Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-05-02
RALPH, THE ROVER.

"Here, Ralph! Ralph! Hi, you scamp!
Come back here, sir There, he's gone!
Off for two or three days tramp again.
Beg pardon, sir! didn't see you. l was
that busy calm the dog Ireckon nearly
walked over you. The matter, sir?
Well, it's that dog, Ralph. You heard
me call him, dare say. A grander old
fellow you couldn't find in days travel,
but he has one bad habit. Most humans
have more than that, and l amt sure in
my own mind that he amt human.
"' The habit?' Well, it's just this: he
will follow every blessed old tramp as
passes here, and keep followin' 'em,
sometimes, for two or three days. He's
queer one. Did you notice him just
now? Didn't see him? Well, he keeps
just far enough behind the fellows SO
they won't drive him back, snifin',
snifin' along, and kind of castin' his eye
back to let me know he's hearin' me but
not heedin' me. Just the same way he
acts every time he goes off. He'll be
back all right, when he does come; and
he's been actin that way ever since I've
had him. Stolen?' Why, sir, l don't
believe the ones livin' could steal him,
or fasten him up ever SO tight he couldn't
get back, ever since-an' right queer
way got him, too.
is he mine? Well, yes, in one way;
an then no, in another. 1t was a queer
story, anyway.
80 Tell it, sir? Well, if had time /
might, All, thank you, sir! A fine gen.
tleman like you can afford to be gener-
Gus.
"Now, let me sect As near as l remem-
Der, it was June, two years ago, as l
come down stairs rather early one morn
ing to light the fire for my old woman.
She warn very strong then; the young.
ster there was only a couple of months
old. an | was gettin' the things all handy
for her to get breakfast. When she come
down the fire was lightin' an the kettle
singin'-for Joy of seein' her, I'm
thinhin
'Mollie was always great one fol
fresh air, so as soon as she saw that
'verythin' was goin' right in the kitchen
She walks to the front door, turns the
key an opens it,
"Well, quick as a flash she came run
min back to me with her face kind of
white an scared
"'Oh, Jim! come out here to the door.
Quick, says she.
can when followed her, blessed if l
lont see the FUNNIEST sight ever did;
an there l STOOD starin' like an ape.
You see, these seats on the porch are
rather comfor'ble to sit on, an with the
vines hangin' over this way makes it
most as shat in an quiet like as bed
room; then the posts here an at the cor
ners form good rests for the back. Well,
anyhow, good or bad, right here, lean
I'M back in the most uncomfblest way,
was the trampiest lookin' tramp ever
saw, sound asleep. An on the seat be-
side him, with his head on the mans lap,
was the dandiest setter ever expect to
see. 4 vallyble dog, sir, too, as | knew IS
soon as / set eyes on him. ] always know
a good dog, bein' rather in the sportin
line myself: an this was a genuine Cor
don setter.
well, sir, l suppose must have said
somelhin, with surprise, for to wake
them both up. The dog turned the sol
em'est eyes round at me, askin' me not
to make so much noise; an the man, all
rags an tatters, yawned an set up. An
then, seem Mollie right behind me, I'll
be shot, sir, if he didn't stand up, take
off his piece of hat to her, an begin to
appolergise for settin' on our doorstep.
Said he'd been overcome with fateek.'
Ny eye! for the manners of him l could
hardly believe he weren't swell cove.
dressed in the latest fashion, with full
blooded stopper at the gate waitin' for
him
II know | must have stared at him
considerable, but, bless you, Mollie didn't
spend no time a starin' till she'd asked
him into the kitchen, an when the
breakfast was ready she gave him, an
his dog too, good one.
''His feet were blistered with walkin'
in shoes that left half of his feet outdoors
an half in: an as he could scarcely take
a step we made him stay with us day
or so till they got better; but he couldn't
bear it, an the only reason, think, was
that he was afraid of burdenin us. But,
Lord he did as much for us as we did
for him, I'll be bound. He filed the
yard with kindlin's, an l believe he'd "a
chopped all the wood in the village if
Mollic hadn't seen his hands all blistered
an blcedin That give him away, sure.
"A gentleman born says l to myself
when | see those hands.
"Then nothin' would do but Mollie
must doctor an bandage them up for
him. IN while she was doin' it she
heard a sound like child trying not to
cry, an he Just bends down an kisses
her hand, an then he says, kind of low
an choked like, more like groan than
words, oh, mother!
AN the way the little kid took to him
was caution. A mite like he was-no
sense at all; only puckered up his face
and cried when j went near him. He'd
smile apia Roberts face (that was what
he told US to call him) an hold on to his
finger like he was his nurse.