The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27
FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
A Curious Pet.

A Curious Pet.
A little more than half way across tht
dreary Tartar steppes, that extend un
broken for eight hundred miles, from
the Russian frontier town of Orsk to thu
great inland lake marked on Asiatit
maps as the sea of Aral, the endles:
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 s
thick wall of the same material.
The whole affair has such primitive
look that it might easily pass for huge
cattle-pen, but for the tw guns which
peer watchfully over its irregular
sides, and the glittering bayonet of 6
white frocked Cossack, who is standing
sentry on an angle of the wall. This
little nest is "Fort Karabutak," " one Of
Russia's Central outposts-a spot
so remote and desolste that one might
we'll suppose its garrison to have been
sent hither as a punishment for some
unhesrd-of crime.
At this delectable place do I halt
about four o'clock one glorious June
morning. I hammer Justify at the door
of little mud-plastered log hut, which
has nothing but the black and white
stripes on its door-posts to show that it
is post-house.
My Tartar servant, meanwhile, assist
ed my efforts by yelling at the top Of
his voice, "Ot!" (horses).
At length. just as We are beginning to
lose patience altogether-for in the
Asiatic deserts every minute OF the cool
morning hours is worth its weight in
gold-a long yawn from within, follow
ed by drowsy "sei-tchass" directly, y,
announces that the master of the house
is beginning TO bestir himself.
Just at this moment, my attention is
attracted to a "swinging cradle" of
genuine Eastern fashion, suspended
from the projecting caves, in which lie
brace of sturdy little children, brown
as hazel-nuts, and round as plums.
Both are fast asleep, in those extra
ordinary positions which none but chill.
dren can contrive to assume. I am still
admiring the picturesqueness Of the
group, when I suddenly perceive that I
have overlooked one of its most import
ant features.
Snugly curled up between the two
sleeping children, in the wsrmest place
of all, lies a round yellowish mass,
topped with pair of pointed ears.
At first sight, its size and color might
make one take it for large cat; but a
cat it certainly is not. Nor, as look
again, does it seem like dog.
The outstretched fore paws on which
it rests, indeed, are sufficiently canine,
and when I begin to caress it, it re-
spends by licking my hand in genuine
dog fashion; but that narrow head, that
sharp muzzle, that slanting greenish-
yellow eye, surely never belonged to
any dog since the world began.
It is this popularity of the eyes
which, recalling my winter experiences
in European Russia, at length lets me
into the secret. The bedfellow of the
postmaster's children is young wolf.
Just as I have made this discovery,
the door of the hut opens, end out comes
big frowzy, shock-headed fellow, with
huge red beard, who laughs loudly at
my look of amazement. .
"Aha, 6arin y (master) "you haven't
seen many children like that, fancy!"
"Where on earth did you pick it up ?"
ask I, looking wonderingly at the two
children, who are awake at last, and be.
ginning to pull their four-footed play
mate in the most unceremonious fash
ion.
"Well, you see, last winter, wolf
came prowling round here, and I had to
give him a taste of my Ratchet. So
when I'd settled him, I bethought myself
that the she wolf might'nt be far of, and
1 followed the trail through the snow
till it brought me to 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
whimpering over the body, I felt sorry
for it, somehow, and I concluded not to
kill it but to take it home for the chill
dren to play with, and now it gets a
share of their bread and milk in the
morning and of their blanket at night,
Just like one of themselves. "--
Bur you surely don't mean to keep
it ?"
"No, Pm afraid that won't do" said
the giant, with regretful shrug of his
huge shoulders. "When it gets bigger,
and begins to find its teeth, then - a
significant flourish of the great brown
hand completes the unfinished phrase.
When I return from Samarcand, three
months later, I find the sentence already
executed. Ker.