Good-bye, My Lady

This book was in the juvenile literature section of a college library, but I could not locate it. So I asked the librarian about it and she checked and said the library had marked it to be discarded--even though colleges are more likely to keep a book than is the usual public library. So I was told I could have the book they were about to discard. I have read it and found myself extremely moved by the well-told story of a boy and his uncle in the swamp area of southern Mississippi. The boy finds a dog, a Basenji, no less, in the Mississippi swamp. The story of what follows is one that will live long in your memory. This is a most well worth reading book, and you will never regret taking the time to read it.

A boy named Claude and nicknamed "Skeeter" lives with his elderly uncle in a cabin in the Mississippi woods. They hunt for a living, buy staples at the general store and are able to just get by.One day Skeeter sees a strange, beautiful little dog being chased by hounds. He watches the unusual creature who makes a melodious yodeling noise, cleans herself like a cat, sheds tears, laughs, and has a tightly curled tail. After warding off the pack of hounds, the strange little dog shyly approaches Skeeter. He befriends the little dog, whom he names Lady and teaches her how to hunt. In time, Lady is quite a remarkable bird dog, stunning people in the immediate community. A bright, spirited little dog, Lady proves herself to be an able hunter. She and Skeeter are inseparable. They are almost never apart.Almost never, until...a neighbor reads about a missing basenji in the local newspaper. Skeeter is devastated by this as he loves the dog. A neighboring farmer who knew about Lady actually knew about basenjis and had hoped to catch Lady for the reward. He sees how much the basenji means to Skeeter and how the two have bonded. When confronted with the truth about Lady, the man tells Skeeter that he didn't have the heart to tell him the dog was missing and that he knew all along Skeeter couldn't keep her.Skeeter is torn between returning the beautiful basenji to her rightful owners or keeping her. It is a very moving story about the love of a basenji. ...This is truly a classic. Lady will find a permanent place in the hearts of all who read her story or watch the movie based on this wonderful book.