Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-24
A ROMANCE BY B. L. FARJEoN,

| LII Is my dog Leontlne. lett her IN
the lower hut two days ago, and she has
! sought me out. She lies now at my feet,
devoted and tame, as handsome and as
| strong as a ioness. Had she found me
dead, she would have licked my body, and
perchance have shed tears over me. She
has in her higher qualities than animate
some humans know. l do not say this
because Leontine loves me say it out of
the depths of my life and experience.
''She thought 1 was in pain she looked
up at me with her great soft eyes, and
when l smiled at her to assure her that |
was at my ease she nestled down comfort
ably in satisfaction. What would you do
for me, Leontine? fight for me, die for
me? Were you woman would you love
me? If you could speak, and answered
yes, 1 would stab you where you lie.
eff had been born straight Leontine
could not love me more. 1t is perhaps
fortunate for me that l came into the world
crooked and misshapen. Something is
mine. The love of goats and birds and
dogs is worth having-when you can't get
the love of a woman.
90 Leontine, L will confess to you. You
will not betray me. 1t is long, long ago
in the past since the sunlight, peeping in
upon me, stole away to flowers and blades
of grass better worth ripening, and left me
in the dark to thrive as best l could. /
was born in the dark, Leontine, and lived
in forest, in the very depths of it,
farther away from men then 1 am now.
l have kept no count of the years. About
me was woman who said she was my
mother, and gave me my name, such as no
other man ever bore. You see, Leontine,
| had nothing in common with human
kind. was much alone often for weeks
together. We lived in wretched
hut, and | was left to do pretty much
as | liked. Certain rules, however, were
set for me- l dared not wander beyond
defined boundary frightful stories were
related to me of awful creatures prowling
within mile of our hut, and of what they
would do to me if [ ventured within their
reach. had no desire to do so; l made
acquaintance with bird and beast, but not
with nan. / had no reason to believe that
there was another child in the world be-
sides myself. My mother, who was as
hideous as myself, and who never gave me
a kind word, babe me, on pain of torture
and death, not to show myself if any
human creature came in view. When she
left me, saying she would return to-mor-
row, or next week, or next month, felt
no regret. Leontine, kiss you you are
grateful you know it is a sign of love.
L do love you, my dog, else l should
not embrace you. | do not remember
this woman ever placing her lips upon my
face.
"It was no loss. felt no need of kisses.
There was always plenty to eat in our
hut as child learnt to snare birds and
prepare them for the table we had a bit of
land where vegetables grew. lived the life
of an animal.
cit is almost wonder how learned to
speak for this at least can thank my
mother. When she was away talked to
the trees, and fancied 1 knew their Ian
guage as their branches bent and their
leaves rustled in the wind. Then l could
bark like dog. 1 have not done so since
1 have been on the isle. Listen, Leontine.
"Ha 1 startled you. Here is some
thing more. can send my voice outside
this hut, and can make you think we
are surrounded by your species. Listen
again.
81 have done fine thing. Leontine is
gone, searching for the bodies that gave
forth those sounds. cannot continue
without her companionship. will wait
till she returns.
''She is here, standing by my side, with
listening look in her eyes. l will fool
you no more, Leontine. Go, shut the door,
and rest in peace.
"The voices and songs of birds l also
learned to know and initiate. / was en-
tirely a woodland creature, and | cannot
say with truth that was unhappy; but l
was conscious of void in my life. De-
fine it l could not. / seemed to be waiting
for sign, and even, at times, to be yearn-
ing for it. That was because 1 was human.
ga task was given me to perform. Be-
yond the boundary was forest of deer,
which gentlemen amused themselves in
hunting When deer strayed within our
boundary I was to chase it over the border.
Of these events kept record in a small
book, and it was by this means l learned
to form written characters, and, imper-
fectly, to read. The records were simple,
and ran thus On such day, in the morn
ing, afternoon or night, there appeared a
deer, of such an age. l knew the age OF
the deer by It's antlers. 1t was an easy
task to brighten these gentle animals away;
but one day deer turned and evaded me,
and, when | hurt it with stone, attacked
me. I was gored and wounded badly, but
: the victory was mine. Then l knew that
was strong.
r My mother was terribly angry with
me, and said that if the gentlemen knew ]
had killed deer they would take my life.
ca Or should take theirs, l answered
am ready for another fight. 1t is rare
sport
60 You are fool, my mother said; 6 il
you crossed the path of a gentleman, he
would kick you aside
Why would he do that l asked, il
curiosity.
n 90 Look at yourself in clear water,
replied my mother, shaking her fist at me
g.-a,, go ,,,,t1,,, 1>ooet 49,. b,,n,or