The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-16

home in gloomy frame of mind.
just back of the house is a 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 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 WeX, 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 II 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 at!'' l
was just going to scramble down
and run like mad for the spot, when l
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 a baby as we ran to the
spot, to find wee Dot picking posies and
the dog rolling over and over on the
ground in Il very fit of delight. lie
knew he had done a brave thing as well
as we did, and when he saw us he be-
gan barking joyfully, receiving our
words of praise as understandingly as
if he had been human.
Aft 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
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driven him out 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
ravincs. Mother did not want us to go,
but father said WeX would take care
of us, and as | 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: "Go 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 WeX, 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 | were sorry for him, and getting
hold of his hands, we set off for home
on the trot. l was only worried about
the dog, for you see he had come to us
and | was always afraid he would some
time go back to his old home, and l
didn't see how we were to get on with
out him. We made the house that night
much sooner than usual, and our first
inquiry was for him.
To our dismay we found he started at
three as usual Che never had to be told
any more) and no one had seen him
since. He did not return that night,
and | tell you it was tough to start off
for school next morning without him,
but we did it, Bert was afraid, but he
wouldn't stay at home, promising not
to cry, though. A whole week went
by and the dear old dog did not come
back. We boys were just miserable,
and Dot tcased all the time for her
"WeXy."
Father would have taken us from
school, but it closed the day before
Christmas, the teacher being uneXpect-
edly called away, and theuboard did not
think it worth while to hire another
teacher for so short time as the rest
of the term. We were glad to have it
end, being tired of the long, lonesome
walk without our four-footed guard,
though we would not have owned it to
father OF mother.
We were very merry that last day of
school and set off for home in high
spirits. 1t had been dark, gloomy day
and as we set off Lon said:
SIT will be pitch dark before we get
home. Let's hustle"
SO each grasping hand of Bert, who
looked ready to cry, we started off at IL
brisk pace. We hadn't gone far when
heard Bert sobbing and asked him
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