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"It licked ers are sive it a shot," he whispers with his back turned to the Dreshers, who stand respectfully back at the kitchen door "I don’t want to use forceps If I fail, I’ll have to take her back to the office for a cesarean section She’s in such bad shape she s over "If we could lift her front legs up, support her so part lower Once or twice I’ve had women squat for a birth" Mr and Mrs Dresher stare at us hopefully They probably think we do this together all the time

The vet looks skeptical but does what I ask, supports the ss and lifts her head and trunk up eight inches

"A littlelike a poodle in the circus The unborn puppy’s snout coain That gives et the tip of er into the animal’slike this back in Pittsburgh when an Irish woman, Jennie O’Hare, had a baby in a face presentation You have to be very gentle

I smile and look up at Hester and then across at the worried Dreshers "It’s th returns to her pushing I know she can’t understand et excited "Push, Mama Push with all your heart!"

Mrs Dresher co, pulls up a chair, puts her chin in her hand, and concentrates all her energy toward the little pooch "Push, honey You can do it!"

Hester shakes his head and grins that crooked smile, but soon we can see the tip of a black snout at the opening I don’t let go, just keep up with ood-sized head appears at the opening and the water gushes out Then the vet tips the e puppy lies very still, and I want to jump in and blow on it, but the vet elbows s the newborn around to Hilda’s head, where she licks it until it squirms and finally breathes

After the first pup, the rest of the births are easy, with fourout one after the other

When we are all done and Hilda is stable and resting, Mr Hester and I take turns washing up in the indoor bathroo room Companionably, we observe the brown-and-white newborns, now in a basket near the hearth with theirfor the best place to nurse while George Olsen belts out "A Precious Little Thing Called Love" on the radio: "What’s the one thing makes me say Heaven’s just across the way It’s a precious little thing called love" Animals, I reflect, are not much different fros they have for their newborns The little white dog’s eyes are moist with love

Back in the Model T, Daniel Hester and I drive in silence As we pass through Liberty, I notice the copper’s car is now in front of Mrs Barnett’s Boarding House Have the laws up Wild Rose Road It’s been a long day

"I appreciate your co with me," he says formally It’s the first time we’ve spoken since we left the Dreshers’ "It’s always a pleasure having your co from a charity ball at the Oneida Inn

"I’" We pull up in front of my house "Do you want to corin, and I can see his white teeth in the very dark car