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

Dut shtt pOEk anu pOthtOes, hu III
read mp, an try to put in some trim
Minis after this"
But Burdock refused to be cast
down as he walked along beside his
master, amiably wagging his tail. AS
his horse turned the corner around
the clump of cotton woods that
screened tho door of the dugout, q
dingy emigrant outfit met Tobe's gaze.
The weathher-beaten wagon, sorry
looking horses, even the battered pail
hanging at the back, betokenod dilapi-
dotion. Near by, on block of wood
beside the door-Tobe's favorite seat
in the evening, with Burdock at his
knee-sat woman. A better Judge
of femininity than Tobe could not
have told whether she was young or
old, her huge sunbonnet concealing
her face. and her limp gown any
youthfulness of figure, as she sat with
her hands in her lap and her head
dropping, the picture of detection.
Burdock walked straight to her side.
Another dog might have fawned on
her, but this piece of canine dignity
| stopped directly in front of her and
sat down, gazing on her with much
calm and friendly satisfaction. Tobe
sat still for moment in astonishment,
then, springing to the ground he
came toward her and queried kindly
"Is there anything kin do for you,
maam?"
At the sound Of his voice the girl,
for such she was, as soon as she raised
her eyes, burst out crying.
eyes, sir, oh, yes, If you only will, "
she sobbed. "Fathor's been sick in
the wagon for week, but yesterday
he went out of his head and I've got
to stop, for cant drive and hold him
i'll the wagon. He's asleep now, but
he's been sc bad that I'm afraid to be
on the road alone with him. We
haven't any money, but if you'll let us
stop here till he's well, we'll both
work afterwards to pay you"
Burdock listened to the girls appeal
with apparent interest and when her
voice died away in sobs he raised
sympathetic paw for handshake, and
seemed quite hurt when his offer went
unnoticed.
"Wby, yes, miss" answered Tobe,
kindly. "Of course you kin stay.
You'll find it a rocky place, but Bur
dock nm NELL do the best we kin by
you. We'd better move the old gem
tleman into the house as soon ms we
kin, an If you're not afraid to stay
here alone with Burdock I'll ride over
to Cordwood an bring Doc Saltor out,
for maybe it's typhoid"
"Afraid?' answered the girl. "If
| can get under roof once, I'll not
be afraid of anything. We've been
six weeks comm down from Dakota,
an it was awful lonesome at the best,
but since fathers been sick the nights
out on the prairie have been Just dread.
full. If you'll only help me I'll work
my fingers to the bone to pay you"
''Don't talk about pay" answered
Tobe, who was noiselessly unharness.
ing the tired horses, ''In the days
before made my stake Mt cattle raisin
I've knew what il was to be poor aud
lonesome, an what do fer you an
your pap amt goin' to hurt me. I'll
let you take my bunk fer your father,
an fix up shakedown fer you where
You kin watch him, an I'll sleep. out
here with Burdock, as I've done many
a night"
1t was into the night when he re-
turned from Cordwood with the doc
tor. The lamp burned dimly, but
there was light enough for the men to
see the interior eff the dug.out. The
old man turned and mutterel so weakly
that he did not disturb his daughter,
who, sitting on n box beside the bed,
with her head laid on his feet, slept
of exhaustion, the long braid OF her
light, sunburned hair dropping past
her thin, tanned cheek to the floor.
Before and facing her sat Burdock,
blinking at her along his nose, in
drowsy content.