The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-04-09
Moreau, the Trench Poodle.

Moreau, the French Poodle.
One cold night in the late fall of the
year a man entered the farmyard of
MIR. Bradley. The man was a foreign
er and seemed i'll and tired. He was
closely followed by shaggy brown
dog. known as a French poodle. The
dog was a grotesque object. as he had
been shaven to look like dandy, but
was now soiled and worn. His keen
brown eyes were the only attractive
thing about him. Farmer Bradley was
kind man; he never turned any one
he thought needy or deserving away
to starve or freeze. He had upon his
place. the old farmhouse where he and
his brothers and sisters were born, and
although he had fine new home, the
old one was kept in order. There was
fireplace and bed, and here the
man was brought and fed and left to
sleep with his dog. which he called
Moreau, keeping close watch beside
him.
In the morning the man was dead,
and as there was no clew to tell his
name or the place he came from. Farm
er Bradley had him buried in the
strangers corner of the cemetery, and
adopted Moreau. Moreau was sensi-
BILE dog Farmer Bradley said he knew
more than most folks. He did not in
sist on staying at his masters grave, as
you read sometimes but readily fol-
lowed the farmer home.
If any pains had been taken with
Moreau's education he would have per.
formed many tricks, but Farmer Brad
ley and his wife were too busy for that.
He was taught to drive the cows to
pasture and to bring them home at
night. A gate was constructed at the
end of the lane in such manner that
it swung both ways, so when the farm
er said:
'Moreau it is time to get the cows"
he started without word and ran
down the lane. If the cows were wait
ing, he would push the gate open and
hold 1t open with his paws for them to
go through. But If they had not come,
he would go around the pasture and
get them together, drive them UP and
open the gate the other way. This he
did every night and morning.
The next thing he learned to do was
to churn. A little harness was fitted to
him. a band slipped over a water
wheel and fastened to the big churn,
little platform for Moreau to walk
steadily on and on, the crank of the
churn turned by the motion till the
butter was there, yellow as gold. Mo-
reau was then Embarrassed and re-
ceived his reward in the form of a
drink of buttermilk. Then he would
run and play in the sunshine or sleep
the cows home. So the days sped
along, and Moreau was getting to be
quite an old dog. His hair was no
longer allowed to grow in fantastic
shapes, and he looked like any staid,
shaggy poodle.
Farmer Bradley and his wife grew
to love Moreau and were very good to
him. Later, Moreau did something
more than to repay them for their
kindness to the strangers.
Farmer Bradley's farm was very
large. and he had many buildings on
1t; barns for hay and for cattle and for
horses; and also acres of woodland.
They kept huge fires in the house
night and day. as the winter was very
cold, always intending to see that they
were carefully covered up at night. as
there was danger in the fierce and high
winter winds.
One night when all the family were
sleeping. spark few out upon the
rug. 1t was too large to be extin-
guished in its fall, so 1t kept growing
brighter and brighter, and at last a
tiny flame shot up. 1t wakened Mo-
reau; he looked at it, shifted at 1t, and
found 1t beyond him, so he bounded in
to Mr.. Bradleys room, and jumped and
barked. and caught him by the sleeve,
and pulled with all his might. Mr..
Bradley was dazed at first, but In a
few minutes was wide awake, and on
the spot. And in less time than 1t can
be told. most disastrous fire was pre-
vented. and Moreau-well, he is the he
ro of the town. Everybody loves and
admires Farmer Bradley's sagacious
French poodle Moreau.-New York
Mail and Express.