Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-06-04
ROLLS LEAP.
BY GEORGIANA NJ. CRAIK.

you've got fine red cheeks, boys,n said
Uncle Dick, "and two pairs Of sturdy legs
Rolf and [ would like to be able to iumD
about like you-but oar jumping DAYS are
over Not but that Rolf took a finer lean
once than either of you lads have ever
done YETI said Uncle Dick, after a mo-
ment or two, and stopped down to pat his
favorite's great head. Anoble leap, wasn't
it, my old dog?" he said; and Rolf looked
up with his gentle eyes, and, being too
sleepy to say much, but yet, no doubt, I'm.
derstanding the question quite well, Just
gave little asserting flap with his tail, as
II to reply, "Ay, ay, master, it wasn't so
bad leap, as leaps 60" 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
Will said "Tell us what sort of leap
Rolf took, Uncle Dick" af Eaa .&aHa Z :
of you'll keep your feet still, them 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
owe were both of us younger than we
are now" he said, "when Rolf and T first
came together. Rolf was puppy, for his
part, and [ rather think | was a puppy
too. At any rate, [ had fifteen fewer
years upon my shoulders than | 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. It was Just
when was going out to Africa that some
one gave Rolf to me. He comes. of a fine
stock, and If he proves. as good dog as
his father, you won't part with him at the
end of a year for a trif1e,' my friend said
and | soon found that he was right, for
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
tojsell him for thousand pounds. I'd
sooner have sold myself, if I must have
sold one or the other of us.
"Ah, you're laughing, I see. You think
I'm speaking in fun? Not a bit of it!
Listen to my story, and when I get to the
end of it you shall laugh if you like. j. -
. went out with my regiment to Africa.
to the Cape of Good Hope, and before I
had been there for six months [ fell i'll
with fever, and had it so badly that I
thought-and others beside me thought.
'too-that should never see old England
again; and don't believe I ever should
II | 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 I was
Ill. Night OF day he never left my
room. They couldn't get the faith
tut 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'l began to get better, and to know
him and notice him again we'll" said
Uncle Dick, abruptly, 81 think it was a
thing to touch a mans heart if he had any
heart in him. Upon my word, boys, I
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 [ were to
tell you what the sight of his JOY made me
40. llWas very weak, remember [ was
just as weak at that time as a child, YOU
know.
"Well, [ got all right again after
while; and let me tell you in passing that
after this one illness, [ never had better
health IN my life than during the rest of
the time [ spent in Africa I STAYED there
for four gears, and they were as happy
years, on the whole, as [ ever spent any
where. | saw great number of new
things in the course Of them, and I made
a great number OF very kind friends. We
weren't very hard worked out there, and
many pleasant expedition did I have of
a few days up country, Or along the coast,
sometimes with a companion, sometimes
alone, with only my horse and old Rolf.
/ shall never forget some of those little
excursions. shall never, at any rate, for
get one of them, for it was in the course of
one of them that Rolf took his leap.
A" [ had been riding five or six miles one
pleasant afternoon. It was delicious
afternoon, like the afternoon of an English
summer day. You always imagine it hot
ter out in Africa by good deal than it is
in England, don't you? Well, 50 it is, in
a, general way, q vast deal hotter; but
every now and then, after the rains have
fallen and the wind comes blowing from
the sea, we get a day as much like one of
our own best summer days as you ever felt
anywhere. This afternoon was Just like
an English summer afternoon, with the
fresh, sweet breeze rustling among the
green leaves, and the great bright sea
stretching out all blue and golden, and
meeting the blue skies miles and miles
away.
1t wasn't very hot, but it was just hot
enough to make the thought of a swim
delicious; so after [ had been riding leis-
urely along for some little time, shooting
a bird or two as I Went-for [ wanted
some bright feathers to send home to a
little cousin that [ had in England-I
from my horse, and, letting him
loose to Craze, lay down for a quarter of
an hour to cool myself and then began to
make ready for my plunge.
81 was standing on little ledge of cliff
some six or seven feet above the sea. 1t
was high tide, and the water at my feet
was about a fathom deep. I shall have a
delightful swim,' [ thought to myself, as
threw off my coat; and just at that mo-
ment Rolf in very excited way flung him
self upon me, evidently understanding the
meaning Of the proceeding and, -asaI
thought, anxious to show his sympathy
with it, I repeated the remark aloud.
Yes, We'll have a delightful swim, you
and I together,' [ said "A grand swim.