Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-21

stuffed into the bedding roll, two miles from
the tumult of the barracks, lies the Trap.
1t is an old dry well, shadowed by twisted
pipal tree, and fenced with high grass.
Here, in the years gone by, did Private
Ortheris establish his depot and menagerie
for such possessions living and dead as
could not safely be introduced to the bar
rack room. Here were gathered Houdin
pulIets, and fox terriers of undoubted pedi-
gree and more than doubtful ownership, for
Ortheris was an inveterate poacher and pre-
eminent among regiment of neat-handed
dog stealers.
Never again will the long lazy evenings
return wherein Ortheris, whistling softly,
moved surgeouwise among the captives of
his craft at the bottom of the well; when
Learoyd sat in the niche, giving sage coun-
sci on the management of "tykes," and
Mulvaney, from the crook of the overhang-
ing pipal, waved his enormous boots in
beDediction above our heads, delighting us
with tales of love and war, and strange ex-
periences of cities and men.
Ortheris-landed at last in the 'little
stuff bird shop" for which your soul longed;
Learoyd-back again in the smoky, stone
ribbed North, amid the clang of the Brad
ford looms; Mulvaney-grizzled, tender and
very wise Ulysses, sweltering on the earth
work of a Central India line-judge if
have forgotten old days in the Trapi
Orth'ri as allus thinks he knaws more
than other foaks, said she wasn't real laady,
but nobbut q Hewrasian. don't gainsay
as her cutler was a bit doosky like. But
she was laady. Why, she rode in car
riage, an good 'osses, too, an her 'air was
that oiled as you could see your faice in it.
l. i H.
an silk an satin dresses as nun a. cost a
deal, for it isn't cheap shop as keeps
enough O. one pattern to fit a figure like
hers. Her name was Mrs. DeSussa, an t.
waay I COON to be acquainted wi her was
along of our Colonel's laadv's dog Rip.
I've seen vast O. dogs, but Rip was t
prettiest picter of oliver fox-tarrier at liver
/ set eyes on. He could do owt you like but
speak, an t Colonel's laady set more store
by him than if he had been a Christian.
She had BARNS of her avn, but they was i
England, and Rip seemed to get all t.
coodlin' and pettin' as belonged to bairn
by good right.
But Rip were bit on a rover, an he'd a
habit o. breakin' out O. barricks like, and
trottin' round t plaice if he were t. canton
ment magistrate COON round inspectin'.
The Colonel feathers him once or twice, but
Rip didn't care, an kept on gooin' his
rounds, wi his taail a. Vaughn as If he were
flag signallin' to t world at large at he
was 'gettin' on nicely, thank We, and how's
yo'sen?', An then t. Colonel, as was noa
sort of hand W a dog, tees him oop. A
real clipper of dog, an it's noa wonder
you lady, Mrs. DeSussa, should TEX a
fancy tiv him. Theer's one o. t. Ten Com
mandments says you maun't cuvvet your
neebor's OK nor his jackass, but it doesn't
honf &c -
tho:'s t. reason why Mrs. DeSussa cuvveted
Rip, tho she went to church reg'lar along
wi her husband, who was so much darker
at if he hedn't such a good cooat tiv his
back yo might ha' called him a black man
and nut tell lee nawther. They said he
added his brass i jute, an he'd rare lot
on it.
Well, you seen, when they teed Rip T. up,
poor AVID lad didn't enjoy very good 'elth.
So t Colonel's laady sends for me as 'ad a
naame for bein' knowledgeable about dog,
an axes what's ailin' wi him.
''Why," says 1, she's getten t mopes,
an what he wants is his li0baty an coom-
pany like t rest on us; wal happen rat or
two 'ud liyen him oop. It's low, num-"
says 1, sis rats, but it's t nature of a dog;
an soa's euttin' round an meetin' another
dog or two an passin' T. time O. day, an
hevvin' bit of turn-up wi him like
Christian"
So she says her dog maun't niver fight an
noa Christians liver fought.
''Then what's a soldier for?" saws I; an L |
explains to her t contrary qualities of q
dog, at, when yo' COON to think ont, is one
O. L curusest things as is. For they larn to |
behave theirsens like gentlemen born, fit for |
t fost O. cOompany-they tell me t Wildly |
herself is fond of good dog an knaws one
when she sees it as well as onnv body; then, !
on t'other hand, a-tewin' round after |
cats an gettin' mixed oop i all manners o.
blackguardlv street rows, an klllin' rats
an fightin' like devils.
T Colonel'S lady says: "Well, Learovd,
/ doant agree wi you. but you're right in a
way O. speeakin, an / should like yo' to
tex Rip out a-walkin' WI you sometimes;
but yo' maun't let him fight, nor chase cats,
nor do nowt 'orrid;" an them was her very
wods.
Soa Rip an me gooes out a-walkin' O.
eyenin's, he bein' dog as did credit tiv' a
man, an l catches a lot O. rats an we he'd a
bit of match on in an AVID dry swimmin'
bath at back o. t cantonments, an it was
none SO long afore he was as bright as a
button again. He he'd a way O. fyin' at
them big waller pariah dogs as If he was a
harrow ofan bow, an though his weight
were nowt, he tux EN- so suddint-like they
rolled over like skittles in q hallev, an
-hen they coot he stretched after 'em as if
were rabbit-runnin'. Same with cats
ben be cud get t. cat gaate O. runnin'.
One evenin' himtan' me was trespassin'
ovver a compound wall after one of them
at he'd started, an we was busy
grubbin' round pickle-bush, an when we
looks up there was Mrs. DeSussa VII
pa rasel ovver her shoulder, a-watchin' us.
sob, my!" she sings out; 'there's that
lovelee dogl Would he let me stroke him,
Mister SOLDIER"
"Aye, he would, num-" sez 1, "for he's
fond O. laady's company. Come here, Rip,
an speak to this kind lady" An Rip,
seein' AT t mongoose he'd getten clean
AWAY, cooms up like t gentleman he was,
nivver a hauporth shy nor okkord.
An at lung length it cooms out at she'd
Rip tor many day. Yo' see, her childer
was grown up, an she'd nowt mich to do an
were allus fond of a dog. Soa she axes me
if I'd tex somethin' to dhrink. An we ]
goes into t drawn-room, wheer her husband
was a-settin'. They meks gurt fuss ovver
{ dog, an has bottle o aale, an he gave !
me handful o. cigars
Soa 1 coomed away, but t avid lass sings
out: "oh, Mister Soldier, please COON again
an bring that prettee dog"
didn't let on t colonel's laadY about
Mrs. DeSussa, an Rip, he says nowt
nawther; an l gooes again, an ivLy time
there was good dhrink an handful o.
good smooabs. An telled the AVID lass
heeap more about Rip than I'd ever heeard;
how be TUX t fost prize at Lunnon dog-show,
and cost thotty-three pounds tower shill;n'
from Z man as bred him; at his own brother