The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-07-16

A
cayan breed, and as honest n dog
In the beginning as ever was born,
Also, he loved the little Jose with n
dogs singleness Of devotion. Puiol
was snarly, as shepherd-dogs some
times are, but as gentle as the mother
eve with lambs. Lambkins are gen.
tie and gentleness brings forth after
us kind. 1t was wonderful. when the
uttle jose began to creep about the
uirt hoor or the herder's adobe hut
ON tho San Miguelito mesa, to see
now patiently the surly dog endured
the petty tyranny OF the infant. lose
would fasten his little fat brown fin
gers In PujoPs long hair and wool
hlm with such baby might that tears
would come into the great brown
eyes, but there would be no resent
ment. The dog would merely sigh
patiently, and would go away when
the pain became too great to be
borne. Moreover, Pujol was q digni-
lied dog, and it did not beseem him
70 be wooled-which mado the thing
all the more remarkable. The herd
er s wlte, Anita, respecting the dogs
dignity, would take the child. fire.
quently, to save Pujol, whereat the
uoS would thank her with his ewes
ana with two thumps of his great tail
on the dirt hoor-and presently
would go off to sleep in the sun. and
the child, creeping to him would
sleep also, with his little black head
on the red dogs shaggy breast. Not
the south wind of summer breathed
more gently than Pujol, that the
ilttle Jose might not be disturbed.
AS the child grew in strength and
III waywardness, the dog took him i'm
particular charge-and the mother
going to gossip with her friends at
the mission, knew that the boy was
IN safe care. Pujol was of the Bis
cayan breed, and could be trusted
Inc BOY and the dog were INSOFAR
aDle-so far, at least, as Pujol could
spare llme from the care of the sheen.
Later, when Jose was big enough to
go with his father to the high hills
the sheep were still not neglected
Enough the boy and the dog hunted
the cottontails from the cactus and
chased the ground-squirrels in panic
night across the breezy uplands. AL
ways the dog felt the responsibility
VI the sheep, but was tireless, as dogs
seem to be, and always, also. he
found time to play with the bow IF
was perfect companionship because IL
was perfect equality.
Then, when the dark days came
PuJol was faithful. That is the dis
JUNCTION in favor of dog friend. II
was in the rains, when the sky went
into the sea that rolls forever at the
ioot or the mesa, that the smallpox
came to the little adobe hut and left
the herder and his wife dead on the
dirt floor. Little Jose, a boy of ten
then, sat in the doorway with the
still rain beating ceaselessly upon
ms bare head-and an old red dog
Wld It's head in the boys lap, pressed
close TO his legs, and looked up whin-
ing as the lads tears fell.
Neighbors came from the Mission
presently, missing the herder. and
then the priest came also. and there
were muttered prayers and smoking
candles, and the dead were taken
away. But nobody minded tho little
Jose. The priest, it is true. nut n
klhdly hand upon the black head
plying the boy, and spoke to some of
the women. But the good Padre was
olu' ana priest has so many cares.
woman took Jose homo with her
that night; a loud-voiced. shrewisb
woman, but of kindly heart-but she
had no use for Pujol, and told him so.
driving him off with gestures and
coarse words and thrown sticks. He
was an old dog, and his strength and
MS neetness OF foot were going. Tho
new shepherd, who came with the
Durying party, had young dogs of his
own, and these fell upon PuioI, driy-
ing him from the sheep and tcugljug
him. The dogs world and the boys
world had gone to pieces under their
ieet. And so PujOl sneaked away
toward the Mission, tail and ears
down, following Jose, but at dis
lance, to avoid the tongue OF the
shrew He became, after a little
time, a hunted yagabond of the In
dian rancheria, but every day he
managed to keep the little Jose i'm
sight.
Jose was set 70 keeping swine The
shrew was no drone, and tolerated
no drOnes about her There were
more cuffs than caresses I'm the boys
life, OF course. II was not that the
woman was actually unkind. But
she knew little of childhood. and
Jose grieved for the love that IS child
hoods right. More than once his
little heart swelled almost to burst
Ing under his calico shirt, and more
than once no was sent TO keep the
swine without his dinner, deprived
for some petty fault.
Upon such a day, hurt and hungry.
he threw himself upon the sand I'm
the river-bed, while tho swine wal
lowed among the willows, and wept
for that no was so alone and so desc
late. And as he wopt cold muzzie
was thrust against bis cheek. Puiol
bad understood. Looking up quickly,
Jose saw the brown eyes ia which
faith lay like an Inspiration. with
ons l2ns wall 30 threw his arms