bruce-第1章

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Bruce



by　Albert　Payson　Terhune





TO　MY　TEN　BEST　FRIENDS：



Who　are　far　wiser　in　their　way　and　far　better　in　every　way；　than

I；　and　yet　who　have　not　the　wisdom　to　know　it

　

Who　do　not　merely　think　I　am　perfect；　but　who　are　calmly　and

permanently　convinced　of　my　perfection；and　this　in　spite　of

fifty　disillusions　a　day

　

Who　are　frantically　happy　at　my　coming　and　bitterly　woebegone　in

my　absence

　

Who　never　bore　me　and　never　are　bored　by　me

　

Who　never　talk　about　themselves　and　who　always　listen　with

rapturous　interest　to　anything　I　may　say

　

Who；　having　no　conventional　standards；　have　no　respectability；

and　who；　having　no　conventional　consciences；　have　no　sins

　

Who　teach　me　finer　lessons　in　loyalty；　in　patience；　in　true

courtesy；　in　unselfishness；　in　divine　forgiveness；　in　pluck　and

in　abiding　good　spirits　than　do　all　the　books　I　have　ever　read

and　all　the　other　models　I　have　studied

　

Who　have　not　deigned　to　waste　time　and　eyesight　in　reading　a　word

of　mine　and　who　will　not　bother　to　read　this　verbose　tribute　to

themselves

　

In　short；　to　the　most　gloriously　satisfactory　chums　who　ever

appealed　to　human　vanity　and　to　human　desire　for　companionship　



TO　OUR　TEN　SUNNYBANK　COLLIES　MY　STORY　IS　GRATEFULLY　AND

AFFECTIONATELY　DEDICATED










CHAPTER　I。　The　Coming　Of　Bruce



She　was　beautiful。　And　she　had　a　heart　and　a　soulwhich　were　a

curse。　For　without　such　a　heart　and　soul；　she　might　have　found

the　tough　life…battle　less　bitterly　hard　to　fight。



But　the　world　does　queer　thingsdamnable　thingsto　hearts　that

are　so　tenderly　all…loving　and　to　souls　that　are　so　trustfully

and　forgivingly　friendly　as　hers。



Her　〃pedigree　name〃　was　Rothsay　Lass。　She　was　a　colliedaintily

fragile　of　build；　sensitive　of　nostril；　furrily　tawny　of　coat。

Her　ancestry　was　as　flawless　as　any　in　Burke's　Peerage。



If　God　had　sent　her　into　the　world　with　a　pair　of　tulip　ears　and

with　a　shade　less　width　of　brain…space　she　might　have　been

cherished　and　coddled　as　a　potential　bench…show　winner；　and　in

time　might　even　have　won　immortality　by　the　title　of　〃CHAMPION

Rothsay　Lass。〃



But　her　ears　pricked　rebelliously　upward；　like　those　of　her

earliest　ancestors；　the　wolves。　Nor　could　manipulation　lure　their

stiff　cartilages　into　drooping　as　bench　show　fashion　demands。　The

average　show…collie's　ears　have　a　tendency　to　prick。　By　weights

and　plasters；　and　often　by　torture；　this　tendency　is　overcome。

But　never　when　the　cartilage　is　as　unyielding　as　was　Lass's。



Her　graceful　head　harked　back　in　shape　to　the　days　when　collies

had　to　do　much　independent　thinking；　as　sheep…guards；　and　when

they　needed　more　brainroom　than　is　afforded　by　the　borzoi　skull

sought　after　by　modern　benchshow　experts。



Wherefore；　Lass　had　no　hope　whatever　of　winning　laurels　in　the

show…ring　or　of　attracting　a　high　price　from　some　rich　fancier。

She　was　tabulated；　from　babyhood；　as　a　〃second〃in　other　words；

as　a　faulty　specimen　in　a　litter　that　should　have　been　faultless。



These　〃seconds〃　are　as　good　to　look　at；　from　a　layman's　view；　as

is　any　international　champion。　And　their　offspring　are　sometimes

as　perfect　as　are　those　of　the　finest　specimens。　But；　lacking　the

arbitrary　〃points〃　demanded　by　show…judges；　the　〃seconds〃　are

condemned　to　obscurity；　and　to　sell　as　pets。



If　Lass　had　been　a　male　dog；　her　beauty　and　sense　and　lovableness

would　have　found　a　ready　purchaser　for　her。　For　nine　pet　collies

out　of　ten　are　〃seconds〃；　and　splendid　pets　they　make　for　the

most　part。



But　Lass；　at　the　very　start；　had　committed　the　unforgivable　sin

of　being　born　a　female。　Therefore；　no　pet…seeker　wanted　to　buy

her。　Even　when　she　was　offered　for　sale　at　half　the　sum　asked　for

her　less　handsome　brothers；　no　one　wanted　her。



A　mareor　the　female　of　nearly　any　species　except　the　canine

brings　as　high　and　as　ready　a　price　as　does　the　male。　But　never

the　female　dog。　Except　for　breeding；　she　is　not　wanted。



This　prejudice　had　its　start　in　Crusader　days；　some　thousand

years　ago。　Up　to　that　time；　all　through　the　civilized　world；　a

female　dog　had　been　more　popular　as　a　pet　than　a　male。　The

Mohammedans　（to　whom；　by　creed；　all　dogs　are　unclean）　gave　their

European　foes　the　first　hint　that　a　female　dog　was　the　lowest

thing　on　earth。



The　Saracens　despised　her；　as　the　potential　mother　of　future

dogs。　And　they　loathed　her　accordingly。　Back　to　Europe　came　the

Crusaders；　bearing　only　three　lasting　memorials　of　their　contact

with　the　Moslems。　One　of　the　three　was　a　sneering　contempt　for

all　female　dogs。



There　is　no　other　pet　as　loving；　as　quick　of　wit；　as　loyal；　as

staunchly　brave　and　as　companionable　as　the　female　collie。　She

has　all　the　male's　best　traits　and　none　of　his　worst。　She　has

more　in　common；　too；　with　the　highest　type　of　woman　than　has　any

other　animal　alive。　（This；　with　all　due　respect　to　womanhood。）



Prejudice　has　robbed　countless　dog…lovers　of　the　joy　of　owning

such　a　pal。　In　England　the　female　pet　dog　has　at　last　begun　to

come　into　her　own。　Here　she　has　not。　The　loss　is　ours。



And　so　back　to　Lass。



When　would…be　purchasers　were　conducted　to　the　puppy…run　at　the

Rothsay　kennels；　Lass　and　her　six　brethren　and　sisters　were　wont

to　come　galloping　to　the　gate　to　welcome　the　strangers。　For　the

pups　were　only　three　months　oldan　age　when　every　event　is

thrillingly　interesting；　and　everybody　is　a　friend。　Three　times

out　of　five；　the　buyer's　eye　would　single　Lass　from　the

rollicking　and　fluffy　mass　of　puppyhood。



She　was　so　pretty；　so　wistfully　appealing；　so　free　from　fear　（and

from　bumptiousness　as　well）　and　carried　herself　so　daintily；　that

one's　heart　warmed　to　her。　The　visitor　would　point　her　out。　The

kennel…man　would　reply；　flatteringly



〃Yes；　she　sure　is　one　fine　pup！〃



The　purchaser　never　waited　to　hear　the　end　of　the　sentence；

before　turning　to　some　other　puppy。　The　pronoun；　〃she；〃　had

killed　forever　his　dawning　fancy　for　the　little　beauty。



The　four　males　of　the　litter　were　soon　sold；　for　there　is　a　brisk

and　a　steady　market　for　good　collie　pups。　One　of　the　two　other

females　died。　Lass's　remaining　sister　began　to　〃shape　up〃　with

show…possibilities；　and　was　bought　by　the　owner　of　another

kennel。　Thus；　by　the　time　she　was　five　months　old；　Lass　was　left

alone　in　the　puppy…run。



She　mourned　her　playmates。　It　was　cold；　at　night；　with　no　other

cuddly　little　fur…ball　to　snuggle　down　to。　It　was　stupid；　with　no

one　to　help　her　work　off　her　five…months　spirits　in　a　romp。　And

Lass　missed　the　dozens　of　visitors　that　of　old　had　come　to　the

run。



The　kennel…men　felt　not　the　slightest　interest　in　her。　Lass　meant

nothing　to　them；　except　the　work　of　feeding　her　and　of　keeping　an

extra　run　in　order。　She　was　a　liability；　a　nuisance。



Lass　used　to　watch　with　pitiful　eagerness　for　the　attendants'

duty…visits　to　the　run。　She　would　gallop　joyously　up　to　them；

begging　for　a　word　or　a　caress；　trying　to　tempt　them　into　a　romp；

bringing　them　peaceofferings　in　the　shape　of　treasured　bones　she

had　buried　for　her　own　future　use。　But　all　this　gained　her

nothing。



A　careless　word　at　besta　grunt　or　a　shove　at　worst　were　her

only　rewards。　For　the　most　part；　the　men　with　the　feed…trough　or

the　water…pail　ignored　her　bounding　and　wrigglingly　eager　welcome

as　completely　as　though　she　were　a　part　of　the　kennel

furnishings。　Her　short　daily　〃exercise　scamper〃　in　the　open　was

her　nearest　approach　to　a　good　time。



Then　came　a　day　when　again　a　visitor　stopped　in　front　of　Lass's

run。　He　was　not　much　of　a　visitor；　being　a　pallid　and　rather

shabbily　dressed　lad　of　twelve；　with　a　brand…new　chain　and　collar

in　his　hand。



〃You　see；〃　he　was　confiding　to　the　bored　kennel…man　who　had　been

detailed　by　the　foreman　to　take　him　around　the　kennels；　〃when　I

got　the　check　from　Uncle　Dick　this　morning；　I　made　up　my　mind；

first　thing；　to　buy　a　dog　with　it；　even　if　it　took　every　cent。

But　then　I　got　to　thinking　I'd　need　something　to　fasten　him　with；

so　he　wouldn't　run　away　before　he　learned　to　like　me　and　want　to

stay　with　me。　So　when　I　got　the　check　cashed　at　the　store；　I　got

this　collar　and　chain。〃



〃Are　you　a　friend　of　the　boss？〃　asked　the　kennel…man。



〃The　boss？〃　echoed　the　boy。　〃You　mean　the　man　who　owns　this

place？　No；　sir。　But　when　I've　walked　past；　on　the　road；　I've　seen

his　'Collies　for　Sale'　sign；　lots　of　times。　Once　I　saw　some　of

them　being　exercised。　They　were　the　wonderfulest　dogs　I　ever　saw。

So　the　minute　I　got　the　money　for　the　check；　I　came　here。　I　told

the　man　in　the　front　yard　I　wanted　to　buy　a　dog。　He's　the　one　who

turned　me　over　to　you。　I　wishOH！〃　he　broke　off　in　rapture；

coming　to　a　halt　in　front　of　Lass's　run。　〃Look！　Isn't　he　a

dandy？〃



Lass　had　trotted　hospitably　forward　to　greet　the　guest。　Now　she

was　standing　on　her　hind　legs；　her　front　paws　alternately

supporting　her　fragile　weight　on　the　wire　of　the　fence　and　waving

welcomingly　toward　the　boy。　Unknowingly；　she　was　bidding　for　a

master。　And　her　wistful　friendliness　struck　a　note　of　response　in

the　little　fellow's　heart。　For　he；　too；　was　lonesome；　much　of　the

time；　as　is　the　fate　of　a　sickly　only　child　in　an　overbusy　home。

And　he　had　the　true　craving　of　the　lonely　for　dog　comradeship。



He　thrust　his　none…too…clean　hand　through　the　wire　mesh　and

patted　the　puppy's　silky　head。　Lass　wiggled　ecstatically　under

the　unfamiliar　caress。　All　at　once；　in　the　boy's　eyes；　she　became

quite　the　most　wonderful　animal　and　the　very　most　desirable　pet

on　earth；



〃He's　great！〃　sighed　the　youngster　in　admiration；　adding　na？vely：

〃Is　he　Champion　Rothsay　Chiefthe　one　whose　picture　was　in　The

Bulletin　last　Sunday？〃



The　kennel…man　laughed　noisily。　Then　he　checked　his　mirth；　for

professional　reasons；　as　he　remembered　the　nature　of　the　boy's

quest　and　foresaw　a　bare　possibility　of　getting　rid　of　the

unwelcome　Lass。



〃Nope；〃　he　said。　〃This　isn't　Chief。　If　it　was；　I　guess　your　Uncle

Dick's　check　would　have　to　have　four　figures　in　it　before　you

could　make　a　deal。　But　this　is　one　of　Chief's　daughters。　This　is

Rothsay　Lass。　A　grand　little　girl；　ain't　she？　Say；〃in　a

confidential　whisper；〃since　you've　took　a　fancy　for　her；　maybe

I　could　coax　the　old　man　into　lettin'　you　have　her　at　an　easy

price。　He　was　plannin'　to　sell　her　for　a　hundred　or　so。　But　he

goes　pretty　much　by　what　I　say。　He　might　let　her　go　forHow　much

of　a　check　did　you　say　your　uncle　sent　you？〃



〃Twelve　dollars；〃　answered　the　boy；〃one　for　each　year。　Because

I'm　named　for　him。　It's　my　birthday；　you　know。　Butbut　a　dollar

of　it　went　for　the　chain　and　the　collar。　How　much　do　you　suppose

the　gentleman　would　want　for　Rothsay　Lass？〃



The　kennel…man　considered　for　a　moment。　Then　he　went　back　to　the

house；　leaving　the　lad　alone　at　the　gate　of　the　run。　Eleven

dollars；　for　a　high…pedigreed　c