Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-12-07
JACKS DOG. LEO.
RY MARY RIO WE.

suddenly IN the path, Stand1nR motlon-
less at respectful distance from the
open door, as we sat together at din
ner in the old farm house. Shaggy,
unkempt, gaunt and hungry-looking,
he fastened a longing eye-he had but
one-on the rapidly disappearing
viands. AS no one noticed him, his
anxiety and suspense presently became
unbearable.
Wow" said he, gently.
1t was a humble, propitiatory little
bark, such us u dog who had been so
unfortunate us to lose his master would
naturally learn to use when presenting
himself to strangers. As we stared In
surprise he shivered visibly, with head
and tail indicating very low spirits.
Then, not receiving his accustomed
marching orders in the dreaded Get
out!" he ventured to lift his head and
whine little.
Still nobody came to kick him. So,
after another short pause, and a glance
of most anxious inquiry, jacks dog
elect--rose up suddenly on his
launches, made his back as stiff and
as straig hit as grenadier's, pointed
his nose straight up at the zenith, and
emitted long, loud, most melancholy
howl.
"Sakes alive" cried Jacks mother,
with her hands to her head.
But Jacks father laughed, and Jack
was delighted. He not only managed
to place sumptuous repast before the
hungry tramp, but also succeeded in
smuggling him over to his stronghold.
the barn, where the dog without mas
ter and the boy without dog soon
made a compact and rubbed noses on 1t.
The rest of us looked coldly on the
poor, shabby tramp-he was so mani
festly of no account. He was not
handsome, nor aristocratic, nor we'll
hammered. He was incurably lame in
his left forefoot, and had but one eye
the result, probably, of some dreadful
conflict in his unknown past. And
though that surviving eye remained
peculiarly bright and watchful, one
eyed, three-legged dog could not eX-
pect to be regarded by the general
public as valuable acquisition.
But Jacks dog seemed not to expect
admiration. He had evidently poor
opinion of himself. And though he
soon learned, under the stimulus OF
Jacks friendship and protection, to
carry himself with an air of spirit and
self-respect, no dogs tail was ever
more quickly depressed by an unkind
word than his.
However, Jack loved him devotedly.
He used to brag about him to the other
boys. Sam Peters had lovely young
Newfoundland-at least his uncle had
"a beautiful creature, but stupid, Jack
said, just simply stupid, when COM
pared with Leo-the somewhat am
bilious name which Jack had bestowed
on his favorite. Leo was short for
Leonidas.
THAT dog of mine now" he would
say, with a fine air Of proprietorship,
"why, he'll fetch the cows quicker
than can" This feat Sam was labor
ing heavily to teach to the handsome
and dignified, but as yet strictly orna-
mental, Bruce. "And he's just the
smartest dog with tho sheep! He can
do anything he's mind to with them.
He's Scotch collie-partly. j donr
know what the rest OF him is," con
cluded Jack, rather lamely.
my dog Bruce" said Sam, very
slowly, cudgelling his brains the while
for something noteworthy that his dog
Bruce could do, ''he always sleeps or
q rug close to my door. 1 guess bur
glar would have lively time of it Il
he tackled u.s."
Not II he carried pistols" struck in
Tom Kctchum. why, your dogs
scared to death of frecracker!"
THAT pup of mine," Jack begaI
again. II could shut him up in a yart
full of chickens and rabbits and thing
like that and starve him for three day.
besides, and nc wouldn't touch one o
'em-I don't suppose. Why, he's NV
fully faithful! l wish you could have
seen him when the team ran ava,
last week. I'd left my coat on th'
seat and told him to take care of it
and he curlcd up on it just as if III
was going to sleep-but he wasn't
They ran morc'n two miles, an pa an'
after 'cm, clear down by jerks mills
and through the creek and up Ander
sons hill, and they were SO tired whel
they got to the top they just pulled u
and went to feeding by the roadside.
well, sir''-Jac!l drew long brcatl
-"whcn we came up with them ther
sat that pup Oh that coat of mine, JUS
rs cool as a cucumber. sir! And h
looked at me, aad he grabbed tina
coat with his tecth-sce? Amt tho
rippers? And he held it up and shoe
it to show twas all right, and sort c
laughed in his way-didn't you, oil
fellcr, hey? There, can't he laugh
See? Look at those teeth-and tina
eye!"
Jac's's fathers farm lay near the to
of an elevation known in that localit
rs Mutton hill. AS its name implied
sheep raising was at that time ono {
its prominent uses. Consequently til
disposition, morals and manners OF II
canine population received good de;
of attention. One dog addicted to Il
occasional moonlight raid on tho shee
pens of his vicinity is pretty sure to d