JOHNNY'S PRIVATE ARGUMENT.
A poor little tramp of a doggie, one day,
Low-spirited, weary, and sad,
From a crowd of rude urchins ran limping away,
And followed a dear little lad.
Whose round, chubby face, with the merry eyes blue,
Made doggie think, "Here is a good boy and true!"
So, wagging his tail and expressing his views
With a sort of affectionate whine,
Johnny knew he was saying, "Dear boy, if you choose,
To be any dog's master, be mine."
And Johnny's blue eyes opened wide with delight,
And he fondled the doggie and hugged him so tight.
But alas! on a day that to Johnny was sad,
A newspaper notice he read,
"Lost a dog: limped a little, and also he had
A spot on the top of his head.
Whoever returns him to me may believe
A fair compensation he'll surely receive."
Johnny didn't want money, not he; 'twasn't that
That made him just sit down to think,
And made a grave look on his rosy face fat,
And made those blue eyes of his wink
To keep back the tears that were ready to flow,
As he thought to himself, "Must the dear doggie go?"
'Twas an argument Johnny was holding just there
With his own little conscience so true.
"It is plain," whispered conscience, "that if you'd be fair,
There is only one thing you can do;
Restore to his owner the dog; don't delay,
But attend to your duty at once, and to-day!"
No wonder he sat all so silent and still,
Forgetting to fondle his pet—
The poor little boy thinking hard with a will;
While thought doggie, "What makes him forget,
I wonder, to frolic and play with me now,
And why does he wear such a sorrowful brow?"
Well, how did it end? Johnny's battle was fought,
And the victory given to him:
The dearly-loved pet to his owner was brought,
Tho' it made little Johnny's eyes dim.
But a wag of his tail doggie gives to this day
Whenever our Johnny is passing that way.
Mary D. Brine.