Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-09-13

on tho frontier where Indians were danger
Gus, and she did 90, though IL almost broke
baby's heart TO lose him. To keep him from
returning, his eyes were bandsged and he
was taken away In a wagon
Three years passed, and the family had al
most forgotten him. But Purp had not forgot
ten. Out on the frontier he had been per-
feet terror to prowling Ind ians, and had
proved himself Of great value to his owners
Often during the first year they had detected
him In attempts to go home and were in the
habit Of claiming him up for weeks after
these efforts; finally he seemed to abandon
the idea altogether.
An Indian who had a habit of hanging
around the settlement made up his mind to
kill Purp. One night he got hold Of a gun
belonging to farmers boy and loaded IL
with buckshot. Then he watched his
chance when the dog went short distance
from his masters house and deliberately
shot him
It was tho evening Of a long, sultry day,
just as twilight was darkening into night,
that Baby came running to her mother
frightened.
"Somethin's out thar, ma she said, "out
thar by the fence; somethin' skeery. Hits
a-groanin' just like spook.'
Maria went out and 80 did John. The
animal whined recognition, spd tried to
get on its feet
"Why, it's Purp," said John, whose keen
hunter eyes were rarely at fault "Its
Purp, as shore Us tho world; fetch light,
quick; he's a-dyin', believe"
verything was commotion instantly.
One brought a candle, another water and
food. He tried todrink but could not. HIS
oyes searched the group anxiously, and
when the light fell on Baby, who stood in
her mothers shadow, his whine rose TO
half joyous, half painful cry as be en-
deavored to drag himself toward her.
Baby knelt down and took his head in her
arms, and there, with his eyes riveted upon
her face, he died.
The faithful creature with his body full Of
buckshot had made his way back through an
almost trackless country for two hundred
miles, with the instinct OF wounded thing
to turn to the one love Of its life as its only
hope and salvation. And that hope had
sustained him, had beaten death back and
little mistress with a guidance finer than
reason, guidance comparable with nothing
but the faith that fastens on heaven and
clings to heaven and in spite Of every draw
back reaches heaven at last
The story Of them purps'' is ended. But
about year afterwarl an event took place
80 nearly allied with the history Of these
poor, insignificant lives that I will record it
here.
A little girl lay dying. She was little,
bronxed country girl, with sunburnt, yellow
halt over the round head that looked like
ds delion gone to seed. Two bright eyes,
full Of anxiety, shone forth from the sweet
face paling in death.
MA" she was saying. ~ can't die:
don't want to go to heaven 'mong all the
fine folks thar. I'm ateard of 'em; they're
proud, ma; I know they're proud, just
flrtin' round in their white dresses and
never noticin' country folks only scornful
like ldon't want to 60 thar. ma. Amt
there some other nice comfortable place
whar pore angels go. Whar do dorgs 60,
ma, Whar did Purp go when he diedi I'd
like to go thar"
Marias theology was at fault on this
point, but John pressed forward and took
his dying child in his arms.
"Purp went to heaven, honey" he said.
Jest as shore as God is God dorgs hev their
part in the inheritanc,. I've studied 'em
now for nigh onto forty yer, and ef they
amt got no souls nobody has Be comfortei.
my sweet honey, you'll SEQ Purp thar: and
your little Daisy, she's thar, too, awaitin'
for ye. You'll be took good keer Of. Paps
baby'll be all right with her old friends,
and pretty soon pap'll come to hit, and ma
and all will he well with hit"
Thus comforted the little soul took refuge
from her fear OF the aristocratic angels in
the thought Of her dogs; and promising to
wait pa iently for ma and pap, gave each
OF them her little hand in a last farewell
AMI smilingly died. HELEN WMNANa
CHICAGO, Sept. ..