impatiently every time Virginia came 

 into the room, and became quite savage 

 if she went near his mistress, and if the 

 httle girl tried tO' pet him, her advances 

 were received with such a show of teeth 

 and temper that Mama had to forbid her 

 to touch him. 



But Virginia had been taught to see 

 the good in everything, and to be kind 

 to all the children of Mother Nature. 

 She was always gentle with the little dog, 

 "For you know. Mama," she explained, 

 "I promised my teacher to be kind to 

 all living creatures and protect them 

 from cruel usage." These were big 

 words for the little girl, but Miss Anna 

 had taught her the meaning of them. 



As day after day passed and the dog 

 refused to make friends with her, Vir- 

 ginia became discouraged. One after- 

 noon Mama heard a snarl and a bark fol- 

 lowed by a sob, and hurrying to find out 

 the trouble, discovered Virginia in tears. 



''What's the matter, dear?" asked 

 Mama. 



"Oh, Mama! Fritz's just horrid! I 

 offered him a piece of my cake and he 

 snapped at me. Won't you make him 

 like me?" 



"You can't make anything or anybody 

 love you," returned Mama. 



"Then I won't like him any more," 

 declared Virginia. "He's a horrid little 

 dog and I hate him, so there !" 



Mama sat down on the steps beside the 

 little girl, and taking her hand in hers, 

 said: 



"And so my little daughter will allow 

 ugly hate to- come into her heart just 

 for a little dog who don't know that it 

 is naughty to snarl and bite. Suppose 

 the flowers would not give their sweet- 

 ness because you and I did not notice 

 them, and the birds would not sing, and 

 the great warm loving sun refused to 

 give out his heat and cheer because we 

 took his gifts as a matter of course and 

 did not praise and love him for it, what 

 a dreary place this world would be ! 

 Mother wants her little girl to give love 

 and kindness just for the pleasure of 

 giving and not for what she will get for 

 it. She wants her to send forth her love 

 like the sunshine to all of God's crea- 

 tures. Won't you try, dearie?" and 

 Mama stoo])C(l and kissed the solemn lit- 

 tle mouth. 



"Yes, ril keep on trying. Mama," 

 returned Virginia, wiping her eyes. 

 After that, when Fritz barked for some 

 one to open the door, Virginia ran and 

 let him in, always saying in a gentle 

 voice : 



"Nice doggie!" 



At that Fritz's bark was a little more 

 friendly, but he would not allow the little 

 girl to touch him. Virginia did not give 

 up. 



"I think he'll like me some day," she 

 confidentially told Mama. "When he 

 finds that Fm his really truly friend." 



Mama and Fritz's mistress had gone 

 driving one afternoon, leaving Virginia 

 alone upon the veranda. Suddenly a 

 sharp yelp rang out in the clear air, and 

 running in the direction of the sound 

 Virginia found poor little Fritz lying in 

 the street moaning with pain. A wound 

 upon one leg showed that he must have 

 been injured by a passing vehicle. Fritz 

 turned a pair of mournful eyes upon Vir- 

 ginia and began to whine pitifully. 



"Poor little dog!" cried Virginia, and 

 taking him into her arms she carried him 

 into the house and ran for the bottle of 

 witch hazel which Mama kept for acci- 

 dents. She poured the soothing lotion 

 over one of her little handkerchiefs and 

 tied it on his leg saying: 



"Oh, Fritzie, I hope your leg is not 

 broken. This will help it till Mama 

 comes, anyway." 



The dog lay very still and did not 

 resist her care of him. When the ladies 

 returned, they found Virginia holding 

 him in her arms while he gratefully 

 licked her hands. The leg was not broken 

 and soon healed. 



Since then Virginia and Fritz are 

 together most of the time. The dog fol- 

 lows the little girl whenever he is allowed 

 to do so, and if she goes anywhere with- 

 out him, he anxiously watches for her, 

 and announces her return by joyful barks 

 of welcome. He is perfectly happy by 

 her side. Indeed he is a loyal, faithful 

 little friend. 



"How did it happen?" asked a friend, 

 on seeing the dog's devotion to the little 



"You see," explained Virginia, "I 

 loved Fritz so much he just had to love 

 me." 



Henrietta Lee Coulling. 



