By K. Peddlar Bridges

SOME STORIES Never make it to the Paper Nor, hit the Evening News They never make their way to Magazines Or even, Wordly Legend's Lore. But, this one is Written on the walls of the Great Dog Starr. YOUNG BOY SAVES OLD RED DOG FALLEN IN WELL!

IT WAS IN 1953 when the Weeds were high and The Vines were twisted ... Spring ... I was at my Great-Grand Mother's House, I stood at the old Soap-stone Sink - Playing in the running water using sardine cans as ships. And even though the sink was ancient the pipes were rusted and the faucett works were naked to the eye The running water was such a treasure for our house - had none! And as I played there at the Sink standing on a chair with My two times too big faded brown corderoys soaked to the bone ... Such are joys of childhood the adults sat at the kitchen table with empty cups on the checkered table cloth In the Shadow of the Great Black Stove and speculated Where Old Red Dog Might Be.

"SHE'S IN HEAT AGAIN ... some where ... with a pack of dogs, chasing at her Tail." "Some-ones stole her. and run off." "She's got hit, and crawled off in the bush to die." and there, I stood at the old soap-stone sink, with my little boy heart ... shattered ... At the very thought ... of Old Red Dog being for-ever gone For Old Red Dog was the mother of my Dog - The Young Red Dog. and Old Red Dog had been there for-ever ... For she was Uncle's Drover's Dog, when he was a boy.

AND NOW, they were saying, Old Red Dog was For-ever gone. I knew in my little boy heart, what I had to do - I had to go look for Old Red Dog! Yes, I know now - to the child-hood heart the Whole World Revolves around the first hundred yards from the door-yard And now I know the truth today The World is so immense But to the child-hood heart it makes no difference, For all things that must be .. must be, within ... A-Hundred Yards of the Kitchen Door. A trip to the grape vine proved Old Red Dog was not there. A search in and under the great rotting barn ... Showed she was no-where, there to be found. Past the hollow tree where I was sure an old owl must live Past the crumbling sheds to the old abandoned chicken coupe where Old Red Dog and I had sat many times and shared stolen cookies But this time ... she was not there Waiting for her share.

DOWN PAST THE HOUSE AGAIN past the out-house privy Knowing Old Red Dog had too much pride to ever be there. Then behind the house ... to that for-bidden place ... the hollow with its twisted weeds and vines. But in this case even a for-bidden place must be faced For they were saying ... Old Red Dog ... No-more! I ventured as far as to crawl into the tangle of the twisted weeds and vines. then I could hear it? A Whimper, a Cry, a Whine and I knew Old Red Dog had fallen in a well. I could see where the earth had opened and swallowed her whole. and I tried to crawl to the edge and peer down but, my childhood heart was too afraid, it might fall in. So, I ran back to the house to get the men to show them Where Old red Dog had fallen in. They sent me back to the house just in-case Old Red Dog's plight Might be a little More then a boy should see.

BUT, THEY CAME BACK TO THE HOUSE by and by with Old Red Dog by their sides. and she sat there by the old iron stove to feed and preen. and the adults went back to speculate ... "She fell in the well, chasing rabbits." "She's back in heat again, and the pack chased her in." "Some-one tried to steel her, and she crawled in the bush to hide." and there would be many more stolen cookies to share between Old Red Dog and I.

Then ... a few Summers came and Then ... a few Summers went And then ... One warm Summer's night when the Sky was full of Stars Old Red Dog went sleeping ... and silently left her shadow on the lawn And was buried the next day beside the hollow tree to wait the Owl's return

NOW ... SOME STORIES ... Never make it to the paper Nor, hit the evening news. They never make their way to magazines .... Or even, Wordly Legend's Lore. But this one is written on the walls of the Great Dog Starr. YOUNG BOY SAVES OLD RED DOG FALLEN IN WELL!