The Story of Dago   By: Annie F. Johnston (1863-1931)

BY

ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON

[Illustration: "IT WAS HER SWINGING AND JERKING ON THE ROPE THAT RANG THE BELL."]

THE STORY OF DAGO

BY

ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON

AUTHOR OF "THE LITTLE COLONEL," "BIG BROTHER," "OLE MAMMY'S TORMENT," "THE GATE OF THE GIANT SCISSORS," "TWO LITTLE KNIGHTS OF KENTUCKY," ETC.

Illustrated by

ETHELDRED B. BARRY

BOSTON L.C. PAGE & COMPANY 1900

Copyright, 1900

BY L. C. PAGE AND COMPANY (Incorporated)

TO

"Gin the Monk"

WHOSE PRANKS ARE LINKED WITH THE BOYHOOD MEMORIES OF DR. GAVIN FULTON, ONE OF THE BEST OF PHYSICIANS AND FRIENDS, THIS STORY OF DAGO IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED

CONTENTS

PAGE

I. THIS IS THE STORY THAT DAGO TOLD TO THE MIRROR MONKEY ON MONDAY 1

II. WHAT DAGO SAID TO THE MIRROR MONKEY ON TUESDAY 16

III. WHAT THE MIRROR MONKEY HEARD ON WEDNESDAY 32

IV. THE TALE THE MIRROR MONKEY HEARD ON THURSDAY 46

V. WHAT DAGO TOLD ON FRIDAY 60

VI. WHAT DAGO SAID TO THE MIRROR MONKEY ON SATURDAY 72

VII. WHAT DAGO TOLD THE MIRROR MONKEY ON SUNDAY 92

VIII. DAGO BIDS FAREWELL TO THE MIRROR MONKEY 102

ILLVSTRATIONS

PAGE

"IT WAS HER SWINGING AND JERKING ON THE ROPE THAT RANG THE BELL" Frontispiece

"THE GARDENER FISHED HER OUT OF THE FOUNTAIN" 9

"HER HANDS WERE FOLDED IN HER LAP" 19

MATCHES'S FUNERAL 25

"SHE FAIRLY STIFFENED WITH HORROR" 43

"AT LAST THE BLUE CUSHION WAS EMPTY, AND I SAT DOWN ON IT" 48

"'OH, YOU LITTLE TORMENT!' SHE CRIED" 63

"THEIR VOICES RANG OUT LUSTILY" 73

"ALL WENT WELL UNTIL WE REACHED AN ALLEY CROSSING" 81

"GOOD BYE! OLD FELLOW!" 103

THE STORY OF DAGO.

CHAPTER I.

THIS IS THE STORY THAT DAGO TOLD TO THE MIRROR MONKEY ON MONDAY.

Here I am at last, Ring tail! The boys have gone to school, thank fortune, and little Elsie has been taken to kindergarten. Everybody in the house thinks that I am safe up stairs in the little prison of a room that they made for me in the attic. I suppose they never thought how easy it would be for me to swing out of the open window and climb down the lightning rod. Wouldn't Miss Patricia be surprised if she knew that I am down here now in the parlour, talking to you, and sitting up here among all these costly, breakable things!

I have been wanting to get back into this room ever since that first morning that I slipped in and found you sitting here in the looking glass, but the door has been shut every time that I have tried to come in. Do you remember that morning? You were the first ring tail monkey that I had seen since I left the Zoo, and you looked so much like my twin brother, who used to swing with me in the tangled vines of my native forests, and pelt me with cocoanut shells, and chatter to me all day long under those hot, bright skies, that I wanted to put my arms around you and hug you; but the looking glass was between us. Some day I shall break that glass, and crawl back behind there with you.