The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-05-16
JuBA AND TINE GHOST.

tSc hSHfn Issfe"'s NHNsS ~ "Ns@Se"~
right Of osnership 10 refer 10 him ~ ,
'ornery cur but this oontenptuons ~
pellaiioa Vas more descriptive than sccu
rate. for JHbs united In himself dozs
strains OF blood and belonged 10 DO rae
Of dogs 10 particular.
He bad the heavy lower jaw oi Lull
dog, the deep intelligent eyes OF Sco,c
collie and the vaiehinlness and agility .
. terrier. bni somehow these ehsrActeiis
tics refused 10 blend hsrmoniously 10 bin
aud bis best friend would have been force
TO TALL back on the darky's description an,
admit that be was ''ornery" looking.
He was dog that you would have know
at glance vas . nesro's dog You bav
seen thousand snch 10 the cane. or corn
or cotton fields guarding dinner pail. o.
doing on ragged old coat st the end O
the turn row." faithful seotinels even ID
sleep Of the poor tressurera they are set e
watch. There u always something trifls
pathetic 10 the affection that exists between
these outcsst dogs and their masters q
kind Of comrsdeship between those who
have drawn blanks 10 the lottery Of life,
and who cling together 10 community OF
misfortune.
II was JUDAS destiny TO be born on 4
fine wheat and tobacco farm in Tennessee
whose owner was o connoisseur 10 does'
and who had . scorn for q scrub dog onl '
less than bis contempt for horse without
a pedigree. So Juba was very nearly be
ing drowned for the sins OF bis ancestors,
when Uncle Nose. the old negro overseor.
interposed and saved him. Whether II
was that Juba looked upon Uncle Nose as
bis saviour. or whether be was naturally
OF 40 aflectionate disposition, must ever
remsin conjecture, but from the fret
there was remarkable affection between
the old man and his dog.
Jubs ain't settin' up 10 be no plumb
beauty, be would say sententiously when
any one criticised his pet; but he's a pow
etful peart dog en- mighty known. Lord
des believe dat dog could teach a school |
master grammar Of be had dc use OF his
tongue.
II really seemed to matter little to the
old man, though. that his constant com
plnion did not have the ''use of bis ton
que" As they trudged fieldward In the
dewy mornings. and in the long evenings
when Nose sat and dreamed before his
0 ,bin fire with the dog at bis feet. it real.
ly seemed as il JUDAS love was strong
enough to bridge over the gulf that separ-
Ates the human aud the mere brute.
But perhaps JUDAS chief charm was bis
He was sober minded
dog, who never rushed off on hair Drained
excursions on the wrong scent; be never ,
'oretold disaster by bowling at the moon
" freed imaginary possums up the wrong !
yum tree. He was not brilliant dog, and !
he was keeny conscious Of lis own defects :
When the brown partridges bid in the
tubble in autumn, and the settlers and
,ointers we're brought out. Juba would 4
|rop his ears that we're greatly the worse A
or having been "chawd" in q fight. aud
link dejectedly away. a
These disadvantages. however, counted !,
,r nothing in Uncle Moses eyes. !,
Talk about yo' pintors en- settlers en-
heep dogs EN- whut yo' mind to, dey amt :
sry one Of dem can hol candle TO Juba !,
hen hit comes to treein possums and var. :,
lints, the old man would say, and then
3 would drop bis voice to q whisper and 4,
Id. Lswd, dey amt nothin' can stop dat !,
,g, not even sperrin,s en- hants, en- one !
ne he treed ghost :,
When Uncle Nose remem bered the pos !.
I'm hunt' be and Juba had taken togeth =
be loved him as VIC DO an old friend =,
ho has shared onr lsbors and our tri =.
nphs. but when he thought OF the ghost -
, revered Jubs as his preserver. :.
1t happened years and years ago and il =
as in the early fall, when the wild grapes
ing from the heavy vines 10 purple beau. -
, when the haw trees bend under the
.iebt OF their own crimson and black =.
rries. when the pawpaws fall TO the s.,
ound with their own weight and lie there Ar,
luscious ripeness, and the persimmons =
cam like ruidy gold amidst their dark ~.
cen leaves 1t is then that the possun
fsttesi and most tootbsome, and he falls !.
0 easiest victim to the hunter. No one ~.
ew this better than Uocle Nose, and for ,
ys, as be bent above the heavy tobacco. 81.
" splotched with dusky yellow and al -.
,st ready for the knife. be chnckled to -,
nself Is be looked over d the forest that
rted the new ground" and thought -
,ut the possums isttening in Il. ~,
iou better be sooplin Of yo'sef. ole !.
!, he would say 10 Juba, Who was. ~ !
lsI, following close upon his heels .
70 the tobacco row. you better be 80
pin yo'sef case possums 10 powerful -.
" and peart in 'simmon time. -.
lie dark Of the moon is the traditional
son among the negroes for possum and -
q hnn.ing, aud the night sfter the !. !,
ru" found dozen or more stalwart =
roes st Uncle Moses cabin ready for -.
projected hunt Some carried torches =
ers sxes to cut dosn trees. IL necessary -.
o clear way through the undcrbrush. :.
sore OF so OF monsrel dogs yelped and =
nng around in suHious expectancy. As 49,
al. Uncle Nose With Jubs. alert but !. !,
4, st Lis heels stood In the midst OF al,
group. snd il VAS he who led. striking !, :
down the path towards the woods. !, :,
vas picturesque sronp enough. ss erer
threaded ,heir way through the dim ore,
b OF the forest The light showed the tale