The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-09-17

funny to see the little thing laugh and |
giggle as the big dog carried her along.
She never was one bit afraid, and
loved Wex as dearly as we did.
Another thing he'd do was to lift her
to the top of a stone wall, or over a
fence to us. He used to tear her dress
sometimes, but mother thought she did
it scrambling through the brush.
One day mother wanted some blue
| berries for pies and sent us boys after
them, keeping Dot in the house until
we were out of sight, as it was too far
for her to follow. WEEK went along as
| usual, but soon left us-something he
had never done before. We were sur
prised and alarmed, fearing he had run
away, and, when our pals were full
and he did not return, we set out for
home in gloomy frame of mind.
just back of the house is long, mar
row field, surrounded by broad stone
wall, where the sheep and calves pas
ture. We never went through it be-
cause there was an ugly buck with the
sheep we were all afraid of. We had
gotten nearly to this field when we
were surprised to hear Wex barking
and growing at furious rate. There
were so many bushes about, we could
see nothing, so Bert Skinned up a tree
to look. ''Oh, boys!" he cried, excited
ly, IF Wex amt having fight with
Judas"
Judas was the ugly buck and Lon
and were not long in climbing up to
see the fun. Sure enough, there was
the dog and sheep having furious set
to, but we thought both acted dread
full funny. The sheep seemed always
trying to get past WEEK. which the dog
prevented by knocking him over, just
by throwing his big body against him.
Of course the dog could have killed the
sheep in minute, but he never offered
to bite him. We were quite puzzled by
such curious actions until all at once
caught sight of Dots dress just back Of
where the noble dog had taken his
stand. My heart fairly stood still a
minute, then crying: ''Oh, boys, it's
Dot the buck is trying to get att" l
was just going to scramble down
saw the brave old dog rush up to the
child, seize her clothes in his mouth
and lifting her from the ground make a
dash for the stone wall. Judas rushed
furiously after him, but Wex gained it
first, leaped upon and over it with his
precious burden. Every one of us was
crying like baby as we ran to the
spot, to find wee Dot picking posies and
the dog rolling over and over on the
ground in a very fit of delight He
knew he had done brave thing as we'll
as we did, and when he saw us he be-
gan barking joyfully, receiving our
words of praise as Understandings as
if he had been human.
After that mother liked him better,
and never said anything more about
, sending him away. She tried to make
friends with him, but he was pretty
offish. He didn't forget how she had
driven him ont with the broom, and he
!, always growled if he saw her with one
in her hand.
We began going to school that sum-
mer. A long lonely two-mile walk
! through heavy woods and dark rocky
ravines. Mother did not want us to go,
but father said Wex would take care
of us, and as l was twelve and the
others nine and ten, he thought it was
time we began. So every day We went,
Wex going as far as the schoolhouse
; door and then going home at our COM
mand. At three o'clock father would
say to him: $50 for the boys" and he
never failed to meet us at the begin
; ming of the wood. 1t went on thus all
summer, never anything happening to
make us afraid.
When the term was out we picked
berries for mother, helped father what
we could about the crops and gathered
a big store of nuts for winter. The
weather was fine when school began
again in November, and after some
coaxing we were allowed to go, Wex
always accompanying us as before.
Snow held off late that fall and up to
the first of December the ground was
still bare. 1t was cold, though, as
Greenland, and our ears and fingers
tingled more than once before we
reached the schoolhouse. We didn't
care for that, for we were as tough as
young bears, and enjoyed out-of-door
life. be it hot or cold.
) Everything went all right for several
) weeks and then one night the dog
failed to meet us. 1t got dark early in
those days, and the lamps were always
lighted when we reached home. When
we had gone few rods in the dark
woods, and calling and whistling failed
to bring WEEK, Bert, who you know was
only nine, began to cry, and then we
found out for the first time that the
little fellow was not brave. Well, Lon
and l were sorry for him, and getting
hold of his hands, we set off for home
on the trot. was only worried about
the dog, for you see he had come to ut
and was always afraid he would some.
time go back to his old home, and
didn't see how we were to get on with
out him. We made the house that night