Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-07-06

Down, sir-downw to a jOy-crazed
little dog which had come leaping
down the mOuntain-side with eighteen
inches of rope dangling at his heels
rope whose frayed and tattered end
showed the marks of sharp little teeth.
Rathburn gave it up after that, and
Stub stayed on.
AS the days passed food became
scarce in the cabin. 1t had been some
time since Rathburn had gone to town
for supplies. Then came the day
when a great joy came into Stubs life
his master spoke to him. 1t was not
tie old fond greeting, to be sure.
And so it came about that Stub, in
obedience to that sharp command, fire.
quently scampered off with his master
to spend long days in the foothills, or
following the mountain streams. Some
times it was a partridge, sometimes 1t
was squirrel or a rabbit-whateve
it was that fell victim to Rathburn's
gun, Stub learned very soon that it
must be brought at once to the mas
ter and laid at his feet.
1t was on one Of the days when
work, not hunting, filltd the time, that
Rathburn came home after a long
days labor to find Stub waiting for
him with a dead rabbit. After that it
came to be a common thing for the
dog to trot off by himself in the morn
| ing; and the man fell more and more
in the way of letting him go alone, as
it left his own time the more free for
the pursuit of that golden sprite who
was ever promising success just ahead.
AS for Stub-Stub was happy. He
spent the long days in the foothills or
on the mountain-side, and soon be-
came expert in his hunting.
Gradually as the days passed there
came still another change in the life
at the cabin. Rathburn's step became
slow, and his cheeks sunken. Some
times he did not leave home all day,
but lay tossing from side to side on
! his bunk in the corner. At such times,
if the result of Stubs hunt were eat
able, the man would rouse himself
enough to stir the fire and get sup
! per; and always, after such a day at
home, Rathburn was astir the next
morning at dawn and off in feverish
haste for lofg days work to make
up for the long day of idlenesS.
But there came time when he
could not do this-when each day
found him prone on his bunk or NOV
ing feebly about the room. Then came
a night when Stubs bark at the door
was unanswered. Again and again
Stub demanded admittance only to be
met with silence. The door, though
Unattached, was swollen from recent
rains, and it took five good minutes
and all the strength of one small dog
to push it open narrow foot, and
then there were only silence and a
dying fire by way of greeting.
Stub dropped his burden on the
floor and whined. He was particu-
] larry proud tonight; he had brought
j home a partridgc-the first he had
ever caught without the aid of his
masters gun.
The figure on the bed did not move.
The dog picked up the bird he had
dropped and walked toward his mas
ter. This time he laid his Offering
close to the bunk and parked
The man stirred and groaned. For
long minutes the dog stood notion
less, watching; then he crept to the
ire and almost into the hot ashes in
! his efforts to warm the blood of his
shivering little legs.
In the morning the fire was quite
OlL Stub stretched his stiffened body
and gaZed about the room. Over on
the bed the man did not stir nor
speak. The dead bird lay untouched
at his side. There was whine, a
bark, and long minute Of apparent
ihdecision; then the dog battered
across the floor, wOrmed himself
through the partly open door, and took
tae trail that led to the foothills.
Three times Stub brought to the
frelesS, silent cabin the result of his
days hunt and laid it at his masters
side, and always there was only
silence or low groan to greet him.
On the third night it snowed-the
first storm of the season. A keen
wind swept down the mountain and
played hide-and-seek with the cabin
door, so that in the morning a long
bar of high-piled snow lay across the
cabin floor.
i When the men from the village
;plOughed their way through the snow
Eand pushed open the door, they
stopped amazed upon the threshold
looking at one another with mingled
alarm and pity; then one of them con
quering his reluctance, strobe for
ward. He stopped for moment over
the PROSTATE form of the man before
he turned and faced his companions
Boys, he's-gone" he said huskily
and in the silence that followed, foul
men barred their heads.
1t was a dogs low whine that first
, stirred into action the man by the
bunk. He looked down and his eyes
: grew luminous. He saw the fireless
/ hearth, the drlfted snow, and the half
dead dog keeping watchful guard over