The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-11
Star-Route Tri1er.


Trifer was only q dog. you must remem-
Der, and a mongrel dog at that. No COM
mon cur, though, but proud and intelli-
gent fellow, related to the setter family,
and showing the best points of the shep-
herds.
His coal-black hair was long and soft,
and his tail, the most expressive ever seen,
was ''feathered" as a well-bred dog s
should be. Talk about the language of the
eyes! There was more language in that
tail Of Trifer's than any dictionary that
was ever written could explain. And as
for delicate shades of meaning, why even
French, the famous language of diplomacy,
simply couldn't compare with Triaer's
tail. When the dog had been asked to
close the door, for example, and had care
lessly allowed it to bang, and wanted to
offer you an apology, that tail became
positively eloquent.
Trifer would sit down before you with
his upper lip drawn back in a nervous sort
of way, and allow you to look into the
depths of his repentans eyes, while that
tail talked for him. 1t would lie perfectly
quiet except that an inch of the tip would
be tapping the floor with rapid little tele-
graphic clicks.
When Trifler was jocund that tail was
as active as the boom OF. a yacht is sure to
be when there are ladies aboard who are
afraid of it. 1t Topped from side to side
with tremendous force, and you really
wondered that the dog didn't break in two
with the effort he made to express his de-
light.
Talking with his tail was only one of
Trifer's accomplishments, however, and l
must get on to the story of his life.
When he was very young dog Trifier
was brought out to Arizona by party of
young men who had been to college near
people how prospecting" for precious
metals really ought to be managed.
If Trifer had known more and the
young men from Boston had known less
this story would never have happened.
An experienced dog does not rush into
what the frontiersmen call "the cactus" at
anybody's bidding. And an ignoramus
would know that it was better to let the
quails lie where they fell, or even not to
shoot them, than 10 force dog to retrieve
them from among the cactus.
Irlfer was obedIent. and he brought
birds to lay at his masters feet till that
individual became exceedingly fond of the
fine dog he owned.
1t was very aggravating when presently
Trifier began to limp and to howl and
yelp with pain; and nobody knew what
find out.
The dog couldn't travel, so much was
certain. There was no way to carry him,
and night would evertake the brave young
hunters if they fingered.
In the morning as the party was leaving
the rough cabin which had given nights
shelter a member of it remembered to saw
to the son of his hostess that the dog had
been left behind on the mountain trail.
IF he follows in, the owner said, ''you
might look out for him, and if we come
this way again we can pick him up"
"A dog left alone among the hills with
cactus prickers in his feet!
When the visitors were gone Mrs Jordan
and Arthur lost no time in Harvesting old
Badly into the family cart to go in search
OF the poor forsaken creature.
Taking turns at holding the baby and
driving and at walking over the dusty
trail, these two brave and compassionate
souls Travelled many a mile calling and
looking for the dog. At last his cries of
distress answered them, and they FASTENED
to relieve his sufferings with the water
which they had not forgotten to bring
from the home spring.
Tritier's paws were swollen and burning
poisoned by the cruel pricking slivers
which no one had drawn out. The intelli-
gent. beast recognized the kIndliuess of
these good friends at once, and his great
eyes grew soft and quiet in the comfort of
their sympathy.
The drawing out of the thorns from the
dogs feet and sides and back must have
been agon- for him, but he bore it all with
heroic patience, licking sometimes the
hands that tortured and caressed him,
and returning kind looks with equally ex-
pressive ones.
In little while Trifer was lifted into
the cart and taken to the home where his
presence was an unspeakable blessing.
Can you children to whom comfort and
ompanionship are a matter of course
imagine living alone with your mother
THAT would be a very different thing from
being really alone, would it not?) in a
rough cabin twelve miles away from any,
body and quite accessible to the kind of
Indians who like to take live people to
pieces, one joint at a time?
That is the way Arthur and his mother
lived while father was gone prospecting.
1t was dreadful thing for loving
tather to turn his back upon his wife and
babes in such a country, but Arthurs
father had made sort of thing they call
contract, which is really solemn written
promise to do something. And IN order to