The Globe-republican., 1895-05-03
BILL HENDERSON,
Keepe Center,
AdirOudACkS.

BILL HENDERSON,
Keene Center.
Adirondack
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ........-........A
The crowd on the store porch waiting
for the mail to be sorted looked the
newcomer over and expressed their sew.
eral opinions as to his breed. Some
''calated he had shepherd in him, "
and others ''swan he hadn't"
''See that; haow he hobs that head Of
his'n," said Israel Lukens, an old hunt
er, peering into the crate. ''Hello thar,
Long Lega,' haow goes it?-hungry, be
yep and the puppy licked the old mans
hand.
''What We got in thar ion?"
shouted Alfred Hammer from the road,
on his way to the lumber shanty.
By this time the mail was sorted, and
the crowd scuffled into the store. A
kerosene lamp sent long shadows Sour
yying over the low ceiling and diffused
, mellow light half way down the
counter, at the further end of which
was strewn tumbled assortment Of
lumbermen's shirts and some old pairs
of children's boots, the remnant of the
winter stock. Great drifts of blue to-
bacco smoke foated lazily toward the
lamp and, ascending, were lost in the
shadows.
The puppy, left alone on the porch,
heard the laughter and the voices Of
the men inside, and began to whine.
When realizing that this only added to
his loneliness, he cooked his head and
looked up at the stars and the great
range sleeping clear out against them.
it swung through the valley, and far
down the road the baying of the hound.
Then came the sound of a wagon clat-
tering along and the next instant Bill
Henderson refined in his team and called
out:
DOG here for aour folks?''
The door was opened by the post
master.
Some of my womern's relatives
daown in Fort IT," Henderson con-
tinued, writ that they had one of
them st. Demands and wanted we
should take it. I told my wife, seq I,
we got enough haounds to feed with
out goin' into no fancy breeds"
Ten minutes later the puppy was
lifted out of the crate and tumbled into
the wagon, and Henderson drove off.
As they ratified down the road the cool
Eir seemed to revive the puppy. It felt
good to get out of the close crate, and
though at first he covered against the
he began gradually to feel
more like himself Now and then he
would put up his foolish shaggy head
and try to make friends with Hender-
son. But Henderson was surly. He
the puppy as more of an en-.
than anything else. Such
friendly beginnings on the part of the
puppy were greeted with a kick that
sent him shivering under the seat
again. Henderson hadn't much heart
even toward his neighbors, and when
1t came to animals he had less.
When Henderson reached his cabin
Mandy, his ''womern," came out with
. candle to see the new dog, and the
puppy was brought into the kitchen,
walked about awkwardly and
vas mauled by the children. AEer a
'canty supper he was turned out among
'he hounds in the wood-shed, where he
ay shivering with cold and fear until
4enderson's eldest boy came for him in
he morning and hitched him to a cart.
If he was not harnessed to the cart
~ the eldest boy and dashed up and
lown the road in the broiling sun, he
vas dragged into the cabin on wet
lays and rnauled by the rest Of the
hildren. One morning he growled.
''womern" said ssshe
moved that the dog was ugly soon as
he sot her two eyes on him." and that
1t was nothin' short of Providence he
admit bit some Of the young uns."
Henderson said he'd take him where
e wouldn't get back in a hurry, and |
he next day the puppy was hitched
nder peddler's wagon and departed
mid the gibes of the Henderson chill
rem and the snarling of the Hender-
ON hounds. The peddler drove along
n the binding heat and dust, and be-
ore he had gone two miles the puppy
ad hard work to keep his chain slack,
is feet began to bleed and he whined
iteously.
When the cart reached the valley,
tx miles distant, and stopped in front
the post office, the puppy lay un-
onscions against the hind wheel, his
yes were closed and blood oozed from
rs nostrlls. Some one unhitched the
hahn and dragged him few feet away
n the grass under tree.
Two men passing stopped
Guess he's dead" said one. Looks
Ike he'd been ugly, anyhow" said the
Their. and they passed on.
The shadows heightened until only
he great slides far up on Great
,ountain' We're high enough to catch
ne rays of the red sun. A few lamps
canned at the windows down the single
lreet, and gentle breeze rustled the
caves overhead
When the dew fell the puppy opened