Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-04-09
From Spare Hours
Cur Bog.

Wylie, our next friend. was an exquisite
shepherds dog fleet, thin hanked, dainty,
and handsome as a small greyhound, with
all the grace Of silky waving black and tan
hair. We got her thus. Being then young
and keen botanists, and full Of the knowledge
and love of Tweedside, having been on every
hilltop from Muckle Mendic to hundleshope
and the Lee Pen. and having fshed every
water from Iarth to the Leithen, we discoy-
cred early in spring that young Stewart, au-
thor Of an excellent book on natural history,
young man Of great promise and early
death, had found the Bur5aHaia GphyHa, a
beautiful and odd-looking moss, west Of New
bic heights, in the very month We were that
moment in. We resolved to start next day
We walked to PEBBLES, and then up Hay
st0un Glen to the cottage Of Adam Cairns,
the aged shepherd Of the Newbie hirsel, Of
whom we knew, and who knew Of US from
his daughter, Nancy Cairns, a servant with
Uncle Aitken Of Callands. We found our
way up the burn with difficulty, as the even
ing was getting dark and on getting near
the cottage heard them at worship. We got
in and made ourselves known, and got a IA
nous tea, and such cream and cat cake -
old Adam looking OF Us as '' clean dementit
to come cut for bit moss, winch, how
ever, he knew, and with some pride saId he
would take Us in the morning to the place.
1t turned out that Adam, who was an old
man and frail and had made some money,
was going at Whitsunday to leave, and live
with hls son in Glasgow. We had been ad-
mirirg the beauty and gentlcness and perfect
shape Of Wyie. the finest oolley | ever saw,
and said, &. What are you going to DO with
Wvlie?'' e. Deed, says be IS ! hardly ken.
| Gamma think o. sell n her though, she's
worth four pound, and she'll no like the
toun." | said, " Would YOU let me have
her?" and Adam, looking at her fondly-she
came up instantly 70 MIN, and made Of him
said. " Ay, | wall, if yell be guds to
her - and it was settled that when Adam
left for Glasgow she should be sent into Al
bany Street by the carrier.
She came, and was at once taken to all
our hearts, even grandmother liked her
and though she was often pensiye, as if
thinking Of her master and her work on the
hills, she made herself at home, and behaved
in all respects like lady. When out with
me. If she saw sheep in the streets or road,
she got quite excited, and helped the work,
and was curiously useful, the being so max
ing her wonderfully happy. And so her lit
lie liie.went on, never doing wrong, always
blithe and kind ard beautiful But some
months after she came, there was a mystery
about her every Tuesday evening she disap-
pearcd we tried to watch her, but in vain
She was always of by nine p. N. and was
away all night, coming back next day wear,
led and all over mud, as If she had travelled
far. She slept all next day. This went on
T. 1v,1 aaf,ld anE 10
ing of it. Poor dear creature. she looked at
US wistfully when she came in, as if she
would have told Us if she could, and was es-
pecially fond, though tired.
Well one day / was walking across the
Grassmarket. with Wylie at my heels, when
two shepherds started and looking at her, one
said, q" That's her; that's the wonderful wee
bitch that naebody kens." | asked him
what he meant, and he told me that for
months past she had made her appearance by
the first daylight at the sheep-pcns in the cat
lie market, and worked necessarily, and to
excellent purpose, in helping the shepherds
to get their sheep and lambs in. The man
said with 4 sort of transport, She a per-
feet meeracle: flies about like speerlt and
never wrang wears but never grups, ard
beats a cor dOwgs. She's perfect meeracle
and as sOople as a maukin. Then be relat-
ed how they all knew her, and said, There's
that wen fell yin we'll get them in moo.
They tried to coax her to stop and be caught,
butno. she was gentle. but off; and for many
day that " wee fell yin = was spoken Of by
these rough fellows. She continued this ANA
teur work till she died, which she did in
peace
1t is very touching the regard the south
country shepherds have TO their dogs. Pro-
fessor Syme one day, many years ago, when
living in Forres Street, was looking out of his
window. and he saw young shepherd strid-
ing down North Charlotte Street as if max
ing for his house it was midsummer. The
mGn had his dog with him, and Mr.. Syme
noticed that be followed the dog, and not it
him. though he c0ntriyed to steer for the
house. He came and was ushered INTO his
room he wished advice about some ailment,
and Mr.. Syme saw that he had bit Of twine
round the dogs neck, which he let drop out
Of hIs hand when he entered the room. He
asked him the meaning Of this, and he ex-
V.ained that the magistrates had issued a
mad-dog proclamation, commanding all dogs
TO be muzzled or led on pain of death. . And
why do You 60 about as saw you did before
you came in to me - % Oh" said he, look
ing awkward, % didna want Birkie 10 ken
he was tied. Where will you find truer
courtesy and finer feelings d? FIie didn't want
to hurt Birkie s feelings.
Mr.. Carruthers Of Inverness told me n new
story of these wise sheep dogs, 4 butcher
from Inverness had purchased some sheep at
Dingwah, and giving them in charge to his
dog' left the road The dog drove them on,
tilI coming to q toll, the toll-wiie stood be-
! fore the drove. demanding her dues. The
doc. looked at her, and, jumping on her
/ hack. crossed bis forelegs over her arms. The
sheer passed through, and the dog took his
nlaee behind them, and went on his way.
of Rab | have little to say, indeed have
/ little right to speak Of him as one oil - our
/ dors !" but nobody will be sorry to hear any
thing of that noble fellow. Allie, the day
or two after the operation, when she was
quite well and CHEEKY, spoke about him' ana q
| said she would tell me fine stories when l
came out. as | promised to do, to see her at
Howgate. | asked her how James came 10
get him. She told me that one day she saw
/ James coming down from Leadburn with the
cart he had been away west, getung egs'
and butter, cheese and hens for Edinburgh
I She saw he was in some trouble, ana On
/ looking, there was what she thought young
calf 5being dragged or, as she caiied IL,
- haurled,'' at the back of the cart james
was in front, and when he came up, very
warm, and very angry, she saw that there
was a huge young dog tied to the cart, strus-
Cling and pulling back with all his might
and as she said 90 lookin' fearsom." james
who was out of breath and temper, being
past his time, explained to Allie, that this
q muckle brute O. a whalp" had been wor-