Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-05

wan face, "ef that little gal didn't try to
learn that dog his A. B, C's. They wuz
allus together. that dog an the little gal,
an he wuz one Nv the family ez much ez
any Wv US. an allus ct at the fust table,"
smiled at his appreciation of the dog, and
he for a moment seemed to be less sorrowfCl
but only for q moment.
''One night about three months back" he
went on, "a ornery, drinkin' cuss that fight
in wuz his livelihood come by my house an
shot the pore dog down in his tracks. an
him only harkin' frum the inside NV the
fence. That riled me powerful an hurt the
little gal heap sight wuss, an about a
week Afterwards thar wuz a shootin' match
in the road, an the mex day thar wuz a
funerl, an the cuss that shot the dog wuz
buried. an wuzn't one Nv the mouriers.
Fer that matter. thar wuzn't nobody that
mourned much, but 1t kinder made it en-
pleasant fer me an some soured ME ag'in
my neighbers, an fer right smart had ter
hoe corn with my Winchester, which wuz
onhandy. But it blowed over after awhile
and me an the little gal wuZ sprinkin' up n
good DEALT wuz them times ez the sun
shine kinder showed through, mister" he
added by way of parenthesis as If in apol-
ogy for his opening speech-''an' neighber
had give her pup that she tuck to mighty
quick.
ut looked ez eff I'd got to the turn in the
road till three nights ago. I reckon it wuz
along lords o'clock in the mornin' when
heerd the pup scratchin' round the trun-
nile bed. whar the little gal slep'. an purity
eff somethin' wuz the matter. I reckon it
wuzn't two seconds till had the candle lit
but when got to her, her little hans wuz
cold an her face wuz blue She tried to say
somethin but thar wuZn't nothn' could
ketch but 'pappy and pup an the little
eyes come open onc't an went shet an the
candle kinder fiickered in my hand ez eff
somethin' had swished past it,
He stopped for moment and 1 looked
away out over the beautiful valley of sun
light, which had no light for him.
Thar amt much more" he said bracing
himself for the end. 1.-The mother, tie little
boy and the old dog wuz gone and the little
gal wuZ jist follern', leavin' me to rassle it
out by myself. But couldn't rassle it out
in that thar place. 1t wuZ more'n could
stand, an made up my mind to leave them
ez wuZ In the ground to take keer NV things
an go back to the old place in Tennessee,
takin' along with me all that had left in
the world"
There was the very spirit and tone of DESC
lation in his voice. and felt powerless be-
fore it, but thought might say a cheerful
word, as all philosophers do when come one
else is the sufferer.
ITS sad, sad story" ventured, but it
ought to be some consolation to you that in
the long journey back again your cattle
won't have a very heavy load to haul"
am sure he did not feel the utter poverty
Of the sentiment, for he seemed to take the
spirit of it rather than the words.
"Mebbe it won't be heavy fer them" he
said. but it's mighty heavy fer me- and
he threw back the bedtick which he had
spread over the very meager contents of the
small wagon, and my eyes fell upon little
narrow in proportion. 1t was of rough
boards, rudely constructed, but it told
story more pathetic than casket of gold or
books of polished language could tell, and
as l turned away the big mountaineer drop
ped his head upon it and cried as if his heart
breaking.