A PETTISH PET. 



O. F. O KEEFE. 



On a cold, clear morning, in February, 

 '97, I was traveling along a mountain trail 

 on horseback. Blankets, snow shoes and 

 the day's grub were strapped behind on 

 the saddle. It was just after a heavy snow. 

 My intention was to go as far as I could 





COPYRIGHT, 1896, BY O KEEFE & STOCKUOKF, 

 LEADVILLE, COL. 



"WHEN I WENT CLOSER HE SHOWED FIGHT." 



on the horse, then turn him on the back 

 track, and proceed on snow shoes to some 

 mining claims farther in the mountains. 



I left the horse and for 2 hours followed 

 a trail which was here and there covered 

 by snow slides. At length I noticed a dark 

 spot on an enormous snow bank, some 

 distance ahead. Watching intently, I made 

 out a mountain sheep, helplessly flounder- 

 ing in the deep snow. As I drew near I 

 could see he was completely worn out by 

 his struggles. He looked up with such 

 piteous, appealing expression that I had 

 not the heart to leave him there. But when 

 I went closer, he showed fight, and would 

 have none of me. At last I got him by the 

 horns, dragged him to a sheltered spot, 

 and there left him awhile. Then I went . 

 back to get my horse, but he had gone 

 home, so I walked 8 miles to a cabin, got 

 a man and 2 horses, returned as far as we 

 could on horseback, and snow-shoed to 

 where I left the sheep. By dint of 4 hours' 

 dragging and pulling, we got the old fel- 

 low to the horses. Then 1 it was an easy 

 matter to pack him to the cabin. 



I stayed in the cabin that night and next 

 morning went on to my claims. On my 

 return, 3 days later, I stopped at the cabin 

 to see the sheep. He looked very different 

 from the poor wreck I left there. I was 

 told he had been eating everything in 

 sight, from salt and oats, to sugar, and had 

 grown very " sassy." We made a box, put 

 him in, took him to the railroad station, 

 and shipped him to Leadville by train. 



At first I thought he would be a fine pet. 

 At home I tied him, by a rope, to a tree. 

 After that I had no peace. I could not go 

 near him, and as the rope soon showed 

 signs of wear, I feared he would escape. 

 I got 4 of the boys, and we all closed in 

 at once and nailed him to the ground. Then 

 we put a good strong strap on him and 

 tied him in the barn. The barn had no 

 roof, and the sheep would climb on a high 

 bank of snow and ice in the corner and 

 defy anyone to come near him. There was 

 a good light in there, and I photographed 

 him in many positions. By the process 

 known as " double printing " I was able 

 to produce pictures of him apparent^ 

 taken, on his native heath. 



I never knew him to drink water during 

 his 5 months' captivity. He always ate 

 snow instead. He was finally sold and 

 shipped to Hamburg, Germany. Just be- 

 fore going he weighed 150 pounds. When 

 he felt right he was a dandy scrapper and 

 it took 4 strong men to down him. I want 

 no more like him. Hereafter I'll get my 

 sheep with rifle or camera, and let it go 

 at that. 



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