The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1890-04-05
RALPH, THE ROVER.

Mrs. George Archibald, in Judge.
RALPH, THE ROVER.
The Old Settlers Story Has a Fit
ting Climax.
"llere, Ralph! Ralph! Hi, you scamp!
Come back here, sir! There, he's gone!
Off for a two or three days tramp again.
Beg pardon, sir! I didn't see you. 1
was that busy calling the dog, reckon
nearly walked over you. The matter,
sir3 Well, it's that dog, Ralph. You
heard me call him, I dare say. A
grander old fellow you couldn't find in
a days travel, but he has one bad habit.
Most humans have more than that, and
/ 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
a 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, sniffin', sniff
fin 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, I don't
believe the ones livin' could steal him,
or fasten him up ever so tight he
couldn't get back, ever since-an' a
right queer way got him, too.
." is he mine? Well, yes, in one way;
an then no, in another. 1t was queer
story, anyway.
"Tell it, sir? Well, if I had time I
might. All, thank you, sir! A fine gen.
tleman like you can afford to be gener-
Gus.
Snow, let me see! AS near as I re-
member, it was June, two year ago, as I
come downstairs rather early one morn
ing, to lseht the fire for my old woman.
She warn't 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
kottle singin'-for joy of SEEM her, I'm
thinkin'.
''Mollie was always great one for
fresh air, so as soon as she saw that
every thin was goin' right in the kitchen
she walks to the front door, turns the
key, an opens it. .....
SWELL, quick as 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.
cam when followed her, blessed it I
don't see the FUNNIEST sightL ever did;
an there l stood, staring like an ape.
'You see, these seats on the porch are
comfor'ble to sit on, an with these vines
hangin' over this way, makes it most
as shut in an quiet-like as bedroom;
then the posts here an at the corners
form good rests for the back. Well,
anyhow, good or bad, right here, lean
in back in the most uncomf' blest way,
was the trampiest lookin' tramp I ever
saw, sound asleep. An on the seat be-
side him, with his head on the mans
lap, was the dandiest setter ever &C.
pect to see. A vallyble dog, sir, too, as
l knew's soon as [ set eyes on him. I
always know good dog, bein' rather in
the sportin' line myself; an this was
genuine Gordon setter.
swell, sir, suppose must have said
somethin', with surprise, for to wake
them both up. The dog turned the
cr1n S1c% 49, 49,
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 fateeg.' My eye! for the manners
of him could hardly believe he weren't
a swell cove, dressed in the latest fash
ion, and a full-blooded stopper at the
gate waitin' for him. .......
II know l must have stared at him
considerable, but, bless you, Mollie
didn't spend no time starin' till she'd
asked him into the kitchen, an when
the breakfast was ready she gave him,
an his dog too, good one.
Ellis feet were blistered with walkin'
in shoes that left half of his feet out
doors an half in; an as he could scarce
ly take step we made him stay with
US a day or so till they got better; but
he couldn't bear it, an the only reason,
I think, was that he was afraid of bur-
denim us. But, Lord! he did as much
for us as we did for him, I'll be bound.
He filled the yard with kindlin's, an 1
believe he'd "a chopped all the wood in
the village if Mollie hadn't seen his
hands all blistered an bleedin'. That
give him away, sure. "A gentleman
born,' says to myself when see those
hands.
''Thcn nothin' would do, but Mollie
must doctor an bandage them up for
him. An while she was dom it she
heard sound like child tryin' to cry.
an he just bends down an kisses her
hand, an then he says, kind of low an
choked-like, more like q groan than
words: %, 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 I went near him. He'd
smile upin Roberts face THAT was what
he told us,to call him) an hold on to his
finger like he was his nurse.
Nov, to be sure, sir, three days don't
seem much in a life, an you'll may be
5hink it foolish the store we set by both
man an dog before that time was
passed. Ralph would lay down beside
the baby's cradle, an nothin' would