Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-03-03
RALPH, THE ROVER.

Come back here, SIrl mere, mes gone!
Of for two or three days tramp again.
Beg pardon, sirl l didn't see you. /
was that busy calm tho dog, l reckon !
nearly walked over you. The matter,
sir2 Well, it's that dog, Ralph. You
heard me call him, / dare say. A
grander older fellow you couldn't find
in o days travel, but he has II bad
habit. Most humans have more than
that, and l amt sure in my own mind
that ne amt human.
"The habit? Well, it's just this: He
will follow every blessed old tramp as
passes here, and keep followin EN-,
sometimes for two or three days. He's
n 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, snifin,
snifin 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; and
he's been acting that way ever since
I've had him. 'StolenY Why, sir, |
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 rigLt
queer way | got him too.
els he mine? Well, yes, in one way;
an then 10, in another. 1t was u queer
story anyway.
"Tell it, sir? Wen, if l had time !
might. All, thank you, sirl A fine
gentleman like you can afford to be
generous.
Nov, let me seel AS near as l re-
member, it was June, two year ago, as
1 come down stairs rather early one
morning to light the fire for my old
woman. 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
seein her, I'm thinlin.
"Mollie was always a great one 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 n flash she cano run
min back to me with her face kind Of
white an scared.
"'Oh, Jim, come out here to the doorl
Quickv says che.
"An when l followed her blessed if |
don't see tho FUNNIEST sight l ever did,
an there I stood, starin like an ape.
"You sec, these seats on the porch are
rather comfor'ble to sit on, eu with the
vines hangin over this way makes it
most as shut in an quietlike as q 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-leauin
back in the most uncomf'blest way, was
the trampiest looking tramp I ever saw,
sound asleep. An on the seat beside
him, with his head on the mans lap,
was the lgndiest setter l ever expect to
see. A vallyblo dog, sir, too, as l knew
o az / set eyes on him. / always
know a good dog, being rather in the
sportin line myself, an this was a genu-
inc Gordon setter.
"Well, sir, | suppose l must hayo said
somethin, with surprise, for to wake
them up. The dog turned the solem'est
Dyes round to me, askin me NOT to make
so much noise; an the man, all rag an
t%atters, yawned an set mp. An then,
seein Mollie right behind me, III 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.' Ny
eycl For the manners 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.
Il know I 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.
ellis feet were blistered with wanin
in shoes that left half OF his feet out
doors an half ia; an as he could scarcely
take n 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, Lordl He did as much
for Us as we did for him, III be bound.
He filed the yard with kindlin's, an /
believe he'd a chopped all the wood Ia
the village if Nellie hadn't seen his
hands all biistered an bleedin. That
give him away, sure. "A gentleman
born, says / to myself when / see those
hands.
''Then nothin would do but Mollie
must doctor an baudage them up for
him. An while she was doin it she
heard a sound like a child tryin not to
cry, IN 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, mOtherg
can the way the little kid took to him
was a caution. A mite like he was-no
sense at ALL only puckered up his face
and cried when I went mean him. He'd
smile mp ia Roberts face Chat was what
no told as TO call him) an hold on TO his
finger like no was his nurse.
"Now, to be sure, sir, three days don't
seem much IN q life, an you'll maybe
think it foolish the store we set by both
man an dog before that time was passed.