The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-04-17
JACK, THE HUMAN DOG" A STORY OF
: THE DEVOTION OF A DOG TO HIS MASTER

ih 'he summer of 1917 | was COM
'heo To earn my own livelihood: even
was an invalid and Il had been
redcied | would not survive a long
mess. A considerable war was on, eur
ouh'ry mad been forced into il. our
oys' OF course. must join the army,
M every body else must do his bit.
froVldentially, | was given the job
watching flock of 175 sheep in the
fountains of Colorado. 1t was up there
met Jack. Also, Mr. Joseph IT, Simon
pm, the owner OF the sheep and of Jack.
ne tent, new and cozy, which would
my home in the mountains, was on
public highway, but back of il was
wild mountain region infested with
lid cats, coyotes and cattle that SEEM
wild and vicious on meeting a man
no was so lowly as to travel ON foot.
This new place of abode for me was
miles from the railroad. On my ar
val there, Mr.. Simonson, my employ
r, explained that would let the sheep
ut OF the corral in the early morning,
Hatch them and not permit them to
tray off his half section of land, whose
boundaries ne pointed out tor me.
l would come in just before noon,
hut the sheep in the corral, get my
inner and rest two or three hours be-
pre- going out with the sheep in the
fternoon. My employer evidently
vas trying to make as favorable
chedule as possible for his new employe
hose physical condition was apparent.
Mr.. Simonsons home was in town.
nd after acquainting me with my dut-
IS he left me alone with Jack.
Before leaving he incidentally men
oned the fact that the dog was young
OF quite u year old, unframed and like
hyself, had never seen any sheep be-
ore. Indeed, the little flock of sheep
Eere strangers in the mountains, having
nly month before been shipped from
Texas prairie.
he dog, a good sized, pure-bred Collie.
once manifested an interest in me,
nd | thought, much sympathy for me.
didn't know anything about dogs, hav-
ng owned only one in my life. I could
ot speak dog latin. but could speak
ONE good English. Hence, if | convers-
d with Jack at all / would have t.
peak in my native tongue.
The dog listened attentivefy and
Watched my every movement. And hs
Vas soon doing what he had seen me
10. Going to dinner on the third day,
noticed that as we followed the sheep
ack turned from side to side, as hs
lad seen me do to keep them In close
ormation; and within a week he drove
he flock home while Jagged behind.
When I would reach the tent the sheep
would be in the corral and Jack lying
own in the shade.
Within n week also the dog, having
observed that after opening the gate
If the corral | went back to drive Tho
he gate, go back himself to drive them
put, but hesitated to undertake the job
finally l commanded, Make em get
but"
Jack did make 'em get out! Jumping
pver the fence into the corral he drove
he sheep over the fence and through
he fence as well as out at the gate.
'e bre that, when an old eve slipped
nto our garden, Jack made her get
but, but. in doing it. drove her agains,
he fence with such violence she
urned q sommersault over the fence.
Now, this was all quite interesting ana
snsusing. but Jacks violence would not
10 at all.
The next morning, after opening the
forral gate, I went in with Jack and
with one end Of my stick resting gently
Bn his back, 1 repeated the word, easy,
fasy. easy" Jack got the idea. very
|iecessary one, since we often went over
|teep, rocky places and through narrow
passes between boulders where the
fheep should not be rushed.
But Jack disobeyed me once. Any
ort Of storm-rain, lightning, thundet