The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-05-09


in the beginning as ever was born.
Also, he loved the little Jose with a
dogs singleness of devotion. Pujol
was snarly, as shepherd-dogs some
times are, but as gentle as the mother
eve with lambs. Lambkins are gem
tie, and gentleness brings forth after
its kind. II was wonderful, when the
little Jose began TO creep about the
dirt floor of the herder's adobe hut
on the San Miguelito mesa, to see
how patiently the surly dog endured
the petty tyranny of the infant. Jose
would fasten his little fat brown fin-
gers in Pujol's long hair and wool
him 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 digni-
fed dog, and 1t did not beseem him
to be wooled-which made the thing
all the more remarkable. The herd
er's wife, Anita, respecting the dogs
dignity, would take the child, fire.
quently, to save Pujol, whereat the
dog would thank her with his eyes,
and with two thumps of his great tail
on the dirt floor-and presently
would so 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
little Jose might not be disturbed
AS the child grew in strength and
In waywardness, the dog took him in
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.
The boy and the dog were INSOFAR
able-so far, at least, as Pujol could
spare time from the care of the sheep.
Later, when Jose was big enough to
go with his father to the high hills,
the sheep were still not neglartxd,
though the boy and shs Cog hunted
the cottontails f-rn. tfs cactus and
chased the ground-sqairrels In panic
flight across the breezy uplands. AL
ways the dog felt the responsibility
of the sheep, but was tireless, as dogs
seem to be, and always, also, he
found time to play with the boy. 1t
was perfect companlonship because It
was perfect equality.
Then. when the dark days came.
PuJol was faithful. That is the dis
tinction in favor of dog friend. 1t
was In the rains, when the sky wept
into the sea that rolls forever at the
loot OF 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
his bare head-and an old red dog
laid its 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 the little
Jose. The priest, 1t is true, put a
kindly hand upon the black head.
pitying the boy, and spoke to some of
the women. But the good Padre was
old, and priest has so many cares.
A woman took Jose home with her
that night; a loud-voiced, shrewish
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
mis- heetness of foot were going. The
new shepherd, who came with the
Durying party, had young dogs of his
own, and these fell upon Pujol, driv-
ing him from the sheep and tousling
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 a dis
tance, to avoid the tongue of the
snrew. He became, after a little
time, hunted vagabond of the In
dian rancheria, but every day he
managed to keep the little Jose in
sight.
Jose was set to keeping swine. The
shrew was no drone, and tolerated
no drones about her. There were
more cuffs than caresses in the boys
life, OF course. 1t was not that the
woman was actually unkind. But
she knew little OF childhood, and
Jose grieyed 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 he was sent to keen the
swine without his dinner, deprived
for some petty fault
Upon such day, hurt and hungry,
he threw himself upon the sand in
the river-bed, while the swine wal
lowed among the willows, and wept
for that he was SO alone and so deso-
late. And as he wept a cold muzzle
was thrust against his cheek. Pujol
had understood. Looking up quickly
Jose saw the brown eyes In which
faith lay like an inspiration. With
one long wall he threw his arms
about Pujols shaggy neck. Pujol
whined, and the great tail wagged
but the dog stood still otherwise until
the storm had spent itself.
Jose arose from the sand, and Ii
q he III. -