Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-20
Shep' s L

"Clly SIoWlCu pCIy do llIlIC A~oNJ
ran away crying, IF you will take af-
ter me when I'm busy, you must ex-
pect to get hurt" But his voice
changed when he saw his grandmother
passing near him.
81 didn't mean to hurt him." he ex-
planned. "I only pushed him away. 1t
botl,ers me to have him around all the
time-a little five-year-old like him."
Grandmother smiled sympathetical-
ly. "Of course it's bother" she
agreed. "Davy really should play with
children his own age, instead OF run
ming after big eight-year-old boys
Bonnie looked at her suspiciously.
He had not expected grandmother &c
be so reasonable about it. But she
seemed quite serious, so he walked
happily toward the house with her, and
Frisk his new terrier, scurried along
ahead of them.
That's fine dog you have, Ben,
grandmother said, STOPPING to pat
MIN as he romped back to meet them.
Ibid ever tell you about the dog we
used to have on the farm?" She sat
down in the big porch swing as she
spoke. and Bonnie sat down beside
her for he always liked to hear the
stories grandmother could tell about
her girlhood days.
"Shep wasn't like your Frisk, OF
course. He was great deal larger
a shepherd dog, as you've probably
guessed already by his name. He was
fine fellow, and seemed to under
stard almost everything we said to
hirl.
Eve used to send him out to bring
in the COWS at evening, and sometimes,
when they had wandered long way
out over the farm, he wouldn't know
where to hunt for them. Whenever
that happened, we children climbed up
on. top of big haystack, with Shep
at our heels. From there we could see
all over the farm, as if we had been
in little tower. AS soon as we saw
where the cattle were grazing we
pointed them out to our trusty Shep,
and when once he caught sight OF
hem he dashed down the stack with
/ happy bark, and was home again in
ust little while, driving the straying
COWS before him."
my! I'd like to have dog like
hiatt" cried Bonnie, crowding nearer
% grandmother. Cant you tell me
some more about him."
Grandmother laughed softly. "Well,
don't know when I'd thought of Shop
ind his lamb before today. That was
very funny. You know sheep are
helpless, foolish creatures, and Shep,
Who guarded and drove them, felt
,ery important among them. And the
lock were all little afraid of him,
oo--all. that is, except this one funny
title long-legged lamb. He never
seemed so happy as when he was close
beside the dog. When Shep found a
1ice sunny place to stretch out and
AXE an afternoon nap, the lamb would
lie down beside him and cuddle up as
close as he could get. Shep would rise
with great dignity, shake himself
move away few PAGES, and lie down
again; at once the lamb would follow
hin. and snuggle up as close as before.
Shep would move away again, ana
once more the little fellow would fol
low. And that would keep up until
the poor Disguised dog gave up his nap
and went away"
"I should think Shep would have
nipped him good!' exclaimed Bennle.
Eyes, should have thought so, too
nodded, especially since
thai was his way Of driving the HOOK.
He ran after the stragglers and NIP
ped gently at their heels, and how the
sillv frightened things did scamper!
None of them were allowed to lag
alocg behind-none, that is, except
one
"What was that one?" asked the
boy, eagerly.
well, I'll tell you what we used to
see when Shep brought home the
flock: and we laughed heartily at the
sight, too. First came the great crowd
of yellow white woolly creatures plod-
ding down the dusty road; behind them
trotted Shep, business-like and alert;
and behind Shep came the lamb, tag
ging patiently along at his very heels
my" breathed Bonnie, Il should
have thought he'd have nipped the lit
tie botherer.'
That's what every one thought"
grandmother answered, "for it really
did worry the poor dog dreadfully. But
I suppose Shep felt that he couldn't
possibly run the risk of hurting any
thing smaller and weaker than him
SELF"
They sat silently in the swing for a
Then Bonnie took a bright
,,,,x, ,,oorh1o ont Of his DOcket and look
ed at it thoughtfully. 81 guess I'll go
and give this to Davy," he said at last,
getting down from the swing as he
spoke. "To make up a little, you
know. 1 really didn't mean to hurt
him. grandma" he added, as he started
away. "But I guess boys ought to be
as good as dogs"
AnnIes - Bv Mabel Dillon,