Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-02-21

AxrnALs m COLORADO Hor.D roR
THEIR MrELLioExcR.

1.-THE most celebrated breed Of shop
hsrd dogs ever known IN the west," said
Jud Bristol, the old-time sheep man OF
Fort Collins, Col, ''were those bred
from = pair Of New Zealand dogs
brought 70 Colorado In 1875. | had
several Of their pups on my ranges and
could OH volume with instances OF
their rare intelligence and faithfulness.
II remember one pup 10 particular.
He Was only elk months old when be
Was sent out one day to work on the
range. At night when tho herd was
brought up to the c0rrals We saw ut
once that part Of the herd Was missing.
There were 1000 head 10 the bunch when
they went out In the morning, but when
We put them through the chute We
found thSs 200 were missing. The pup
was also missing. Well, all hands turn
ed out for the search. We hunted oil
the night and all Of the next day, and
did not nnd the lost sheep until along
toward night. But there they were all
herded In little draw, about i've miles
from home, and there WAS the faithful
dog standing guard. The wolves were
very plentiful In those days, and the dog
had actually hidden the sheep from the
animals In the draw. The poor fellow
was nearly famished, as he had been for
thlrty.six hours without food or wster.
From that day he became hero, but
was 90 badly affected by hunger, ex-
posure and thirst, and subsequent 0ser-
feeding and petting that he died not
long afterWard.
"This same pups mother Was an espe-
cislly foe animal. One night the
herder brought In his fiocks and hurried
TO his cabin TO cook himself some sup
per. for he WAS more than usually hum
cry. But he missed the dog, which
usually followed him to the cabin Of an
evening to have her supper. The herder
thought rather strange OF II, but made
no search for the dog that night. But
when he went down to the corrsls the
next morning he found the gate open
and the faithful dog standing guard over
the nocks. The herder 10 his haste the
night b fore had forgotten to close the
gate, and the dog, more faithful than
her master, had remained At her post all
night, though suffering from hunger and
thirst.
'sOu another occasion this same dog
was left to watch flock Of sheep near
the herder's cabin while the herder got
his supper. After the herder had eaten
his supper he went out 70 where the
sheep were and told the dog to put the
sheep In the corral, THIS she refused TO
do, and, although she had had no sup.
per, che started of over the prairie a.
fast 40 she could 60. The herder put
the sheep In the corral and wept to bed.
About midnight he was awakened by
the loud barking OF q dog down by the
corrxls. He got up, dressed himself aud
went down To the corrsls, and there
found the dog with band Of about flfty
sheep, which had strayed of during the
previous day without the herder's
kno Wedge; but the poor dog knew IL,
and also knew that they ought to be cor
rallied and she did It.
Another good story Of this same dog
One day she WAS sent out with new
herder to an outlying ranch, some If
teen miles distant. That night she came
home and by her actions told Us that
there was something wrong at the ranch.
Well, We mounted our broucos and went
over TO the ranch, and very soon found
out what the matter Was. The new
herder was simply . tramp, who, as
soon "a he had got good feed, had liz
out and left the sheep uncared for, save
BY his more faithful companion, the dog.
Zone time we had 4 tenderfoot come
10 work for US, and the boys had filled
him so full Of halr-rsisinR stories that he
never went out on the range without ex-
pecting to be eaten BY bears or sc.lped
oy Indians. One day he came running
70 the house, all out Of breath, declaring
that he had seen bear. We laughed at
him and sent him back TO the range.
"A few days sfterward he came In
again, more scared than ever, and said IL
was a bear that time, sure. Well. we
took our guns and foxhound and went
out and. sure enough, over the hill we
saw large black animal. II wasn't a
bear. but We could not make out exactly
what IL WAS. We sent the hound and
the shepherd dog that WAS tending the
herd out on Ia trail, while we followed
on foot. The dogs chased the animal
over the hill out OF sight. Soon the
shepherd dog came trotting leisurely
back and took her place with the herd
again. Over In n gulch we found the
hound standing over dead animal,
which. upon examination, we found to
be q big black Mexican sheep. Now, the
shepherd dog, 10 soon 80 she found II
WAS nothing but sheep, had given up
the chase and returned to her flock. She
knew Il WAS not game, and OF no account,
while the hound had followe the trail
and killed the sheen"