Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-10-20
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''Yes, we all liked Ralph, an Robert
even more. The fact is he was q real
gentleman, thar was plain enough,
brought down as low as he was by Lord
only knows what. But true gentle.
man, an ! know the right kind when !!
see them. He never let on for one m.
m'nt~ S"'".-s.- sI----- -
"The dog was sittin beside him, with
his head restin on Roberts knee, when |
says, kind of slddenlike:
"I bet Ralph's very vallyble dog,
Robert
"'Yes, yes he says, sort of slow.
Too vallyble,' stroking Ralph's head
with lovin hand, while the dog looked
at him with just as much love. Twas
the humanest eyes you would ever see,
sir.
"'He's worth great deal of money
he said again, after a moments thinkin.
4 am very sorry for it sometimes. I've
been in many hard straits at times, an
I've been afraid-aye, afraid of myself
that I'd be tempted to sell him. Not
while l was myself, old fellow, you un-
derstand, but when was the brute l
sometimes am
"By George, sir! You wouldn't believe
it, dare say, but I'd take my affydavy
that dog looked up, sort of sadlike, and
shook his head.
''To make the story short-though, all
told, it was not so very long-when we
came down stairs the next morning
Ralph lay on the floor guardin his mas
ter's stick, but his master wasn't no
where round.
"Tell me the dog didn't know! He
knew as well as we did why it was done;
that the master he loved an who loved
him had left him, but he had been told
to watch the stick, an with the saddest
eyes an droopin he lay there all day
long. An truly believe if we hadn't
got the stick away from him and burned
it he'd "a been watchin it yet.
can his master? Yes, sir; gone
clean gone. An we've never heard a
word of him since. Ungrateful? No,
sir; / don't take it so. Think he couldn't
trust himself with the dog he loved,
when he was himself, you see, an SO he
left him where he knew he'd be well
taken care of. Yes, that's the way see
it anyhow. An then he got SO far away
before the dog would quit watching that
the scent was lost for poor Ralph. But
he amt never give up. Not day, sir!
"Dop Well, there's not q tramp
comes past here-an the worse looking
they are the wilder he is to get after
them, sniffin at their tracks, and then
his tail will drop SO disappointedlike,
yet he'll keep ON an follow EN- for day,
or maybe three days, till he gets sure he
amt comm to his master, when he'll
come back. Seems to me as if he kind
of thought they might know him. How
does he find out they don't? Bless you,
sir, don't ask me, but dogs know a heap
more than people think.
''He ought "a been named Rover, for
he's been in more different places round
here than I have an always turns up all
right when he's settled the matter.
why! amt that him now, a-sniffin
along the other road? Of course it is.
Well, now, how'd he got over there,
wonder; seems as if he was scentin
somethin, don't it?
eli, Ralph! Ralph! All! there he
comes, a-boundin along towards us Just
as he used to go for his master. Looks
as if he thought he could find him, sure.
See, now! Amt he a beauty?
"Here, Ralph! Good old fellow! Come
here, sir! Eh! Whatl Straight for you,
sir, he's gone, without look for me!
All over you in minutel A fine gen
tleman like you! What! you, you, sir!
Robert! Great Scott! An Ralph knew
you'll Well, well; 1 give in. Dogs is
human!-M. Warren Hale in Pittsburg
Bulletin.