The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-26
BESIDE THE PRICKLY PEAR

The brakje is little cur of small degree, a sneaking, skulking, yelping 1 outcast from his own kind, poor sup- stitute. for the dog only where no bet l ter may be had. Yet the poor orak1e sometimes rises so high as to De worthy or an honored place among I the St. Bernards and Newfoundlands. One day during the dry season party of traders were crossing the hot. dust yellow plain toward klmper- | ly. At noon they were near the sum
 init of small hillock, and as tnis offered as much air as there was sur | ring. they dismounted and maoe prep arations for the midday meal. This hillock, like most of those they crossed, had struggling coat Of kar- roo bushes. many of them put lew | inches high. and among the Karroo | was an occasional milk busn, wltn | long, finger-l.ke leaves: and here and there was a tuft of grass or clump or pfickly pears with uplifted. thorny arms.
 Presently one of the rIrty noticed small animal making directly toward | them through the kar1oo bushes. ana as it came nearer he recognized the l intruder as a brakJe.
 Throw something at the cur, DICK, | he called irritably. to one of his com | panions, i've wouldn't mind feeding a
 decent dog. but we don't want any or these cowardly .monSrels skuiKihg
 about and maybe following us. NeVer
 mind if you do break some or ms bones." @t
 | Dick caught up a stick and threw 1t | with skillfuI aim, but instead Of silnk- | ing away, as they expected, the amman lodged the missile and came nearer Again Dick threw, and again the ani-
 nal bounded adroitly aside, this tune coming to within few feet or where | they were sitting, and beginning 10
 whine piteously.
 Hold on Dick" another man called
 suddenly;"I believe the brute is starv- ing Toss him a chunk of meat-a big
 one"
 Dick obediently selected piece of
 meat. almost half as large as the ap'
 plicant, who sprang frantically into
 the air. to meet it half way. But the
 offering was too large for the brakj'
 to grasp in midair, and both dog ant
 meat fell rolling upon the ground
 Only for a moment, however, then tn'
 brakje was upon his feet. and selzins
 the prize with firmer grip. he bound
 ed away into the karroo bushes. Afraid to eat it in sight of us thu
 first speaker said. laconically, "that' the way with all cowardly brutes , They think somebody is trying to stea from them. This cur will sneak of into some solitary place and gorg' himself. Well, if he eats all that mea
 he will not be hungry again for a da!
 or two."
 But apparently he was mistaken, 10
 ten minutes later the brakje wal
 again looking into their faces an'
 whining entreatingly. Several of tn men whstied under their breath. Throw him chunk of meat, Dick,
 one of them called. facetiously; don
 you see the brute is starving? Whew
 I've heard that Kaffir could eat hi
 own weight in food: now if this GU
 devours another piece of meat cal
 at least testify that a brakje is abl to do so. Give him good big chunk
 Dick
 More meat was thrown to. the dog
 and, as before, he seized 1t with strong grip and bounded away into tn | karroo bushes. This they supposed , would be the last of him, bu even in less time than before he wa back again, bounding from one to an ? other. and looking up at them wit ) big, entreating eyes that almost seem
 ed to speak. What little fear and hest | IaIlOn HG ndu nS Aiol "es2 AAS wholly gone. He seemed to have req
 them. and to have given them his flu t confidence.
 t What a dog!" cried several in won ! dering admiration; what capacity, ' and one of them added: "Here Dicl 5 throw him some more meat; we mus l fill him us. even if we have to kill r bullock to do it."
 3 A third piece of meat was throw to him. but this time the dog merel smelled 1t wistfully. and then turne
 back to them. an urgent entreaty 1 g his whine and in his eyes and in ever t motion of his quivering, eager body.
 "TIe wants to tell us something, a do believe" exclaimed one of the me suddenly.
 But he's still hungry" declared an . other; that is quite evident from tn . way he smelled the meat There wa T ravenous longing in every notion t Apparently the dog understood tha they were talking of him. for he gay :. a quick yelp and bounded into tn !, karroo bushes. then stopped and look 9 ed back at them.
 He wants us to follow him.. erie