Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-02-17
OLD sHEP.
The Pathetic Story of a Faithful
Shepherd Dog.

mer, buying wool for one of the great
commission houses of Boston, put up
one evening at the sheep ranch of Joel
Weideman, ION Spring creek, in Meagher
county.
Joel was known as the sheep king of
the county, which was the same as say
ing that he was rich and prosperous,
and the owner of large herds of sheep;
but he had another title among the
ranchers that was still more honorable
to him; it was Honest Joel"
Now the reason tell you this is that
am going to ask you to believe story
that might seem improbable, if you did
rot know that the man who told it to
me bore very high reputation for ver-
acity among his neighbors
The evening was at the ranch was
n most delightful one. I was sitting on
the verandah of their great log house,
enjoying the landscape and chatting
with Joel and his wife and his charm
ing daughter Nellie, when my eye was
attracted by singular object in such
O. place.
1t was shaft of shining white mar
bic, four feet high, standing on the
edge of the bank of the rapid creek
that flows through the ranch. So much
was my curiosity excited, that / rathe,.
abruptly excused myself ta-sf,,v hostess
and sauntered QyelsEso tho sno. 90 go.
|. .ssssssmss.. it could be.
When reached the small monument
for such it was-I was not greatly en-
lightened as to what it commemorated
On its face, halfway up, was chiseled
the head of shepherd dog; under the
head were the words: "Died on Duty"
and across the base in large letters
was the single word, "Shep."
When | returned to the veranda, !
asked my host to whom the stone was
erected.
He answered, with evident emotion,
1T is the grave of the noblest fellow
that ever lived"
WAS he a relative of yours?" ash ed.
No, no! No relation; but the BEST
friend ] ever had. l might not have
had a cent to-day, were it not for old
Shep. But he did more than that-he
saved the life of my daughter Nellie
here, and he died in trying to save my
property. He was only dog; but he
had better sense and kinder heart
than most any man Lever knew.
you would like to hear the story,
and viii tell you it, though 1t is pain
full for us to recall to our minds one OF
the most terrible experiences we have
known in our lives, which have been
unusually filed with hardship.
''When took up this land, nearly
twenty years ago, was very poor, and
had to take band of sheep to care for,
getting one-half the ins-ease from the
owner for my work.
''In the course of few years, my
share gave me enough to start herd Of
my own, which increased to nearly
three thousand head at the time wher
this incident happened / was com
PEELED to keep a man to herd the sheep
while did the work about the ranch
"One day in February my herdel
quit me without any notice, and was
left in an awkward predicament.
MY wife was sick in bed, and there
was no one about to herd the sheer
while went to the village to look w
another man.
81 hardly knew what to do, for the
sheep could not be kept in the CORA
to starve while l was away, nor coult
turn them loose on the prairie, to bt
lost or eaten by coyotes. My wife and
were discussing the question, when my
little girl Nellie, who was then ten year.
old climbed up on my knees and said
"'Father, it's going to be mic,
weather tomorrow, and Shep and
can take care of the sheep for one day
just as we'll as any man, can't we
Shepg'
"And our old dog answered with 8
bark and wag of his big, bushy tail
that those were his sentiments
eve had brought the dog up from s
pup, and we all thought nearly as much
of him as though he was child, Shep
herd dogs are usually very intelligent
animals, but this one seemed to pos
sess mind almost human in reasoniaS
powers In the management of sheer
he certainly knew more than any herd
err ever saw.
THAT night he stood. looking al
Nellie and then at me-almost talking
land seeming to ask me to trust hin
TO take care of little Nell and my sheer
pretty nigh all had in the world.
ut was risky thing to do at thai
season, when storms come up very sud
denly; but prospects for fair weather
were excellent, and let them coax me
into promise to think about it.
AT daylight Nellie was at my bed
side for my answer, while the dog
equally interested, stood with his for,
feet on the edge of the bed.
Looking out of tbs window l saw
the sun was shining and all indicated ;
clear day, so gave my permission.
''Soon little Nell had her breakfast
got on her wraps, put on big pair o
German socks of mine over her shoes
and she and Shep started for the cora
and let out The sheep Just like she wa
an old herter. Then mounted my
pony and started for town, twent,
miles away. The last thing | saw wa
little Nellie, with her long, golden hail
blowing in the breeze, Juggling up you
der Hill with the sheep ahead of her
and old Shep jumping at her side jusi
sS happy as he could be.
81 went on to town and put up at old