The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-07-11
From the Philadelphia Forun.
THE FAITHFUL DOG.-Br nRs. n. s.

| The attachment manifested by the canine for
their owners, their sagacity and fathfuness, have
been the theme Of numberess stories, and many are
led TO believe them endowed with The reason
ing powers ourselves. 1t is neither 10 assent to
this opinion, YET to attempt confuting if, that the
following incidents penne1-but 10 record an in
stance which trsnspired under my immediate obse--
walton. of their devotion and fidelity.
Ii will be remembered that Alabama was original
ly part of Mississippi Territory. Its contiguity TO
Georgia and the Carolinas induced Iunlberless iami-
lies from those States 10 remove there. The route
pursued by them led through the Cherokee nation,
and like the lsraeli,es OF oil the emigrauts cxpe-
ricnced difficulties in reaching safely the land Of
/ promise.
In some seasons Of the year the rivers and creeks
are swollen by the frequent rams as TO render them
| troublesome. Ii was during one OF these periods
that family, consisting OF man, hls wife and four
children le North Carolina TO settle themselves at
Cshawba the original seat OF government, and in
or ssng stream, they were upset, and precipi-
lated with all their earthly goods into the water.
W th the greatest difficulty the head of the family
succeeded rcscuing his wife ard three Of the chill,
dren together with the wagon aud horses, from their
perilous situationbu the baby, with the principal
/ part Of the baggage had gone 20 The bottom. Half
distracted, THE mother bethought her Of endeavoring
the chilli, and holding up one OF IL, little
froeks, she directed their dog Of the Newfoundland
breed, TO seek for at the spot in which il was be-
lieved to have persisted. Divirg under the water,
the dog disappeared. The most intense distress was
mate success; but in few seconds the agitation of
The water announced his coming and the dog arose
10 the surface with the child holding his clothes
firmly griPed between his teeth and s~ inning ith
II TO The land deposited j, safely at the feet Of the
mother.
BY the untring exertions Of the parents the child
was restored 10 life again, and without further deten
ton they arrived safe at their destination.
Uniil the accident the dog had never manifested
any particular attachment for the child but from the
me- al rsSFu Il frdn 81.
acted as IL he considered IL under his own surefin-
tending c',arge. IL would never leave IL Sleeping
or walking, 1t sat crouching beside the child no
soon discovered for Tie dog profor;Oosble cegree
Of affection.
The mother died from the effects Of the haDe-
fal Fever OF the county-thcn followed enc II The
children then another, and yet another and the OILY
remaining SURVIVORS Of the once happy family were
'ne ia,her, NE child, and the faithfully attached dog
And now the storms Of fate gathered around tins
poor offspring Of mrs ortgne he father sunk under
the weight Of his accumulated misfor,upes and fell
INTO incorporate habits The child wa. neglected
leit or hours to The companionship Of his Do. and
the loneliness of Its elAnchov lot,oslnr s
was, for was then only three wears Of age n was
suffered to wander wnerc It listed and uoul stroll
m the woods far away from its home with no one 10
guide vs. course but its childish faDcies secure
IN the protection OF IT, mute attendant have ser
sleeping beneath hedge, it, innocent head pillow
ed upon tie faithful creature IL. liuc arms ,.i ind
ssound It's neck
For more than year they led this hind Of itinersr,
hei and as they always returned ere nishtfsli ard
The boy grew VA strength, the father took little heed
OF either.
ihere was soncth.ng remarkable about the dog
and child Both seemed TO shun communion - M
thcir KIND attaching themselves SOLELY 70 esch other
hen weary, u occasionally sought its acsolae home;
and y pressed by hunger, stopped on the way 10 So
l.Sd irom some charitable ncisheor slice Of brad
focd Vas never refused IT, either for itself OF IN,
friend accompanying a.
Al length The child sickcncd and died Also. e~inr
probably TO some exposure and neglect whrn the
neighbours went N 20 administer TO It's necessities @
ring The lness, u Was slesys found sinr VITA its
head resting npon the dog shaggy neck with cf
brvath.
Tho child was buried, and from this time the DOG
droopcd ard pinned auay. No c1fsrts found sue
eessiai 10 lurc him ffom tho grave. The feed with
which he Vas daily supplied remained aniasied until
The morning the miserable father who had 6vcd 70
see has household destroyed. his hearth d.xo,a,ed.
found the il,lc mound which co~cfed his eh,ld 1
scratches NO TO considerable depth with the 10. e..
remains Of The sithial aox lying in the cavity
The lunatios IN the New York State Asylum. near 1
tuca lso IN number, celebrated the s,h Of July in
very becoming mannsr.