The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-11-19

up. his mind to pay him for his miLher's
daith."
agreed with my sister then, ard | am
not sure that ! have changed my mind
since.
But what had Jack been doing during
the time my sister was in school? OF this
we were not long kept in ignorance, for
the next morning we had Il visit from a
farmer, who informed US that on the pre-
vious day he had been attacked by Jack,
who, though he had left no marks upon
his person, had torn the tails of his best
coat into shreds. On hearing this, my ia
ther remarked that Jack was evidently a
Knowing dog. You see, SIR" he continu-
ed 'on the very day that Bacon Dayie
droCned his mither, you, nae doubt in a
mistake, shot his father, an he has evi.
IDENTIFY thought it wad just be as wecl to
be avenged on We bath in one day 4; an
now that his object has been accomplish
'ed, hewill nae doot gang into trainn' wi
an easier mind an settle doom like ony
dacent collie"
My father was right. Jack learned the
language which a shepherd uses to his dog
in Il very few days; and at the end Of
month or so was as well up to his bust
ness as any dog in the ncighborhood. Nor
was this all. Jack could DO what only
very few collies can do--hc could visit an
adjacent farm alone and pick cut such of
our sheep US had gone over to it, and bring
them home US ceyerly as if his master had
been with him; and in the summer even
ings, wien the cows were grazing about
two miles from the house, and my mother
wished them brought to the loano to be
MIXED, she had nothing to do but call
Jack to the end of the house and tell him
to Gang to the far meadow and fetch the
kye hame," and Immediately he would
scamper mp the burn and in less than an
hour would be seen within few yards Of
the loane driving the cows before him as
quietly as il he knew that to hurry them
would damage the milk.
1t was on a cold evening in the month
of March that middle-agcd man with
long beard knocked at our door and beg
ged my father to "put him up for the
night. He was evidently a common tramp,
who went from hamlet to hamlet depend. |
ing on the hospitality Of the shepherds,
but was unknown on our side of the Ror
der. My father told him that lie never
liked to turn any poor man from bis door, |
but having suffered oflato by the dshon- |
esty OF strangers whom lie had housed, he |
had almost resolved to conquer the natu-
raj impulse Of his heart, and take in none |
but those whom he knew and could trust. |
Here the man, rs if Mortified at the idea OF |
dishonesty, raised his hands and eyes to
heaven, and declared that his Maker was
his security; and my father being satisfied,
n comfortable bed was made up for him in
the byre loft
When we rose next morning the first
thing my father did was to go to the byre
to see how the poor man had slept; but
neither the man nor the heavy warm blank
cts with which he had been accommodate
ed could be found. Enragcd at being out
witted, he hurried back to the house and
called for his faithful dog but Jack was
gore too. He had not been seen that
and my mother, knowing her
husbands temper, was afraid to tell
him that on the previous night she had
forgotten to shut the milk house window,
and that through it Jack had no doubt
found egrcss. Going to the door, my IA
Lher put his fingers to his lips and gave
whistle that awoke the echoes like a
luntsman's horn. When the sound had
lied away, wcll-known bark was heard
coming from the hill on the opposite side
IF the burn beside which our house stood.
It was Jacks bark, but by reason of a
.hcll mist which lay upon the hills he was
hidden from our view. After
waiting for considerable time, and find
ing that the bark was stationary, my IA
Their crossed the burn and, ascending the
hill, found the bearded waytarer with my !
mothers blankets on his back, safely
guarded by Jack. The sagacious dog had
'smelcd u rat y and, while we were all |
asleep, had left the house and, following |
The thief, had very clcverly apprehcnded !
him. Observing to the hypocritical scoun-
drcl that he did not like his looks from
the first, but adding most sarcastically that |
he had great faith in his security, my IA
Their pinchcd his nose by way Of IL small |
punishment and returned home with the |
stolen property. When this story "got
wind" it helped to spread Jacks fame
but it was nothing to what took place
some months afterwards.
My father, though respectable mem
Der of the Kirk of Scotland, was going on
Sunday evening, along with some neigh |
bors, to a river about twelve miles distant |
to poach for salmon. Their plan was to
do the walking before twelve o'clock and
the poaching afterwards doubt
miserable way of coming over" the con-
science but as Artemus Ward used to say,
"We'l let that pass" TO save my fathers
limbs was sent to "look the hilln in the
afternoon, and when Jack and | were COM
inc home we met, or saw at some distance
from us, man with all the appearance of
n shepherd and followed by collie dog
walking in the direction from which we
had come. paid little attention to the
two strangers, but Jack, VINO was not at
all pleased with their appearance, ran UP
to the dog and after surveying him uttered
sundry grOwls and seemed to object to his
and his masters presence on the ground.
On hearing my whistle however he left the
dog but very reluctantly, and all the way
home manifested an unuCcountablC desire
to go back. My father had left when we
reached the house; and, dismissing the
stranger from my mind, sat down to sup.
per- Later in the evening, when asked TO
call the dogs in, it dawned upon me that
| had not seen Jack since ] had entered
the house. We had other three dogs at
the time, and they were all ready to be
keunelled, but Jack was deaf to my call.
We were not astonished at this, however;
for frequently when my father went from
home was lie known to get on his scent
and follow him; and, concluding that he
had done so on the present occasion, we
retired for the night
Between seven and eight O'Clock next
morning, Jack bounced into the kitchen
followed by my father, who instead of
greeting my mother with his usual "here,
guidewife, this'Il decorate yer breakfast
table for week at onyrato," deposited the
salmon which had fallen to his share, in Il
corner, and took scat in silence.
$50 Jack followed you last night" re-
marked my mother.