Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1912-08-22
Nancy.


tives had given her a young collie dog as
a parting gift, aSSented proudly to the
praises that her family were beStowing
upon the beautiful, wise-eyed creature.
ayes, he ought to be a good dog" she
said; "he's Nancy's son. No, Nancy
wasn't a pfize-winner, not show dog
al all, azd don't know her pedigree,
though she had good blood. She was
Just worker and friend.
at was during my third week at the
ranch that the big storm began. Uncle
oe and the boys were worried; the sheep
weren't all in, and strays wouldn't have
a chance in the blizzard that was coming.
Uncle Joe and the boys could do no more
themselves, and Bruno, the dog they'd
had with them, though he had done his
best, was young and inexperienced.
There were two other dogs, Bruce and
Nancy. They decided to send Bruce out
alone. Nancy was lying before the fire,
cuddling a litter OF fuzzy puppies. II was
a long while before Bruce came back,
tired, dropping and unsuccessful, and Un-
Gle Joe's forehead puckered into knots.
There was a rather large bunch OF sheep
missing, and a valuable imported ram
was among them.
'Nancy'll haveto 60, he said. She's
so much the cleverest, ! suppose ! ought
to have sent her at first. Up, Nancy!
Go and find them, old grip
"Nancy whimpered, and didn't move.
She didn't want TO leave her babies.
"'Fetch them, Nancy Fetch them,
old girlP Uncle Joe repeated; and Nam
cy got up slowly, and walked slowly to
the door. There she whined softly.
looked up at him reproachfully, then over
her shoulder at the puppies, and back
once more at his face.
al know, old lady. he said, in answer
TO the look. Pm sorry, but you're the
only one that can do il. You'll have to
goP
Reluctantly, with head down, she
went. She was gone two hours-and the
storm grew worse and worse. At last
we heard faint bark uncle and the boys
flung open the door and dashed out. Nan
cy was there with the sheep-every one
of them.
"They brought her in presently, limp
ing and tottering with exhaustion. Then
they fed her and stroked her and praised
her, and curled her up happily with her
puppies. But weakened as she was by
all those hungry nurslings, she had done
too much; the next day she was very
sick. She cried if she moved, and her
eyes were wide and pitiabe; soon she
could not feed her babies any more.
"Aunt Nell and got warm milk and
soft rags and nursing-bottle and started
10 bring them up by hand; and poor
Nancy lay watching us with those pathetic
mother eyes of hers till the puppies real
ly learned to eat well. Then, just as If
she knew that they were safe, she gave
long, soft sigh-the way dogs do when
they're perfectly contented-and settled
back and lay quite still.
"'Buck up, old girl. buck upi Nancy,
old lady, you mustn't give us the Slip
Uncle Joe begged, in shaky voice, as
he leaned over her. The rest OF us were
crying openly, without shame.
"But Nancy couldn't buck up; II was
the first time she had ever disobeyed.
She Topped her tail once, feebly, and
that was the end. If we all Of us did
our duty as you've done yours said
Uncle Joe; but he couldn't finish. He
bolted.
"a don't suppose Nancy was remark
able. She was just good dog. But I'd
never understood before just how good a
good dog is"