[Granville-Hough] 27 Jul 2009 - Ole Sharp, My Collie Friend

[Trustees for Granville W. Hough]

    The first dog of which I have a memory was Ole Sharp, a collie with 
long hair, who was my dear companion in my pre-school days.  Everybody 
recognized that we had a special bond and he was my caretaker.
    When I was two and one-half years old, my father and three older 
brothers had laid by the crops and decided to go fishing on Cohay Creek, 
where my parents had grown up and formerly lived.  They loaded the wagon 
for an overnight trip, but I was not yet fully-trained and house-broken; 
so I could not join.  Of course, our dog Sharp had to stay at home with 
my mother and me,  as the guard dog.  (My mother was seven or eight 
months pregnant with my next brother Clifford, who was born in August 1925.)
    So Sharp and I decided we would go on our own fishing trip.  I do 
not know what path we took, but I have a distinct memory of Sharp 
finding a depression in our boundary fence with Mr. Jim Meadows.  This 
place was a quarter mile from our house.  Sharp went under the fence, 
and of course I followed.  This is all I remember, so the rest was 
repeated to me by others.
    Of course, my mother was quite anxious, but she knew she could not 
contact my father and brothers who were by then finding a camp site 
somewhere in Cohay Creek Swamp. She took some comfort in the fact that 
Sharp had also disappeared.  She told all the neighbors I had 
disappeared with Sharp and asked for their help.  During the remaining 
daylight hours, they organized search parties but found no trace. 
    Early the next morning the black Vaughn Magee family heard a child 
crying in the distance.  They knew of  our disappearance and went to 
investigate.  They found us in a briar patch about a half-mile from 
home, but Ole Sharp would not allow anyone to get close.  The Magee 
family knew that Ole Sharp had formerly belonged to Mr. Jim Meadows and 
would likely allow him to get us out of the Briar Patch.  So they ran to 
get him.
    Mr. Meadows immediately went to the briar patch and took over, to 
Sharp's great relief.  but Mr. Meadows had forgotten to bring anything 
to cover the debris of the day and night.  So he got me out of the 
briars,  took off his shirt, and wrapped me in it, and took me home, 
with Sharp following along dutifully but hungry. 
    So my mother had a baby to clean up and feed, a dog to water and 
feed, and a shirt to wash, and a story to tell the fishing party when it 
returned.  I, too, had gone fishing.
    Of course, Sharp and I had other adventures.  We frequently shared 
drinks of water.  My mother collected rain water from the rooftop in 
washtubs as it had no minerals and clothes became cleaner when washed in 
that water.  When the washtubs were full, Sharp would go by and lap up 
all the water he needed.  Then I would follow along and do the same.  I 
well remember how much better the washtub water tasted than the well water.
    Now, collies are herding dogs, and Sharp could bring in the cows and 
calves, but the mules resented his presence.  We believe he got kicked 
by one of the mules and he became psychotic about mules after that.  He 
behaved strangely.  My father became afraid to have him around 
children.  We had to put him away, but to this day I could return to his 
gravesite.
    May God give every child who wants one a canine companion and 
friend.