The Opelousas courier., 1896-12-05

vs. I'LL Lilo JSoA0 AotAoSlo1
oOV sn:s a r E's" s!sa:!
~ and batter, stood
looking in dismay at the object of hi
question. This was a huge dog, dirty
white, liver-spotted, homely and
solemn, who sat bolt upright, gazing
into vacancy with a contemptuous de-
meanor, while behind him on the foo,
stood a plate containing his breakfast,
from which he had turned in scorn.
The man pushed back his battered
sombrero and scratched his shock head
in a puzzled way. He was a tall,
powerful young frontiersman, with
keen blue eyes and honest face, known
all along the range in Southwest Kan.
SOS for his honesty, his loyalty to his
friends and his unerring aim, the first
two qualities being less common
among his companions than the last
one. In those days, if a "cow
puncher" was a good marksman, deft
with his lasso, and with the horse
manshlp required of every expert, he
was respected, but if, too, he was hon.
est and loyal, he gained the allegiance
OF the most depraved OF his comrades
an allegiance held in secret, per.
haps, as the cowboy does not often
speak sentiment.
"Well, I've stood my own cookin'
wei since / left the Cross Rail ranch,
and though it's beenpretty rocky, I've
got along, but maybe it's been CROWN
worse an I've not noticed it, for if 40
accommodatin' dog as Burdock turns
his back on 1t, it must be downright
awful. I think a mighty sight Of ths,t
dog, for he's smart, if he amt pretty,
an l want to take good care OF him,
but if he won't eat slap jack and bacon
grease, fixed up as good as I know
how, what's he goin' to live on? Fer
there amt o woman this side of Cord
wood, an none of them could be hired
to come over here since the county
seat FUSS"
The dog. with apparent unconscious.
ness, stared straight along his nose at
the wall. His breathing expressed,
almost as plainly as speech, the feeling
Of one who had borne much, but fol
whom the turning point was reached,
who had patiently endured innumer.
able indignities, but who now,
solemnly and loftily, declared re.
bellion.
The man picked up the plate of bat.
ter cake and added it to the nile of
unwashed stone china on the greasy
table, then comprehensively swept
his eye over the room. 1t was the in
terror of a hillside dugout, with deep.
cased, dingy windows, almost breast
high, with upholstered walls of rough,
brown sandstone, ceiling Of unplaned
cottonwood planks, between which
sifted the dirt from the sod thatch,
and the floor of the same boards,
greasy and dirty. Opposite the rusty
cook stove and dish-laden table was a
bed, with straw mattress and rough,
brown blankets, While a rude chest, a
broken backed wooden chair and a
pine box or two comprised the seating
capacity of the DOM
"Yes, Burdock," he affirmed, "my
cookin's rocky, but SOS the best of our
layout. I wouldn't blame you, bein'
a dog of sense, if you'd pull out and
go back to Gods country, where you
could see a woman now an then, an
eat her cookin'. If there was one in
the country who'd work here, I'd sure.
~ hire her to come"
Burdock did not change his posi-.
ton, but his straight, slender tail
hitherto lying Imply on the floor,
scraped back and forth on the boards
as though in commentator of this
speech. This action, patronizing
though it was, lobe accepted as a
concession, and after a moments
thought, continued:
Tell you what, Burdock, I'm going
over to Saddler's to-day to see about
that hay land, and I'll try to find
some man or boy to cook for us, an
if / can't I'll think up some other
plan. I'm not going to let you starve,
If l have to sell the ranch an take you
back to New York to that boardin'
houas~pelmonnykose." @
The sun was slanting far past the
meridian when Burdock met lobe at
tue section line, a half mile from
home. An interesting expression
possessed the dog from his solemn face
to the tip of his tail. He had Y
before. when left in charge, gone so
far, and lobe decided at G that in.
terest in the success of his errand
brought the dog from the house.
TITS no use bein' cheerful, Bur.
Dock" he said, dis%consolately. "I've
been all over lookin' for some woman,
man or boy to cook for us, but the
only ones that can cook are off with
the thrashin' gangs for the summer.
Bnt ! borrowed Mis- Saddler's cook
book, SEEM as she don't cook much
but salt pork and potatoes, an I'll
read mp, an try to put in some trim
minis after this"
But Bnrdock refused to be cast
down as he walked along beside his
master, amiably wagging his tail. AZ
his horse turned the corner around
the clump Of cotton woods that
screened the door of the dugout, a
dingy emigrant outfit met Tobe's gaze.
The Weather beaten wagon, sorry
looking horses. even the battered pail
hanging at the back, betokenea dilapi-
dation. Near by, on a block of wood
beside the door-Tobe's favorite seat