Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-05-09
AN USTRALIAN SHEPHERD


An 4 U,S7'RALTAN SHEPHERD.
From Joseph 'JeTerson's Autobiography, " now
running in the Century Magazinel
On one of my excursions, riding through
the blue gum forests Iof the interior of
Australia | had galloped about twenty
miles from the home station dismounting
| from the horse, | sat down to rest and take
a lunch. A large flock of cockatoos, those
beautiful white parrots with yellow crests,
| came circling around and lit in the trees
overhead. l was watching the curious
manpuvres of these birds as they were
chattering and hopping about among the
limbs, when they stopped suddenly as if
/ alarmed. Something was evidently ap-
preaching of which they were in dread.
| They set up an awful scream and with
tremendous futter spread their white wings
and sailed away. Just at this moment a
large black collie dog came bounding out of
the bushes and suddenly stopped IN front
of me- For moment | was startled. The
! dog paused and eyed me keenly, then com
~nnnd me, and at last
| ing slowly up walked iU~.--- 1"bich l
approached and licked my hand, ~ Z
! had held out to him. In a moment more
he bounded away, leaving me astonished at
! his strange conduct. | had never seen a
dog act in so singular a manner, and was
wondering what it could mean, when
sharp, joyful bark warned me that he was
returning and, sure enough, he had come
back wagging his tail and followed by
tall gaunt figure Of a man thinly clad,
barefooted. and with a wide brimmed,
frayed straw hat on his head. He was
| about fifty years of age, aud as he removed
. L.# I al
niiied bow, 1 could see that, though he was
undoubtedly shepherd, he had once been
a gentleman who had seen better days As
he stood bareheaded before me the wind
blew his long, thin, sandy hair about his
brow, and he regarded me with a strange,
far of look in his eyes, as if had been miles
away. met several shepherds after this,
and noticed that same strained expression.
They live so much alone sometimes being
three and four months without seeing hu-
man being, that they form this habit by
looking over the plains, hoping that they
may catch sight of some one TO relieve the
awful monotony Of their lonely lives.
Thank God God bless you, sir hope
you are quite well" he said There was
not much expression in the mans face. |
almost fancied that he looked like a sheep,
but there was enough to prove that he was
glad to see me ; and would have been to see
any one else, for the matter of that. 'Sit
down, my friend, and have some lunch
with me-" said |. Thank you, ! will,
said he. "Well, Jack, you are right, quite
right you always are, old boy This
was said to the dog, who never once took
his eve off his master but stood in front of
him wagging his affectionate tall that ex-
pressed as much love for the poor, tattered,
wasted shepherd as it could have done had
he been an emperor in purple robes. Yes,
always right and true, Ell, old boy T. The
dog answered by licking the shepherds
hand and rubbing his head against his mas
! ter's legs.
II knew you were here, said he. "You
knew | was here How could you tell
that What do you mean :" 'Oh, when
say that mean that knew it was friend,
or at least not an enemy and Jack knew,
if | didn't. About an hour ago, the dog
| began to get uneasy. He ran about shifting
the air and giving little short barks then
all of a sudden he broke away and left me.
| thought he was on the lookout for some
thing strange, so | just sat down among
the sheep and waited for him. Presently he
came back quite pleased at what he had
discovered then he gave some more of
those little short barks and ran off towards
impatently He could not have spoken
palmer if he had been a Christian. The
loving beust knows the lonely life lead,
and how | yearn sometimes for human
face to look at. That's why he went on so
God bless him 1t II be a shame for us
to live in the other world if Jack don't go
there. Look at him now can't you see in
his face that he knows that | have been
talking about him and every word I've
said, for the matter of that | believe"
And sure enough the look in the dogs face
was almost human.
The man now sat down quietly beside
me, and ate spariugly, and rather mechan
ically of the lunch, always sharing his NOR
sci with Jack. took out a flask of whisk-
ey, and, pouring out some of it into a cup,
offered my guest drink. His eyes beam
ed with a longing look as he saw the liquor,
and, turning on me a strange, frightened
look, said mo, none of that for me- Put
it away, please | don't like the sight of
it," 1t now dawned upon me that my
friend was a retired drunkard, who had
come out to this lonely part of the world
to avoid temptation | had heard that
there were many such in Australia, and
that the shepherds life was chosen as be-
ing the most isolated one that could be
found. l rose to take my departure, when
he put his hand gently ON my arm, and
with au appealing look said ''You won't
go back to night, will you It's too late.
| wish you'd stay in my hut tonight it's
so long since have seen a human face
over three months now. A man only
comes once IN a great while to bring pro
visions, and that's all we see of humanity
from one years end TO another. Do stay
tonight, won't you I" "Td like to oblige
you," l replied but they'll be uneasy
about me at the home station l must be
twenty miles from there now, and it
will be long after dark before l get back,
even at smart gallop' But are you
sure you know the way you might get
lost" said he. 'Oh, no I've only IN keep
on the banks of the Murray and Pm all
right"
The poor fellow hung his head, looking
the picture of despair. We'll - said l, I'm
stay" He frightened up at this. "How
far is your hut from here ~ l asked. "Not
a mile | assure YOU So he started off at
good pace, fearing l might change my
mind, l suppose. The dog bounded ahead,
barking away, and l followed on horse.
buck. We soon came upon his charge-a
large flock of sheep. As they heard the
dogs bark the stupid creatures pricked up
their ears and looked surprised, Just as if
they had never heard it before then they
took to their heels and galloped off, with
the dog in full pursuit, running first in
front, and then at the side, as some stray
wether showed disposition TO rebel, then
circling round and round till he got the fold
Just where lac wanted them He now went
in and out among the sheep as though Civ
ing orders that they were 10 put up for the
night. They seemed quite to understand
him. so they quietly lay down in little fam
lily groups. BY this time We had reached
the hut, and the dog came up wagging his
tail, as much as TO say, It's all right
there's none of them missing The hut
was built Of mud, sticks and straw, with
the hard earth for a floor. | hobbled my
horse so that he might browse about in
safety, the shepherd prepared cup of tea
the usual beverage Of the husband the
dog, not a whit tired stood bolt upright
overlooking his distant charge with the air
of general reviewing his army
The sun had gone down behind the low
horizon with the same effect that il does at
sea, and as we sat outside upon a couple of
rude blocks of wood, drinking our refresh
ing tea, the moon rose up shedding its soft
light over this mysterious scene there was
no sound but the distant tinkle of a sheep
bell and the cracking of the little fire that
was boiling the tea. The smoke went
straight and silently up into the still air
the loneliness was bad enough with two
men-what must il have been with one
felt there was something more in my
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