The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-11-26
RALPH, THE ROVER.

RALPH, THE ROVER.
"Here, Ralphl Ralph! Hi, you scamp!
Come back here, sir! There, he's gone!
Off for two or three days tramp again.
Beg pardon, sir! | didn't see you. !
was that busy calm the dog, reckon
nearly walked wei you. The matter,
sir? Well, it's that dog, Ralph. You
heard me call him, | dare say. A
grander older fellow you couldn't find
in a days travel, but ne has one bad
habit. Most humans have more than
that, and l amt sure in my own mind
that he amt human.
ssThe 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, %snitfin,
snif6n along, and kind of castin his eye
back to let me know he's hearing 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; n
he's been acting that way ever since
I've had him. 'Stolen:' Why, sir, l
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 l got him too.
SIS he mine? Well, yes, in n way;
an then no, in another. 1t was a queer
story anyway.
Tell it, sir: Well, if l had time |
might. All, thank you, sir! A fine
gentleman like you can afford to be
generous.
"Now, let me see! AS near as l re-
member, it was June, two year ago, as
[ come down stairs rather early one
morning to light the fire for my Old
She warn't very strong then;
the youngster there was only a couple
of months old, an l was gettin the
things all handy for her to get break
fast. When she come down the fire was
lightin an the kettle singin-for JOY OF
seem her, I'm thinkin.
"Mollie was always a great II for
fresh air, so as soon as she saw that
everythin was goin right in the kitchen
she walks to the front door, turns the
key an opens it.
well, quick as a flash she came run
| min back to me with her face kind of
white an scared.
"sOh, Jim. come out here to the door!
Quick! says she.
s.An when | followed her blessed it !
| don't see the FUNNIEST sight l ever did.
All there | stood, starin like an ape.
You see, these seats on the porch are
| rather comfor' BILE to sit on, an with the
| vines hangin over this way makes it
most as shut in an quietlike as a bed
room: then the posts here an at the cor
ners form good rests for the back. Well,
anyhow, good Or bad, right here, a-leanln
back in the most uncomf'blest way, was
the trampiest looking tramp l ever saw,
sound asleep. An on the seat beside
him, with his head on the mans lap,
was the dandiest setter I ever expect to
see. A vallyble dog, sir, too, as l knew
soon as l set eyes IN him. l always
know a good dog, being rather in the
sportin line myself, an this was a genu-
inc Gordon setter.
"Well sir, I suppose l must have said
somethin, with surprise, for to wake
them up. The dog turned the solem'est
eyes round to me, askin me 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 a hat to her, an begin to appel
ergise for settin on our doorstep. Said
he'd been overcome with fateek.' My
eye! For the manner of him l could
hardly believe he weren't a swell cove,
dressed in the latest fashion, with 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 a starin till she'd
asked him into the kitchen, an when the
breakfast was ready she gave him an
his dog, too, a good one.
"His feet were blistered with walkin
in shoes that left half Of his feet out
| doors an half in; an as he could scarcely
take a 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, |
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 ]
believe he'd "a chopped all the wood III
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.
ssThen nothin would do but Mollie
must doctor an bandage them up fol-
him. An while she was dom it she
heard a sound like a child tryin not tc
cry, all he just bends down an kisses
her hand, an then he says, kind of low
an choked like, more like a groan than
words, 'Oh, mother!
can the way the little kid took to him
was a caution. A mite like he was-nc
sense at all; only puckered up his face
and cried when | went near him. He'd
smile up in Roberts face (that was what
he told us to call him) an hold on to his
finger like he was his nurse.
"Now, to be sure, sir, three days don't
seem much in a life, an you'll maybe
think it foolish the store we set by both
man an dog before that time was passed.
Ralph would lay down beside the baby
cradle, an nothin would move him til
his master left the room; then he'd ge
up an shake himself, a s if it was tim'
to go, an he was goin.
"Mollie said he was human, an if eve.
a soul gets into an animals body hea
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