Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-01-30
Neuigon D0ss.

'While we waited at the head Of
! the Long Portage on the Nepigon
River for our half-breeds to carry up
the canoe" writes contributor. "a
wretched yellow dog crawled out Of
some alder bushes and looked at us.
His Ojibway masters, descending with
their winters take of furs, had aban-
doned him to starve. Poor creature
His ribs were almost through his
NANCY coat, his face shrunken to a
mere skull, his piteous eyes dreary
with sorrow and suffering.
".Ah, why did they leave me?' said
that sad old dog as plainly as it is here
written. why, after I had served
them so long, been kicked so much,
and loved them so dearly?'
'He crawled from the thicket just
to know whether there was any mercy
in the two white men. My friend
said, Poor old dog-poor fellow!' and
tossed him piece of bread. The dog
skunk back, hesitated, turned, crouched
low, crawled back towards the bread.
"'Poor fellow! poor old fellow!' we
said.
"Perhaps the tones encouraged him.
He ate, not ravenously, for he was too
far gone. All the while he looked
his gratitude, yet fearfully. At last
he lay down by our packs, saying
clearly enough, Let me be your dog
and watch for YOU He blinked his
aged thanks because we did not re-
fuse.
"Now when Antoine arrived, he
put down his end of the canoe, seized
a paddle, and walloped that woebe-
gone dog before we could hinder.
Afterward we tempted the creature
back out of the bushes to lick up
grease poured from frying-pan upon
a fiat rock. Antoine and Louis were
much disguised by this.
"At portage after portage we found
one or more such fOrSaken dogs. An
tome invariably pelted or kicked the
crouching creatures, while Louis
looked on with approval.
"'Oh, dey's no good; dey's too hol','
said the old man in reply to our re-
Dukes.
Sat the Island Portage we found
fine old dog whose joy at seeing Louis
was great. That stole looked on I'M
moved, while Antoine kicked the poor
brute away. In spite of this treat
ment, he followed along the eastern
shore as we padded up the river.
When we camped on the western side
he stood bowling dismally.
'The sun was far toward evening.
AS the deserted dog thought of night
Of starvation alone, he resolved to try
the desperate passage. Away the icy
current swept him. At hundred
feet out his courage faltered, and he ]
turned back. He had been ashore
but few minutes when his longing
for Louis sent him in again.
''Down, down he went. and the
rapids half a mile below yelled for his
life. 1t seemed impossible he could
escape; but his chin was borne up
bravely by Father Nepigon, and he
managed to win the point above the
Island Portage. Louis looked on
with perfect Indifference.
"'He's a brave dog, Louis. Why
don't you keep him?' l asked.
"'He wass good dog said Louis,
without concern. He was my brud-
der Narcisse dog OATS dead. Den my
brudder Francois took him.
.''It's a shame to leave him to
starve.'
"'Oh, hee's hol' now!' said Louis,
with surprise.
''Late that evening the wretched
dog skulked into camp We kept him
in trout during our stay. After that?
Well, one fancies him running his
strength away trying to catch Nepigon |
hares, and at last laying his tired old |
homes down to molder and bleach far |
away on the hills"