American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-06-14
ROLF'S LEAP.
BY GEORGIANA NJ. CRAIK.

~ ou'vc got fine red cheeks, boys" sale
Uncle Dick, land two pairs of sturdy legs
Rolf and l would like to be able to JUMP
about like yOu-but our jumping days arr
over. Not but that Rolf took finer Leaf
once than either of you lads have evel
done yet" said Uncle Dick, after mo
ment or two, and stopped down to pat his
favorite's great head. "A noble leap wasnr
it, my old dog?" he said; and Rolf looked
mp with his gentle eyes, and, being toe
sleepy to say much, but yet, no doubt un
Outstanding the question quite well, just
gave a little asserting flap with his tail, as
if to reply, GAY, ay, master, it wasn't sc
bad leap, as leaps go" and then com
posed himself to sleep again, as if it was
such an old story that he couldn't trouble
himself to wake up and think about it,
The boys had sat down to rest; and SO
VIII said; Tell us what sort of leap
Rolf took, Uncle Dick"
"If you'll keep your feet still, then, I'll
tell you" said Uncle Dick; and accord
ingly, after two or three moments, when
Tommy had stopped rasping the gravel
under his boots, he told this story to
them:
1--WE were both of us younger than we
are now," he said, "when Rolf and first
came together Rolf was puppy, for his
part, and | rather think l was a puppy
too. At any rate, l had fifteen fewer
years upon my shoulders than l have to-
day, and fifteen years less wisdom. (Al-
ways grow wiser every year as you grow
older, boys, and you will come in time to
be as wise as-Uncle Dick 1t was just
when l was going out to Africa that some
one gave Rolf to me- He comes of fine
stock, and if he proves as good dog as
ms father, you won't part with him at the
end of year for trifie,' my friend said ;
60 hat T. e.,
tell you, boys, by the years end wouldn't
have parted with him, not if had parted
with my last shilling and I'd been asked
to sell him for thousand pounds. I'd
sooner have sold myself, if l must have
sold one or the other of us.
'Ah, you're laughing, l see You think
I'm speaking in filng Not bit of it,
Listen to my story, and when get to the
end of it you shall laugh if you like.
% went out with my regiment to Africa,
to the Cape of Good Hope, and before l
had been there for six months I fell ill
with fever, and had it so badly that l
thought-and others beside me thought,
too-that l should never see old England
again; and don't believe | ever should
if l hadn't had the kindest black servant
to nurse me-the best nurse a man ever
had-and this poor old fellow here to
help to keep up my spirits, and to show
me that, at any rate, there was one crea-
ture in the world who couldn't afford to
let me die. Poor Rolf Why, boys, if he
had been a Christian he couldn't have
done more for me all the time that 1 was
ill. Night or day he never left my
ROOM They couldn't get the faith
full beast away knew little
enough about his being near me, part of
the time, but that made no difference to
him; he stuck by me all the same, and
when | began to get better, and to know
him and notice him again-well,' said
Uncle Dick, abruptly, Il think it was
thing to touch a mans heart if he had any
didn't believe there had been anything
alive that would be so glad to see ME liv
ing as Rolf was. When he threw himself
upon me the first time called him by his
name and held out my hand to him, you
would think me an old fool if l were to
Tell you what the sight of his joy made me
do. l was very weak, remember; l was
lust as weak at that time as child, you
know
"Well, 1 got all right again after a
while; and let me tell you in passing that
after this one illness, 1 never had better
health in my life than during the rest of
he time spent in Africa l stayed there
or four years, and they were as happy
years, on the whole, as [ ever spent any
where. / saw a great number of new
Kings in the course of them, and l made
great number of very kind friends. We
very hard worked out there, and
many pleasant expedition did | have of
| few days up country, or along the coast,
with Il companion, sometimes
tlone, with only my horse and old Rolf.
shall never forget some of those little
l shall never, at any rate, for
get one of them, for it was in the course of
)ne of them that Rolf took his leap.
81 had been riding five or six miles one
pleasant afternoon. 1t was a delicious |
afternoon, like the afternoon of an English |
day. You always imagine it hot
er out in Africa by good deal than it is
n England, don't your Well, so it is, in
general way, a vast deal hotter; but |
very now and then, after the rains have
allen and the wind comes blowing from |
he sea, we get day as much like one of
,ur own best summer days as you ever felt |
anywhere. This afternoon was just like |
IN English summer afternoon, with the |
resi-, sweet breeze rustling among the |
green leaves, and the great bright sea
out all blue and golden, and |
meeting the blue skies miles and miles |
WAY.
1T wasn't very hot, but it was just hot
,nough to make the thought of a swim
delicious; SO after had been riding leis-
rely along for some little time, shooting |
| bird or two as | went-for | wanted
ome bright feathers to send home to a
title cousin that | had in England |
ilighted from my horse, and, letting him
Dose to Craze, lay down for Il quarter of
IN hour to cool myself, and then began to
make ready for my plunge.
Il was standing on a little ledge of cliff,
ONE six or seven feet above the sea. 1t
vas high tide, and the water at my feet
vas about IA fathom deep. 4 shall have Il
delightful SWIM | thought to myself, as |
nent Rolf in a very excited way flung him
meaning of the proceeding, and, as |
hought, anxious to show his sympathy
With it, | repeated the remark aloud.
Yes, Wen have delightful swim, you
nd together | said. A grand swim,
ny old lad and clapped his back as
spoke, and encouraged HIM, as |
vas in the habit of doing, to ex
ress his feelings without reserve. But,
is tail, and wrinkling his nose, and per
Drming any of his usual antics, the crea-
IRE only lifted up his face and began to
whine. He had lain, for the quarter of
n hour while | had been resting, at the
dye of the little cliff, with his head
ropped over it; but wi ether he had )een
liking sleep in that position, or had
cen amusin" himself by watching the
Taves, was more Than knew. He was Il
apital one for sleeping even then, and
enerally made a point OF snatching IA