I love dogs and I love dog stories. I guess I come by it naturally. My dad was a hunter and a dog owner. Was that way as long as I could remember.

My dad liked a good dog story and was really great at telling them. With his voice and "Body Language", he could bring them alive.

My favorite was one about mt grandpa Henry and a "Coon Hound" puppy. I don't know if its fact or fiction but it sounds enough like paw Henry to convince me there's some fact involved.  

Before I get into this story I need to amend some things I wrote earlier about paw Henry. He was in spite of a drinking problem a good man. When he drank it was pitiful what it did to him. He was never a violent drunk, just a sad drunk. When sober, Henry was as good a man as ever walked this earth. Most everyone agreed that Henry's drinking was the result of loosing his first born when she was two years old. The result of a terrible accident. Henry blamed himself and carried it with him to his grave. Many years later I was sadly forced to walk a few short steps in Henry's shoes when we lost my first grand child just a few days before Christmas. A grand child's loss is devastating. The loss of your first born is the end of the world.

My paw Henry was known or maybe a better word is notorious for two things in Walker County Alabama. Foremost was the fact that he made the best "Moon Shine " whiskey you could find anywhere.  It was good smooth sparkling clear lightening. Not the awful "Forty four" stuff like many brewed up. It was called Forty four because in order to drink the stuff you had a friend hold a Forty four pistol to you head and make you drink it then you held the pistol to his head while he had a drink. Next on the list was that Henry owned "Old Blue". Blue was the thing legends are made of. In the world of "Coon" hounds and hunters, Blue was the "Bench mark" by which all others were judged. Needless to say, one of Blues off-springs was a much sought after item in the Coon hunting world. An Old Blue pup was a hundred dollar dog in a world where twenty dollar dogs were considered rare.

Preacher Sam Burkett was a pastor at the local Baptist church. Preaching didn't pay a lot so Sam also run the cotton gin in Carbon hill Alabama. Actually Sam didn't run the cotton gin, that job belonged to Travis Atkins who was Sam's boss but lots of his congregation thought Sam was the boss and he didn't discourage the notion. Now old Sam was a Coon hunter of some repute his self. Most in the hunting community said that the only thing holding Sam back from beating out Henry was the dog. Sam had a fine female "Blue Tick" named "Honey Girl" but she wasn't a match for Old Blue. Sam wanted one of them Old Blue pups but at a hundred dollars he was locked  right out. He set out to figure a way to get that pup minus the hundred dollar fee. 

Sam finally realized that nature and good timing was the answer to his dilemma. Pretty young thing that his dog was, Old Blue would be a push over for her charms. He devised a sure fire plan to see to it that the two lovers could have some quality time together.

Old man Henry lived down the road from Sam. There was a five acre woods that separated their houses. The land belonged to Henry but everybody hunted in the woods and pretty much roamed at will. When the time come for Sam to try out his idea, him and Honey Girl just eased off over towards Henry's place. Sam being wise in the ways of nature made sure that they was up wind from the old mans place. Weren't long before Old Blue got Honeys scent off the breeze blowing his way. Henry hardly ever tied the hound up so he was free to go and come as he pleased. In a minute Blue broke through the under brush looking for the source of that "sweet" scent. Sam just grinned. Thought to himself how easy this was gonna be. He'd just let them hounds get to know each other real well and the rest would be a snap. Well the hounds played and frolicked until Sam figured everything had gone as planned. He eased a rope onto Honey Girls collar and started to ease back toward his place.  He'd gone just a ways when a voice asked "How you doing preacher"? It was old man Henry. See you been out walking your dog. Thought it was her when I happened up on her anddo it  Blue a courting back there. Old Sam was speechless or as my dad would say the old boy "Vapor Locked". Preacher, knowing Henry's reputation of toting a pistol, was doing some fast thinking. He hated to but he was going to have to lie just a little. He'd straighten it out with the Lord later. Why Henry you snuck right up on me. This fool dog broke out of her pen and run all the way over here. I been a chasing her trying to get this here rope on her. I'm real sorry about the trouble.  Henry said "Well whats done is done". Now I know you didn't mean for them to get together cause you know how I am about Old Blue. Whats done is done. Tell you what. You give me pick of the litter and We can just call it even. Sam almost fainted from relief. He was more than willing to agree to Henry's terms. Sam said "Sure Mr. Henry" sounds more than fair to me. The preacher knew he'd been caught "Flat Footed" not to mention he'd caught a glimpse of Henry's old "Owls Head" Iver Johnson pistol in the back pocket of his "Liberty" overalls. Sam said "I'll give you two puppy's if you want them. Henry replied that one would be plenty. Just send me word when time comes for me to pick him up. Then the old man just disappeared back into the woods. The preacher "Hot footed It" for home. Happy even though he'd peed his pants.

It was late fall in Alabama. The leaves had pretty much fell off the tree's. There was frost in the mornings and the air got pretty nippy in the evenings. The tree's between the preacher and Henry's house were bare and you could the light from each house at night. Honey Girl's pups were weaned and showing signs of being fine Coon dogs. They fit the old saying about "Being Pretty As Speckled Pup". They were through and through Blue Ticks. A breed well known and loved by Coon hunters. It was time for Sam to live up to his part of the bargain. Sam had languished long and hard with his conscience over the deal with Henry. Preachers did not cut deals with Moonshiners or other folks that so plainly were in cahoots with the devil. Sam sure hoped the good Lord was a Coon dog lover and understood the temptation that had drug a good preacher down.

Henry had a grandson named Mitch that lived with his folks on down the road past Henry's place. Mitch walked by the preachers house every day after school. The school bus only came within a mile of the little boys house, he had to walk the remainder. Mitch was a good kid. Always friendly and willing to help if he could. Somewhere along his way in life, Mitch picked up the nick name of "Shine". It fit him so it stuck. You might ask some one about Mitch and just receive a blind stare but mention Shine and they knew him.

One cold Friday afternoon the preacher was waiting by the road when Shine passed on his way from the school bus stop. The preacher stop the boy and asked him if he would tell Henry that it was time for him to come a get his pup. "Sure thing preacher Burkett" I'm supposed to stay the night there so I can help get in some more firewood tomorrow. Preacher said Thanks Shine. Shine replied "Yes Sir". Shine had been taught from early on to address his elders as either Sir or Mam.

When Shine got to Henry's house he past along the preachers message. The old man grinned and said he reckoned he ought to take care of that pup business right now. He told Shine to eat a plate that his grandma had fixed for him and then they'd walk through the woods over to the preachers place. Henry said he'd be outside waiting for Shine but first he needed to see about something. 

"Something my foot" was grandma's comment. He's a slipping out to get at the jug he's got hid in that old wagon. Shine, you watch that old devil or he'll make a fool of his self in front of the preacher. Lord if he does a Doogan in front of Mr. Burkett I'll be embarrassed to death. "Oh no" thought Shine, anything but the "Doogan". Doogan was Henry's alter ego. I guess it was brought on by his Irish blood. Henry's great grand parents came to this country in the mid eighteen hundreds from Ennis Kilin Ireland. When Henry got pretty much "Into the Wind" he'd dance a jig and call his self Mr. Doogan. He was a sight in his black derby hat and "liberty" overalls. Last time Doogan got feisty he danced right off the front porch and got a nasty bump on his head and one hell of a black eye.

Shine ate his supper and went outside to find his grandpa waiting. The temperature was dropping. Shine could see just a faint trace of Henry's breath in the cold air. Shine could also smell just hint of whiskey on the old mans breath as well. Old man winked at him and said, "now Shine I've had me a snort just to dull the cold air, don't tell grandma, you know how she gets about my having a drink". Shine replied " no sir, I wont say nothing. By now they was into the woods. Blue was baying back at his pen but Henry had decided to leave the old dog at home for this trip. About half way across the woods Henry pulled a little half pint bottle out and had himself another "Hit' wiped his mouth and said boy its gonna get cold tonight. Shine replied "Yes sir and they walked on. Before long the preachers dogs started to bark sensing the approach of the old man and the boy.

Preacher Burkett was standing in the yard waiting for them. He shook Henry's hand and said hello to Shine. "I got your message about the dog" Henry said while smiling real big. "Lets have a look at them pups" was his next comment. They was dandies. Long floppy ears and droopy eyes. No doubt they were Old Blues "Git". One little male cozied right up to Henry. The litter had been small. Only four and one of them died early on. With him there would have been two boys and two girls. Now there was only this one little male. He was playful and like most pups he peed on you when you picked him up.  Henry made it official by saying "I'll take this little feller. Gonna call him "Trailer". Well that had been easy enough Shine thought to himself. It was getting late and it was getting cold. Shine had had enough of this he was ready to head back to the house and set by the fireplace.

Henry however was feeling his corn liquor and decided he really liked this little dog stealing preacher. Wanted to share some good home made "White Lightening" with old Sam. Sam would on occasion have a snort if the need arose. It had arose. He wanted Henry to go home, it was cold and his old lady and kids was watching out the front room window. Henry had just by chance found another half Pinter in his other back pocket. The preacher knocked back half of it and gave Henry the rest. Said Henry I'm going the house and he did. Shine steered Henry toward the woods and home. The puppy began whining and carrying on. Shine told Henry, "Grandpa that little dog is shaking all over. He's getting to cold." Henry in an almost sober moment said "Boy, I believe your right''. The old man took the pup and eased him down inside the front of his bib overalls and they continued on toward home and a warm fire. They'd just come out of the wood and into Henry's yard when the old man said "Stop I got make water bad". Old Henry unbuttoned the fly on them overalls and after some effort pulled out that pups hind leg and just peed all over himself, gave that little leg a good shaking, pushed it back into his overalls and buttoned the fly. Damn what a relief he said. Shine just kinda rolled his eyes and said under his breath,"Oh Lord, Grandma's gonna kill us both.