Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-17
FOR TIE YOUNG FOLKS.
A CnrIana Pet.


dreary Tartar steppes, that extend I'M
broken for eight hundred miles, from
the Russian frontier town of Orsk 70 the
great inland lake marked on Asiatic
maps as tho Eea Of Aral, the endless
level is broken by a deep rocky gully
several hundred yards in length, on the
brink OF which stands long low build
ing OF sun dried clay, surrounded by
thick wall Of tho same material.
The whole affair has sach primitive
look that IL might easily pasB for huge
cattle-pen. but for the tw. guns which
peer watohfully over it's irregular
sideg, and the Rlittering bayunet of a
white irocked Cossack, who is standing
sentry on an angle Of the wall. This
little nest is Fort Karabutak," one Of
Russia'B Central Asian outposts-a spot
80 remote and deBolate that one might
well suppose it's garrison 10 have been
sent hither as a punishment for some
unheard.o Of crime.
At this delectable place do ] halt
about four o'clock one glorious June
morning. Hammer Justify at the door
OF little mud-plastered log hut, which
has nothing but the black and white
stripes on its door-posts 10 chow that
is post-houge.
My Tartar servant, meanwhile, assist
cd my efforts by yelling at the top oi
his voice, +" or" (horses).
At length. Just aB We are beginning 20
lose patience altogother-ior in the
Asiatic deserts every minute Of the cool
morning hours is worth its weight in
gold-a long yawn from within, follow.
oil he 1Vasv4x- - I'll La.ar 4
announces that the master of the house
il beginning to bcstir himself.
Just at this moment, my attention Is
attracted to "swinPiDg cradle" OF
genuine Eastern fashion, suspended
from the projecting caves, in which lie
q brace of sturdy little children, brown
as hazcl-nuts, and round as plurnE.
Both are fast asleep, in those e1tra.
ordinary positions which mono but chill.
dTen can cOntrive TO assume. ] am still
admiriug the piciuresqucnoga Of the
group, when suddenly perceive that /
have overlooked ono Of its most import
ant features.
Snugly curled up between the two
sleeping children, in the wnrmest place
Cf all, lies a round yellowish mass,
topped with n pair OF pointed ears.
AT frat sight, its size and color might
make one take IT for large cat; but n
cat 1t certainly is not. Nor, as | look
again, does il seem like a dog.
The out6trCtchcd fore paws on which
II rests, indeed, are sufficiently canine,
and when / begin 10 caress it, il re-
sponds by licking my hsnd in genuine
dog fashion; but that narrow head, that
sharp muzzle, that Hlantipg grcenifh.
yellow eye, surely never belonged 70
any dog since the world began.
IL IA this peculiarly Of the eye
which, recalling my winter experiences
in European Rugsin, at length lets me
into the gecret. The bedtcllow Of the
postmaster's children is 4 young wolf.
just "a | have made this discoverys
the door of the Int opens and out come.
a big irowzy, thock- headed fellow. with
q huge red beard, who laueLs loudly at
my look Of amnzeIncni.
"Ahs, Jdyin!' (msstcr) lyon haven't
seen many children like that, fancy -
Where on earth did sou pick IL up :"
ask /, looking vonderinRly at the two
children, who are awake az last, and be-
ginning 10 pull their four.footed play.
mate in the most unceTomonioua fash.
ion.
We'll, you sec. last winter, wolf
came prowling round here, and / had to
give him q taste Of nay batchet. So.
when Id settled him, bethought mysel,
that the she wolf H,ight'rl be far Of. and
] followed the trail through the snow
til II brought me tn the hole, and there
was the old lady, sure enough, and an
other tap Of the axe quieted her, too.
but when | saw this poor little brat
whimpeling over the body, felt sorry
for IL, somehow, and ] concluded not TO
kill IL but TO take it home for the chill
dren to play with. and nov il gets
share OF their bread and milk in the
morning and oi their blanket Ct night.
just like one Of themselves"
|" lu' you surely don't mean TO keep
"No, I'm afraid that won't DO" said
the giant, with n reRreiiul sbrug Of his
hugo shoulders. "When IL gets bigger,
aud begins 10 find its teeth, then -
significant flourish of the great brown
hand completes the unfinished phrase.
When / return from Samarcand, three
months later, find the sentence already
executed. David Ecr.