Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, November 1899: Volume LVI, No. 1Various
Science
Appletons' Popular Science Monthly, November 1899: Volume LVI, No. 1
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
"Eddie, go and tell that naughty Jack that he must stop teasing Mary.
Tell him his place is not in the kitchen, and that he must keep out of
it."
Eddie had listened to Mary's story, and, although he generally sturdily
defended Jack's various actions, yet here he saw that the dog was in
the wrong, and so he gallantly came to her rescue. Away with Mary he
went, while the rest of us, now much interested, followed in the rear
to see how the thing would turn out. As Eddie and Mary passed through
the dining room we remained in that room, while they went on into the
adjoining kitchen, leaving the door open, so that it was possible for
us to distinctly hear every word that was uttered. Eddie at once strode
up to the spot where Jack was stretched upon the floor. Seizing him by
one of his ears, and addressing him as with the authority of a despot,
the little lad said:
"I am ashamed of you, Jack. You naughty dog, teasing Mary like this!
So you won't let her wash her kitchen. Get up and come with me, you
naughty dog!" saying which the child tugged away at the ear of the dog.
Jack promptly obeyed, and as they came marching through the dining room
on their way to the study it was indeed wonderful to see that little
child, whose beautiful curly head was not much higher than that of the
great, powerful dog, yet so completely the master. Jack was led into
the study and over to the great wolf-robe mat where he generally slept.
As he promptly obeyed the child's command to lie down upon it, he
received from him his final orders:
"Now, Jack, you keep out of the kitchen"; and to a remarkable degree
from that time on that order was obeyed.
We have referred to the fact that Jack placed the billet of wood in the
wood box when it had served his purpose in compelling Mary to open the
door. Carrying in wood was one of his accomplishments. Living in that
cold land, where we depended entirely on wood for our fuel, we required
a large quantity of it. It was cut in the forests, sometimes several
miles from the house. During the winters it was dragged home by the
dogs. Here it was cut into the proper lengths for the stoves and piled
up in the yard. When required, it was carried into the kitchen and
piled up in a large wood box. This work was generally done by Indian
men. When none were at hand the Indian girls had to do the work, but
it was far from being enjoyed by them, especially in the bitter cold
weather. It was suggested one day that Jack could be utilized for this
work. With but little instruction and trouble he was induced to accept
of the situation, and so after that the cry, "Jack, the wood box is
empty!" would set him industriously to work at refilling it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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