_An East Side Incident_
"Whose dog is Jack?" He belongs to this street.
Needs anti-fat--has too much to eat.
"Houseless and homeless?"--Well I guess not;
In the whole of this block there isn't a tot
But has had Jack home to board and to sleep,
And he pays 'em in fun, every cent of his keep.
He's the best-natured dog, and the smartest, too;
No end of the tricks we've taught him to do.
Got a heap of sense in his yellow hide!
He's the wonderf'lest dog on the whole East Side;
Why, even the dog-man doesn't know
What breed Jack is,--for he told me so!
The dog-catchers came a'most every day,
But Jack knew their cart, and he'd hide away;
Then out he'd come, laughing, when they'd got past.
Can't _guess_ how he ever was cotched at last;
But he was, and they boosted him into their cart,
And nobody there could take his part.
My! but the little kids cried like mad,
And us bigger ones, too,--we felt just as bad;
For he'd rode us all on his old yellow back.
It looked as though it was all up with Jack,
And I watched him go; but he cocked one eye
As much as to say, "I'll be back by and by."
The look that he gave me--it made me _think_;
And I thought of a plan as quick as wink
And I says, "Feller-citizens, ladies and gents,
I guess that we've each of us got a few cents,
And we'll club together and have a show,
And charge a price, not high nor low;
And we'll raise the money, right here and now,
That'll buy Jack back by to-morrow--that's how!
Tony, the Eyetalian boy, he'll sing;
And Patsy McGovern'll do his handspring;
And Ikey Aarons'll swallow his knife,
And make us all think he's taking his life,
And little Freda, she'll pass round the hat,
She'll smile and say nothing--she's just good for that!"
Well, we emptied our pockets--you bet we did!--
Every one of us big 'uns and each little kid
Ran home for their banks as fast as they could;
And we raised the money, and all felt good;
And next day, early, we brought Jack back.
So, now, things run in the same old track,
But he's got his license and _don't have to hide_!
And we've bought him a _byootiful collar beside_.