The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-11-10
D'ri and /
BY IRVING BACHELLER
Author OF Eben Holden Darrell OF the Blessed Isles Etc.
Copyright, 1901. by LOthrOp Publishing Company,


Jnlcket.
Dri was STOPPING over, cooking the
meat. He rose and listened.
"Tnet air dogs leetle scairt," said
he. Guess We better go n see whut
S the matter"
He took his rife and | my sword
l never thought of another weapon
making off through the brush. The
dog came whining TO D'ri and rushing
on, eager for us TO follow. We hur-
ried after him, and in a moment D'ri
and the dog, who were ahead of me,
halted suddenly.
It's a painter" said D'ri, as | came
up. See i'm in tibet air tree-top. IL
larrup i'm with OF BeeswaX, then jes'
like es not he'll mex some music. Bet
ter grab holt O. the dog. II won't dew
fer i'm to git tew rambunctious, er the
fust thing he knows he won't hev no
insides in i'm"
l could see the big cat clinging
high in the top boughs of a birch and
looking calmly down at us. The tree
top swayed, quivering, as it held the
great dun beast My heart was like
to smother me when D'ri raised his
rifle and took aim The dog broke
away at the crack of it. The painter
reeled and spat then he came crash
ing through the branches, striking
right and left with his fore paws TO
save himself. He hit the ground heay-
lily, and the dog was on him. The
painter lay as if dead. Before | could
get near, Rover began shaking him
by the neck. He came to suddenly, and
struck the dog with a front claw, drag
ging him down. A loud yelp followed
the blow. Quick as flash D'ri caught
the painter by the tail and one hind
leg. With quick surge of his great,
slouching shoulders, he flung him at
arm s-length. The 1.-THE body doubled
on a tree trunk, quivered, and sank
down, as the dog came free. In a
jiffy I had run my sword through the
cats belly and made an end of him.
Knew f he cot them hind hooks
on tibet air dog he'd rake his ribs right
off" said dri. as he lifted his hat to
scratch his head. Would MT a left
nothin' but the backbone-nut a
thing-an' thet would MT "a been a
real fust-class one, nuther.'
When D'ri was very positive. his
words We're we'll braced with negatives.
We tool, the painter by the hind legs
and dragged him through The bushes
to our camp TIE dog had a great rip
across his shoulder where the claws
had struck and made burrows; but he
felt a mighty pride In our capture, and
never had a better appetite for a meal.
There were six more days OF travel
in that journey so fraught
with hardships 7 wonder that some
days we had the heart 70 press on.
More than all, | wonder that the frail
body of my mother was equal to IT,
But I am writing no vain record of en-
durance I have written enough To
suggest what moving meant in the
wilderness. There is but one more
color in the scenes of that journey.
The fourth day after we left Chateau
gay my grandmother fell i'll and died
suddenly there in the deep woods We
were far from any village. and sorrow
slowed our steps. We pushed on. COM
ing soon to a sawmill and a small set
Element. They told us there was
neither minister nor undertaken with
in 40 miles. My father and D'ri made
the coffin of planed lumber, and lined
it with deersEin. and dug the grave on
top of a high hill. When all was
ready, my father, who had always been
much given to profanity, albeit l know
he was a kindly and honest man with
no irreyerence in his heart, called D'ri
aside.
"Dri," said he, Eve We alwus been
more proper-spoken than l hev Say
a word o. prayer"
Don't much blieve I could" said
he. thoughtfullv. Il hev been t meet
in, but I hain't never been no great
hand fer pra, in"
''T would mt sound right nohow fer
me T. pray" said my father. 4 got s.
kind o. rough when was in the army"
Fraid it'll come a leetle unhandy
fer me-" said Dri, with a look of en-
barrassment, "but I don't never shirk
tough job eff it hes t. be done"
Then he stepped forward, took off
his faded hat, his brow wrinkling deep,
and said, in a drawing preacher tone
that had no sound of D'ri in IL: 20
God, TEX care O. gran'ma. Help us e
go on careful an when we re riled,
help us t. keep er mouths shet. o God,
help the OF cart. an the ex in per-
tic'lar. An don't be noway hard on
us. Amen"