St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-29

army.
The sun had gone down behind the
low horizon with the same effect that it
does at sea, and as we sat outside upon
couple of rude blocks of wood drink
ing our refreshing tea, the moon rose
up, shedding its soft light over the
mysterious scene; there was no sound
but the distant tinkle of sheep-beH
and the cracking of the little fire tina t
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 it have been with
one!
felt there was something more in my
profound acquaintance than had yet
learned, so lighted my pipe and began
to draw him out. 1t is curious that a
man being alone among dumb creatures
loses after time something of his hui
man expression and acquires that of his
dumb companions, and that a dog under
the same circumstances retains his in
dividuality. Here was man who, to
judge from his manner and speech,
must have been tenderly reared and
highly educated, and one too, who had
practiced the busy calling of the law;
the bright mind had become
faded and the human look of the
face changed almost to the blank ex-
preston Of sheep, while Il dog under
the same circumstances had retained
his perfect individuality. Jacks eyes
sparkled like diamonds. His character
was marked by intelligence, faithful
ness and affection. He would lie with
his head between his paws, and his
sharp nose flat on the ground, turning
up the whites of his eyes to watch us as
we talked. Now and again he would
heave a deep sigh of satisfaction, as
much as to say: "The old man is all
right tonight; he's got some one that
can talk to him."
questioned the shepherd about his
past life 1t seems he had been edu-
Gated at Elton; then became fast youth
in London. where he studied for the
law, and in short time rose to be a
successful barrister. He had married
early, and had one child-a daughter
born to him. After two years of welded
life he lost his wife and child. Despair
ingly he took to drink, and, being weak
and desperate. went down hill and lost
his position: that once lost in London is
seldom regained. Not so in America
Here, when man falls, if he has the
strength to brace up again, he goes
to the West, and rubbing up
against new society absorbs
fresh magnetism and recuperates
at once: but London is compact;
the Englshman hates to leave his home !;
his failings are known, and if he re-
mains they are flung in his face. There
is no escape for HIM; and, as his friends
shun him, he falls deeper into disgrace.
This was the trouble that had beset the
shepherd, who. having a sensitive and
weak mind, succumbed to the pressure
that surrounded him. And so, after a
time, with broken spirit, he left
| England and came to the colonies. He
| time successfully. but the old habit
came back upon him, and, as he could
not resist temptation, he buried himself
| on this station. This was the tale he
| told me, and there could be no doubt of
| its truth. After he had finished, he
| turned his strange, far-off look on me
again, and said: care you supersti-
| tious?"
.Well, think Lam a little. Most
| people are, ii they would own it," said
| I. II didn't use TO be-" he said, with a
sigh, ''but since Tve lived here l seem
| to have become so, and it's all Jacks
fault" The dog, not looking up, beat
his tail on the ground gently, as if to
say, Yes, blamaat all to me; it's all
my fault"
Il have never seen anything ghostly
or mysterious myself, but l think Jack
does sometimes. When we're alone
and God knows that's often enough
he'll start up and look around slowly,
as if his eyes we're following something
| in the hut; at these times he will give
low, strange kind OF a moan, and,
putting his tail between his legs, seem
to be frightened, peering up into
my face with an inquiring stare,
as he said, Don't you see
it, too?'" The dog during the recital
kept slowly beating time with his tail.
as if he were indorSing every word his
master said. ''After noticing this with
the dog" said the shepherd, II called to
| mind the strange look l used to see in
the beautiful face of my baby when she
was only six months old. The little
thing would sometimes stare at vacan-
| cy, and then smile sweetly and turn its
head around as if it were following
something-just as that dog does.
What's your opinion of this sort of thing?
Do you think the spirits Of those we
loved in life can return and stand be-
| side us?"
[ told him that his question was diff
cult one to answer; that different peO-
| pie held different opinions Oh these mys-
| FERROUS matters, and the chances were
| that nobody bad hit it quite right yet.
'sWell," said he, ''if they can come, l
know who it is that the dog sees when
we're alone"
1t was now getting late, and the shep-
herd insisted on my taking his couch,
an old canvas cot with a plain gray
blanket spread upon it; so, as | was
quite tired, accepted the offer, and lay
| down for nights rest. My companion
stretched his tall figure on the grass
outside. The dry climate of Australia
admits of this; there is no danger in
sleeping OH the ground; the chances are
| there would not be drop of dew during
| the night. and that the grass in the
| lay down between us, and seemed, by
one or two satisfactory signs that es-
capped him. to be quite happy.
| / was awake for some time, and, hap
I pening to look towards my new ac-
| uuaintance, found that he was lying
upon his back with the moon shining full
upon his pale face. l had heard that it
! was dangerous in this climate to sleep
| in the moonlight. People have been
| known to 90 mad, or to have been struck
with paralysis for committing this in
! discretion. l called to him to move into
the shadow, but he did not hear me; so,
thinking he had dozed off, l let him
| alone.
The stran geness of the scene, together
with the strong tea, seemed to Danish
| sleep from me, and l must have been
there an hour with my eyes closed. but
quite awake. when presently | heard
something stirring, and, opening my
eyes. saw the shepherd sitting up
in the doorway with his head resting
in his hands. After time he arose
and went out into the night air. He
seemed uneasy and began restlessly to
pace up and down in front of the hut.
The dog remained still. but felt that
he was awake and watching his master.
as he walked nervously backward and
forward in the moonlight. Presently
the shepherd stopped in front of the
hut, and came, with a hesitating, irreso-
lutte step, towards the door. He en-
tered slowly, and STOPPING down upon
his hands and knees, crawled stealthiy
| ol,oir ioI,