Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-05-12
THE LOCK.KEEPER'S STORY.
BY HERBERT STANDING.

"Do you believe in the transmugrif-
cation of souls, SIR" was the rather
puzzling question put to me by the
keeper of D. lock between Henley and
Oxford.
[ was staying with some friends up
the river, who had placed their steam
launch at my disposal, and having to
frequently pass backwards and for
wards through the lock, the lock-keep-
er-whom | found to be very anus
ing character-and had come to un-
derstand each other.
One day in passing through the lock,
[ noticed an old black retriever dog.
The wife of my host, who was on the
launch with me. called the dog to her;
however, no coaxing could persuade
him to come near the lock; but upon
our return journey she again called
him. He rushed to the side and de-
voured some biscuit she threw him.
"Come, partner" said the lock-
keeper, and to my utter astonishment
the dog Ia very old one) stood upon
his hind legs and helped the lock-keep-
er to open the gates.
After dinner, instead of Joining the
ladies, lit cigar and made my way
to the boat-house, where [ took q
canoe and padded quietly down the
river. AS I approached the lock I
heard the voice OF my friend thelock
keeper, who was sitting on the gate
moking his pipe.
"Going through tonight, sir ?"
"No," [ said, ST have come to have
a chat with YOU"
nj cir ho
proud" at the same time making
room for me beside him.
ga nice balny night, sir? ?"
eyes," I said, s'have cigar?"
'Thank'ee kindly sir. Ali" he
struck a light, las you come along in
your canoe, sir, [ was a-thinking of
our conversation the other day about
the transmugrifcation of souls, re-
latin, as [ may say, to my dog Jim.
Here he is, sir, as you see, at my feet
as usual. I know as its furrin word,
or, as you may say, q sort o religion
as them black fellers kind o. believes
IN. Let me tell my story about this
ere dog, and I'll leave you TO Judge
for yourself, sir, whether there's any
thing in it.
zone summer night fifteen years
ago, was a-sittin' ERE on this very
spot where [ am sittin' now, a-smokin'
my pipe and thinkin'- thinkin' O,
somethin' as had never 'appened be-
fore, and as never 'appened since
leastways to me.
"You must know, sir, married late
In life, my wife being a good bit young
er than myself.
''On the afternoon O. that day as
I'm tellin' yer of, q little baby-boy
was born to US, being the first and
only one; and, as I said afore, was a.
sittin' on this seat, about 9 O'Clock in
the evening feelin' a bit proud like
and happy, as to think as somethin'
lad come to be-as | hoped then-a
bit of comfort to me in my old age-a
boy that should be proud of, and
who would take my place here, or may
be do better things Ia the world after
wards, or help me when he was a-grow-
ing lad, and when [ was a-gettin' bit
stiff in the Johnston lockkeepin' Amt
all play, sir; and a. turnin' water on,
and a-turnin' water off, from one
years end to another, pals on you
after a time, sir.
''Well, as [ was a-sayin', here was a.
sittin'-you must. excuse me, sir, if Ire
peats myself like, but being no schol-
lard, must tell my story in my own
way-when heerd g. little faint cry, a.
whining noise. [ listened a mint, my
nerves being a. bit on the kivey vivey,
as they say. 'Taint my boy says.
Then heerd g. scratchin' noise, then
a faint cry again. why, it's a pup
| says, 'or something very much like
it, as | crossed the bridge of the lock.
STOPPING down in the darkness, close
to me, right under my nose, was g.
small basket with the lid 'arf open,
and sure enough a pups head a-stick-
In out. What the matter, little
chap?' l says, a-drorin' i'm and the
basket out of the water. Been a-try-
in to do for you, have they?' I says
and it seemed somehow or other to
put me in mind OF the little chap in
side. takes it indoors, the pup, sir;
put him down before the fire, wraps
him up in an old coat of mine, and
warns some DC lk for him. Her yer
are, missus,' / said, here's another
baby for you, but of = different pat
tern
''Well, sir, after an hours time the
pup was a-sittin' up before the fire,
looking as perky as could be; and un-
common fond he's been O. me ever
since, said he, patting the dogs head
as it lay at his feet.
"Well, sir, the pup throve, 80 did
my boy, and it appeared to me as
they thoroughly understood one an
other as they grew up.
'Never away from each other, play
ing round, always larking-the boy a.
larffn, and the dog a-barkin'.
'When my boy could read well-for
was always careful as far as | could
be to give him a good education-the
games as he and this 'ere dog got up
to was regular wonderful to me. And