Year: 1876

lell lue tllAt GOS Cdll luiHh DIS
we'll as we can? - was the contemptu-
Gus remark of the old hunter Basson,
as he sat on the porch Of his sons
house, toward the close OF a summer
day, conversing with friend "why
sometimes think he can do it better
than YOU or me.


| His neighbor smiled, for he knew
there was something behind all this,
and if the old man were only indulged
little, it would be sure to come.


I'VE cannot deny that they show a
remarkable intelligence at times, al.
though as to their possessing reason
ing powers, that is an open matter for
discussion.


at amt with me-" was the dogged
reply of the old hunter that ere
dog knows more than half the people
hereaUouts, and his grandfather was
twice AS smart as him.


"Ah what did he ever DO to merit
such a high opinion p


"a hundred things could sit
here for u week and tell yon his per-
/ formances, such as dogs in these days
/ never dream Of


/ II have time to listen to one Incl
dent, if yon will favor me with it.


"lIi tell you, then, what took place
right in this neighborhood, twenty
odI Years ago. This dogs grand
father was then in his prime, and so
was |. settled on the creek yonder,
and put up the log house which mcb-
b. vou remember seeing before my
son pulled it down. We've got few
Injins yet in The neighbo,hood, but
in them days there wasn't much OF
anything else. Fact of it is, there
was 50 many, that | concluded not to
bring my family out till they got
scarce.


Il thoaght | could manage to cut
the trees for my cabin alone, and then
there was a party of a dozen families
coming from our home in Pennsylva-
MIA to settle here, and | expected 3
or four Of them in few weeks, by
Which time | hoped to be ready with
the heavy work of building; so it was
agreed that they were to stay behind
until the next sprins, when the whole
company could emigrate with more
comfort and safety.


81 felt little lonely nov and then
when | sat down by my camp, fire to
cook my venison, or broil the fish
which | hauled ont the creek. | had
been a good deal Of a hunter when |
was younger, but now shat | vas ol-
der, and had family, | didn't like
the plan of wandering for two or 3
weeks alone in the woods, or lying
down at night, with the feeling that
there wasn't white man within fifty
mics of me; so worked all the
harder to get the cabin up and go
home and see the dear ones.


II never would have stood it if it
hadn't been for my dog Rollo. l used
TO sit and talk to him, at night, for
hours at time, and | knew that he
understood every word that l said
When it was rainy, l used to stretch
out under the logs and talk to him,
while ed wag his tail and nod his
head, until We both dropped asleep.


My great fear was Injuns | could
hold my own against the wild ami
mails, but knew if a lot Of them
came down on me, it would make
rather bad business so, while was
chopping down the trees. kept Rollo
reconnoitering in the woods, on the
lookout for them. He knew they
we're ugly customers and was sure,
if there were any in the neighbor-
hood, lie would give me notice.


Zone day, I was hard at work, when
I heard the dog bark, That was a
sign that something was wrong, and
throwing down my axe, flung on
my coat, caught up my gun, and
made for the creek, where | kept a
little Injun canoe that had floating
during freshet. BY the time | could
Jump into this and get the paddle in
my hand, Rollo was beside NE.


"What is it, pup2' | asked. In
jins?'
~ O.. No onewnrn1 oe nlaio ne