Shep - My Story.

[Paul]

SHEP - MY STORY.

I was not the best dog in the world, I was good, well, perhaps sometimes brilliant, but never the best.

My Master was good, he was perfection, he told me where to go, how to do it, and when work was finished, we sat together. That was the best part of my day
My Master was very special and I know that he loved me.

When the day’s work was done he used to tickle that special spot behind my ears, my chest, even the base of my tail and if the fancy took him, he would lift me bodily in his strong arms and cuddle me close to him.

His clothing smelled of sheep, tobacco and me, the smells were warm and comfortable and I always felt safe. The familiar scents give me a feeling of security and often reminded me of my Mother.

I didn’t know Mum for long, just a few short weeks, first she was just a warm lump to snuggle up to. I was blind and very small, the comfortable smell of her teats drew me to her. Gently nustling for position with my brothers and sisters I managed to find a teat and drink my fill of life.

Barely old enough to stand on my own four feet and just six weeks old, my Master came and lifted me from my brothers and sisters. His huge hands descended like shovels and scooped me from the bosom of my mother, “he’ll do, just the one for me”, he said.
He was both gentle and rough at the same time, lifting me by the scruff of the neck which hurt me until his other hand supported my weight.

I was whisked away from all that I loved, my Mother brothers and sisters, but I felt secure, held tightly against the warm interesting smelly clothing, of the human. So began my partnership with a man who would mean more to me than anything else in the world.

“I’ve a name to call thee”, he said, “I think I’ll call you Shep, sort of short for Sheepdog”.
To be truthful, I didn’t really understand what he was saying, but the word Shep kept being repeated and eventually it dawned on me, that was my name.

Time passed. With the help of my Master I could muster sheep in the direction he wanted them to go within minutes. Under his guidance I was able to get huge flocks moving at a pace which was acceptable to both the sheep and my master, it was a hard life but a good one. Then one day, my whole life was turned upside down

It was a hot dusty day when I found my master lying on the ground. I was puzzled, many times I had seen him on a bed, even on a couch but never on the ground. I approached with my tail wagging, ears straining to hear the tone of his gentle voice. It was going to be another busy day for us, more sheep to muster and when the work was slack I was allowed to chase rabbits, sometimes I even managed to catch one for our dinner.

I sniffed at Master’s ear, gave it a lick, but he didn’t move. I sat back and pawed his still body trying to awake him, he still didn’t move. Puzzled, I lay beside him and laid my head upon his outstretched arm waiting for him to wake up.

The sun was high in the sky when another human came by, he knelt by the side of my master and exclaimed, “Oh my God”.

Then it seemed there were many people who lifted my master onto a litter and took him into a building. I followed not understanding what was happening. Why were we not going to muster sheep? What was wrong? For two days I lay watching the building then finally a very large box carried by two men came out of the door. Normally I wouldn’t have taken any notice but I could smell my Master.

Following the box, the two men made their way to the railway depot where they laid their load onto a trestle. When they left, I worked my way unseen to the box, stood on my back legs and sniffed, “Yes, Master was there” my nose told me so.

I had been without food or water for three days, that was small discomfort so long as I was back with my Master. Soon he would get out of the box and feed me, then we could round up sheep the next day.

Sleeping fitfully under the box, a loud piercing whistle rent the air and one of those strange monsters that were chased by many smaller ones, stopped close to where I was lying.

It was as if the whole world came alive at that moment, for amidst the smoke from the strange monster, people began to emerge from its inside while other people were climbing inside. Humans in strange hats began to handle boxes into the big hole which appeared in the side of the monster, I didn’t like it, and was very frightened. Two of the humans in strange hats approached my position.

A low rumbling growl leapt involuntary from my throat and I bared my teeth. Never had I done such a thing to a human before but I considered their advance a threat to my master. One of the humans kicked at me and I had to retreat from under the trestle to avoid being hurt. I did consider biting him but I knew my master would have disapproved.

My master’s box was loaded through the monster’s hole, twice I attempted to follow the box through but each time I was chased off by the human who had tried to kick me. Finally the hole in the monster disappeared, I stood up on my back legs where the hole had been and barked a warning to my Master. I whined and scratched furiously at the hard sides hoping to make a hole so that I could climb inside.



Once again the loud whistle sounded and the monster began to move. I walked along side at first but the monster began to move faster and faster until I was running more swiftly than I had ever run before. Eventually the monster began to move so fast that I could no longer keep the pace. That was when I felt the pain. Not the pain of my heart beating at such a rapid rate, or the gravel tearing at my pads but the pain of failure and loss.

Continued...

[Paul]

Shep continued....

I do not know how long I continued to run but it was for a long time after the monster had vanished from my sight. When I could run no longer I simply walked until exhaustion overtook me and I dropped wearily to the ground. I lay panting to dispel the heat of my exertions. My pads cut and torn by the gravel, were bleeding profusely, this combined with the lack of food and water made my head spin.. then blackness.

“Shep, you hear me Shep?” the voice came spearing through the blackness that surrounded me, I tried vainly to open my eyes.

“Shep it’s alright, I’ll wait for you dear friend”. It was my Master, he was calling me. My heart lifted at the sound of his voice and I fought to shake away the blackness that held me in its grip. Gradually the darkness receded and my eyes opened. There, standing on the monster’s track was the shadowy figure of my master.

His hand was held to hold me in the ‘drop’ position, then it stretched way out and he placed it on my head in the most gentle of all touches. “I’ll wait, I promise, take care Shep”. Then he was gone.

I struggled to my feet and went to the spot where my master had stood but I couldn’t scent him. But water I could. Walking down the side of the monster’s trail I found a puddle of water. I drank long and deep and with each lap of my tongue I could feel strength returning to my body. Retracing my steps to where I had last seen my master, I found the body of a rabbit on the monster’s trail. Tearing away the fur I was able to assuage my hunger before finding a sheltered spot in long dry grass and falling into a long merciful sleep.

I awoke shivering in the cold night air. For a moment I couldn’t remember where I was and then it all came back to me I felt the pain and soreness in my pads, gently I licked off the dried blood and was able to extract the small particles of gravel that had entered the cuts. As I tended my hurt, the night began to give way to daylight and finally the warming sun dispelled the cold of the night. What was I to do now?, the master said he would wait for me.

Struggling to my feet I limped to the spot where I had last seen my Master, it didn’t matter how much I sniffed I could not smell him. In despair, I scented the spot so that I could find it again and on painful paws retraced my steps to where they had put the Master’s box into the monster.

By the time I returned, the sun was low in the sky. Hungry, tired and thirsty, I realized that until master came back for me, I would have to look after myself.
Using my sore injured paws, I managed to dig out a spot under some boarding. Working at a slow pace, I was able to fashion a sort of nest that would provide me with shelter. Once again, I fell into a deep sleep and did not wake until the sun was high in the sky.

The two long periods of sleep had refreshed my body but I was very hungry and thirsty. Emerging from the shelter I wandered along the wooden boards, I could smell water.

Standing on my hind legs I was able to reach the tin container that was hanging from the wall and drink my fill. The water tasted stale and dirty, it had been there a long time.

“Hey Pat”, a human voice called out, “Come and look at this dog drinking out of the fire bucket”.

Another human emerged from the building, “You know Tony, isn’t that the dog that tried to get on the train the other day and then we chased it out of the depot?”<br>
The two humans continued their conversation and finally the one called Tony walked back into the building and returned carrying a dish in his hand.

He walked toward me. Remembering the treatment I had received when I tried to follow Master, I retreated, when the human stopped, I stopped. He tried to approach me again, once more I retreated. “Have it your way fellah” he said, and with that placed he dish on the floor.

He retraced his steps toward the other human, and as he did so I approached the dish; perhaps it was food. It wasn’t food but fresh clean water and even though I had my fill from the tin on the wall, I managed to drink half the dish, delighting in the freshness. The human called Pat then vanished into the building and returned holding a cloth in his hand,”Come on boy, you must be real hungry”, he said.

I watched him unfold the cloth and I could smell food. Squatting on his heels he held out an outstretched arm offering the food to me. Normally, I would not have taken notice of him but I was very hungry, and because he had lowered himself he didn’t appear to be a threat to me. Cautiously I approached him, and took the proffered food from his hand, but I was ready to run in an instant should danger threaten.

I gulped the food down as fast as I could and gratefully accepted a second, then a third offering.

That’s how my life at what the humans called the depot began. I had found shelter and the two humans Pat and Tony always brought me a little food. During the night hours there was another human named Jim who brought me food also, my dish was always kept filled with fresh water.

Sometimes they would forget to bring food for me, so I went hungry, but they would always make up for it later by giving me a bit extra.

The monsters, which my new friends called trains announced their arrival with a loud whistle, I was always there to meet them, my tail wagging, waiting for my master to return. When he failed to appear, I would walk away but always had my ear open for the arrival of the next train. My master would surely be on one of them.

Time passed, I met every train that arrived and got to know many humans, some often giving me food, others trying to fuss or pat me. I would have none of that, grateful for the food I just couldn’t wait for the day when my master would return.



The seasons came and went, I didn’t seem to hear so well any more and I could not move as quickly as I used to.

Then came the day I awoke to the sound of the whistle of an approaching train, stiffly walking along the track to the depot I knew that this train was special.

“I promised you Shep, c’mon boy I’m waiting for you,
c’mon my faithful friend”. It was my Masters voice.

I could see the train as it came toward me but I could not hear it, only “C’mon Shep”.

The train almost upon me, I tried to get off the track, my feet slip on the snow covered rails then, there was a bright blinding light.

There in front of me, squatting on his heels with both hands reaching out toward me was Master. I ran to him on newly strengthened legs and no aches in my bones. I licked his face as he held me close to him, at last, I had found my Master.

“Good faithful Shep”, he said, “Now we’re together for eternity”.

Continued....

[Paul]

.......continued.

It was on an August day in 1936 that the body of Shep’s master was loaded onto an eastern bound train at Fort Benton, Montana, U.S.A. For nearly the next 6 years, Shep kept a vigil at the depot, meeting every train in search of his master. Tail wagging as the
train pulled in, only to droop in despair when his beloved Master did not alight.

In his own time, Shep became world famous for the faithfulness he displayed to his departed Master. Even today the story is one of outstanding devotion and, once again depicts that special bond that exists between humans and their canine friends.

Shep’s earthly life came to an end when on Monday, 12th, January, 1942, he slipped beneath the wheels of train No. 235.



Faithful Shep was laid to rest on top of a bluff which overlooked Fort Benton station.

Pallbearers of the Fort Benton Boy Scout Troop No. 47 carried Shep to his final resting place and Kenneth Vinion sounded Taps at the graveside. A service was conducted by Ref. Ralph Underwood who in the closing part of the ceremony recited Vest’s “Eulogy on the Dog”.

Eulogy of the Dog.


GENTLEMEN of the jury, the best friend a man has
in this world may turn against him and become his
enemy. His son or daughter whom he has reared with
loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us - those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name - may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man's reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honour when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolute, unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world - the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous - is his dog.


Gentlemen of the jury, a man's dog stands by him in
prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.

When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches
take wings and reputation falls to pieces he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace, and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.


-Hon. George G. Vest.

Great Northern Railway employees erected a profile monument to Shep, where it still stands today, a permanent testament of a dog’s love for a man.

Shep’s story does not end there. Ed Shields a conductor for the railway, pieced together the history of Shep and wrote a booklet. The proceeds of that booklet went on to benefit the students of the Montana School for the Blind and the Deaf, Great Falls, Montana.

Even after death, Shep still continues his service to mankind.

© Paul Springthorpe - Media Production Services 1990 extracted from, ‘It’s a Dog’s Life. All rights reserved.

The author acknowledges the assistance provided by the staff of the Montana School for the Blind and the Deaf.