The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-01-21
OLD SHEP.
The Pathetic Story Of q Faithful
Shepherd Dog.

commission houses OF Boston, put up
one evening at the sheep ranch of Joel
Weideman,.o n Spring creek, in Meagher
county.
Joel was known as the sheep king of
the county, which was the same as say
ling 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
I am going to ask you to believe n story
that might seem improbable, if you did
not know that the man who told it to
me bore very high reputation for YER
ncity among his neighbors.
The evening l was at the ranch was
q most delightful one. l 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
a 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 rather
abruptly excused myself to my hostess
and sauntered over to the spot to ascer-
tain what it could be.
; When l reached the small monument
for such it was-I was not greatly en-
frightened as to what it COMMUNICATED.
ION it's face, halfway up, was chiseled
the head of a .;hepherd 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 vcrandn,
asked my host to whom the stone was
erected.
He answered, with evident emotion:
ut is the grave of the noblest fellow
that ever lived"
WAS he relative of yours?" asked.
mo, no! No relation; but the best
friend ever had. 1 might not have
had 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. lie was only Il dog; but he
had better sense and kinder heart
than most any man | ever knew.
You would like to hear the story,
and will tell YOU it, though it is pain
ful Tor Us to recall to our minds one of
the most terrible experiences we have
known in orr lives. Which have been
unusually filed with hardship
IVY hen took up this land, nearly
twenty years ago, Was very poor, and
had 10 take :! band OF sheep to care for,
getting one-half the increase from the
owner for my work
lin the course of few years, nv
share gave me enough to start u herd of
my own, which increased to nearly
three thousand head at the time when
this incident happened. / was com.
PEELED to keep Il man to herd the sheep.
while did the work about the ranch.
''One day in February my hcrder
quit me without any notice, and / was
left in an awkward prcdicament.
My wife was sick in bed, and there
was no one about to herd the sheep
while went to the village to look ND
another man.
VI hardly knew what to do, for the
sheep could not be kept in the corral
to starve while l was away, nor could
I turn them loose on the prairie. to be
lost or eaten by coyotes My wife and
were discussing the question. when my
little girl Nellie, who was then ten wears
old, climbed up on my knees and said:
Father, it's going to be nice
weather tomorrow, and Shcp and
can take care of the sheep for one day
just as well as any man. can't we,
Shcp?'
And our old dog answered with a
bark and a wag of his big, bushy tail,
that those were his sentiments
I'VE had brought the dog up from a
pup. and we all thought nearly as much
OF him as though he was q child. Shop
nerd dogs are usually very intelligent
animals, but this one seemed to pos.
sess mind almost human in reasoning
powers. In the management of sheep
he certainly knew more than any herd
er ! ever saw
That night he stood looking at
Nellie and then at me-almost tall>inr
and seeming to ask me to trust him
to take care of little Nell and my sheep
pretty nigh all had in the world.
1T was risky thing to do at that
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 fore
feet on the edge of the bed
Looking out of the window saw
the sun was shining and all indicated a
clear day, so gave my permission.
Soon little Nell had her breakfast.
got on her wraps, put on II big pair of
German socks of mine over her shoes,
and she and Shep started for the corral
and let out the sheep just like she was
an old herdcr. Then ! mounted my