The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-10-08

SNTNC, on his jeans trousers,
cW $;s';, :;s'; a; s.,;:. rs .s';s; ";:::; :;s:;
looking in dismay at the object of his
question. This was huge dog, dirty
white, liver.spotted, homoly and
solemn, who sat bolt upright, gazing
into vacancy with contomptuous de-
mcanor, while behind him on the floor
stood plate containing his breakfast,
from which ho had turned in scorn.
The man pushed back his battered
sombrero and scratched his shock head
in a puzzled way. He was tall.
powerful young frontiersman, with
keen blue eyes and honest face, known
all along the range in Southwest Kan
sas 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, il "cow
puncher" was n good marksman, deft
with his lasso, and with the horse.
manshIp required OF every expert, he
was respected, but il, too, he was hon.
est and loyal, he gained the allegiance
of the most depraved of his comrades
an allegiance held in secret, per.
baps, as the cowboy does not often
speak sentiment.
"Well, I've stood my own cookin'
ever since left the Gross Rail ranch,
and though it's been pretty rocky, I've
got along, but maybe it's been CROWN
worse an' I've not noticed it, for il an
accommodatin' dog as Burdock turns
his back on 1t, it must be downright
awful. / think mighty sight OF that
dog, for he's smart, il he amt pretty,
an want to take good care OF him,
but il he won't eat slap jack and bacon
grease, fixed up as good as l know
how, what's he goin' to live on? Fer
there amt n woman this side of Cord.
wood, an mono 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 rs plainly MS speech, the feeling
OF one who had borne much, but for
whom the turning point was reached,
who had patiently endured innumer-
able indignities, but who now,
solomnly and loftily, declared re-
| bellion.
The man picked up the plate of bat
ter cake and added it to the pile of
unwashed stone china on the greasy
table, then comprehensively swept
his eye over the room. 1t was the in
terror of Il 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 tho sod thatch,
and the floor of the same boards,
greasy ana dirty. Opposite the rusty
cook stove and dish-laden table was II
bed, with straw mattress and rough,
brown blankets, while rude chest, q
broken backed wooden chair and "a
pine box or two comprised the seating
capacity of the room.
"Yes, Burdock," he affirmed, "my
cookin's rocky, but SOS the best of our
layout. / wouldn't blame you, bein'
n dog of sense, il you'd pull out and
go back to Gods country, where you
could see woman now an then, an
eat her cookin'. If there was ono in
the country who'd work here, I'd sure.
ly hire her 10 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, Tobe accepted as n
concession, and after moments
thought, continued
Tell you what, Burdock, Pm 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 have to sell the ranch an take you
back to New York to that boardin'
house of Delmonnykose."
The sun was slanting far past the
meridian when Burdock met lobe at
tho section line. half mile from
home. An interesting expression
possessed the dog from his solemn face
to the tip of his tail. He had never
before, when left in charge, gone so
far, and Tobe decided at once that in
terest in the success of his errand
brought the dog from the house.
''It's no use bein' cheerful, Bur.
DOCK" he said, disconsolately. "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.