Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-04-12

,
Ervine, who usually had to be prod
'ed along with his turn of corn to
mill, shouldered his sack promptly,
and made off in the general direction
me trail i :he mill. His prompt
hess was not sign Of his zeal IN
supplying the full meal barrel" but
to get out OF sight before pa should
have chance to recall him and say
that he had reconsidered the matter
OF the dog. The negro cabin where
lived the priced pup was only a shoSt
'etour off the besten path. AS Er-
vine rounded the trail around the
garden, we'll c>t of sight Of the pa
ternal eye, he vigorously becloned
TO him, and told me Of a certain
Mysterious locking bundle hidden
behind tho wh:tA cak, which he bade
ME fetch to him with all speed. This
bundle had been carefully placed be-
ycnd the range OF the paiernal eye,
and upon being released turned out
to be crocus SICK wound with much
hemp string. This had been surrep-
itiously pilfered from a boarded pile
neatly stacked beneath the crib shell
ter for the purpose of sacking grain
and nuts at harvest.
Davis had assured Ervine that
dat ar pupil sho' halter be plum
binefoldcd, SOS he won't fine his way
back home, fo' sho's he ketch sight
or me, amt nothin gwinter keep him
from fo!lerin' me homc-jcs ain't
hatchery nothin'." IIcnce the sack.
Ervine now out of sight around
the bend of the hill, busted myself
with my mornings work, which
somehow held no interest for me-
my mind was on other things. The
old hen with her brood of young
chicks, YET too young to turn out in
the dew, had 10 be fed; John Calvin,
our big brindlc cat, also had to have
his breakfast. Time hung heavily,
however, and had to go constantly
TO the crest Of the hill to see if En-
vino had yet hove into sight. Being
at last rewarded by hearing keen
whistle, made in the manner known
tc all boys, by that Of inserting the
little finger into the inner side Of
the cheek, hurried to meet him and
get aSglimpse Of the probation pup,
which was carefully lowered to the
ground for inspection. was per-
mitted to take peep at him through
an air vent made in the sack to keep
the pup from being asphyXiatcd. We
then marched, somewhat shakily as
to knees, right up to the front piazza,
where pa sat in his accustomed seat
awaiting us, that court might open.
Himself being the Judge and jury,
and the all things pertaining to the
| court Of common pleas to the court
Of last appeals.
Ervine opened the gunnie sack,
and out came the dog-not playful
and bounding, as one would natur-
! ally suppose, but he skunk out in a
| regular "nigger dog" fashion. If any
thing could have marked the pedi-
| gree this act surely did. Whatever
good trait might be developed in the
future certainly was not forecasted
| III his present appearance, for he was
| certainly not pleasing aspect. His
body was long and thin, ribs pro-
| nouncedly all visible, legs thin and
wobbly, ending in large splay feet;
oars long and floppy, eyes without
one CLINT OF humor; and over each
was single eycbrow-one long,
| bristly hair, surrounded by yellow
patch Of hair about the size Of a
dime This gave him rather sinis-
ter appearance Of having four eyes.
His tail, however, was the most ex-
pressive thing about him, it being
long and slim, and rising and falling
as beiitting tho occasion.
Unable to stand the suspense any
longer, Eryine ventured to ask,
What do you think Of him, sir?"
at this inquiry pa. without remov-
ing his eyes from the pup, arose
alertly and fairly capered about the
pup, executing a sort Of war dance,
and, still with his eyes closely OBJ
serving the pup, quoted:
"And In that town a dog was found,
Ns many dogs there be,
Both mongrel puppy, whelp and
hound,
| And ours OF low degree"