Wise old Mike brought his master to the 

 northeast corner of the two streets, and 

 waited until all the cars had left and the 

 streets were comparatively clear ; then he 

 started to lead the way across. A strong 

 wind was blowing, and when half way 

 over, the blind man's hat was snatched 

 from his head, and sent rolling up Main 

 street. Mike led his master across all 

 the car tracks ; then, as the man dropped 

 his strap, he left him standing on the 

 crossing and chased after the hat. It 

 took some time for the dog to catch it, 

 bnt finally he placed one paw upon it, then 

 caught the rim carefully in his teeth. 

 Bounding to w;here he had left his mas- 

 ter the faithful dog sprang up and placed 

 his paws on the man's breast, holding up 

 the hat between his teeth until the mian 

 found both it and the strap attached to 

 Mike's collar. Then Mike led the way 

 across the remainder of the street, and 

 placed the blind man on the busiest cor- 

 ner in town. 



A young man on a West Side car, who 

 witnessed the affair, exclaimed : "That 

 dog has more sense than some people 

 have !" And his comrade answered him : 

 "That's what he has. I would like to 

 own him." 



Mary McCrea Culter. 



67 



