Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-19
THE TAME SEAL.

One scarcely meets with more touching sto
ry, in reference TO the brute creation, than we
now quote from recent work entitled Hihi
Beasts Of the West--of Ireland
About forty years ago young seal was Ia
ken in CIew Bay, and domes,ica,ed in the kitch.
en- vi gentleman whose house was situated ON
the sea shore. 1t grew apace. became familiar
with the servants, and alta he'd 10 the Lonse and
family; ITS habits were innocent and gentle, il,
played with the children, came at its masters
call, and as the old man described him to me.
was 'fond as dog, and playful as kitten. -
Daily the seal went out TO fish, and. after provid.
ing Tor his own wants. frequently brought in
salmon or tuibot to his master. His delight in
summer was TO bask in the sun, and in winter 70
'e before the he. Or If permitted, creep into the
| large oven, which at that time formed the regu.
lar appendase Of Irish kitchen. For four
years the seal had been thus domesticated, when.
unfor,unateIy, a disease, called in this country
The criPpavn-a kind of paraly,ic affection of the
limbs. which gee rally ends fatalv-attacked
some black cattle belonging to the master of the
house; some died, Others became infected. and
the customary cure produced By changing them
to drier pasture failed. A wise woman was CON.
suited; and the bag assured the credulous owner
that the mortality among his cows was occasion
ed oy his Keeping an unclean beast about his ha |
0itation-the harmless and amusing SEAL II
must BE- made away with directly, or the Grin |
pawn would continue, and her charms be nm.
equal TO avert the maladv.
The supersti,i0us wretch consented IN the
hays proposll, the seal was pu, on board boat
carried ont beyond Clare Island, and there con.
mitted 10 the deep, to manage for himself as he
best could The boat returned. the family re-
tired to rest; and next morning a servent ava.
kened her master to tell him that the seal was
quietly sleeping in the oven. The poor animal
overnight came ba,k to his beloved home, crept
through an open window, and took possession OF
his 'avorite resting place Next morning ano.
TIER Gn; cow was reported to be unweIl The seal
I '''H '"'i0'Sf 'r"'r> - 60 -, 90.
ieaad nat bpH d|B huaYerbeaIa til! he nau s0"e
day and night passed; the second evening closed
the servant was raking The fire for the night
something scratched gently at the door-it was
Of course the house dog-she opened II, and n
came the Seal!- l.
Wearied with his long and unusual voyage, he
testified delight to find himself at home, then
stretching himself before the owing embers OF
the hearth he fell into deep sleep The mas
tor Of the house was Immediately apprised "f ms
une expected and unwelcome visit. In the ext
pencv, the beldame was awakened anu consul
ted: she averrrd that it was always unlucRy 10
XIII a seal, but suggested that the animal should
h. derived of sight. and third time carried
GU, TO sea- To this hellsh proposition the oe-
so,ted wretch who owned the house c0nsens'u;
and the atftctonate and cOnhdins creature was
cruelty robbed OF sight, on that hearth ior wH''n
he had resigned his native element! NeA,
morning, writing in agony, the mut'ldtea oea,
WAS embarked, taken outside Clare island anu
for the last time committed to the waves
STOP, Ju!ius!' exclaimed, 's've me mo-
uen,,s time to curse all concerned in this 6ar0a'
rism BE patient. Frank said my COUSIN
.,he finale viii probably save you that trouble
The skeleton of the once plump anIma-'or'
NOR beast. It persisted irom hunger. being inca
! na,ita,,d from blindness to procure ITS cus'oma
ry fooJ-was buried in sand hill, and from Una,
,n,,cept mjsfortunes followed the abettofs anu
r.rn,tr,tors of this iuhuman deed. lhe detes'
tt.hi. hay. who had denounced the in0hensiVe
Sea. wa.. within ateelvemonth hanged Tor muir
dering the iIlegtlmate offspring OF her own
d,uuhter. Every thing about TINS deVo'eu
house melted away-sheep roued, cattle o'eu'
.,nJ hli,hted was the corn. OF several chill
dren. none reached maturity, anu '"e savoy
nronri.tor survived every Thing he loved or car
rd for He died bind and mr'erable. mere
;s mt stone of that accused building Hahu'us
n,oo another The property has passed I"
family of different name; and the series "' w,
ces,ant CALAMITY which pursued all c"mee'"''
:, this crueI deed is as romantic as true
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