The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-12-02
From the Newark Advertiser.
REMARK ABLE DELIvERANCE.


We met The following singular narrative
the other day, in the volume Off Canadian
missionary who has recently published Ger
tain "reminiscences Of bis life and labors.
The story is well told, and The incident
which forms its subject, whether called
accidental or 'providen.iol,' was certain
~ remarkable.
al about this period went TO attend
the sale Of the effects Of Mr.. NJ, a res
pscsable farmer, who had died at one Of my
out settlements q few months before. lie
had left widow, very amiablc and pious
woman, and three children to mourn his
loss. The lone widow thought herself un-
equal to the management Of large farm
which her husband had occupied. She
therefore took cottage ia tho villnge
where ] lived, and was now selling every
thing of except little furniture.
After the sale was over went into the
house to see her. congratulated her up
on the plan she had adopted, and remarked
that she would be much more comfortable,
not only in being relieved from the cares
Of business she could not DO supposed to
understand, but in feeling Of security.
which in her unprotected state in that lone
~ house she could hardly enjoy.
oh! no. she said, mot unprotected; far
from Il! You forgot she continued with
mournful smile, 'ihut am now under the
special protection OF Him 'who coreth for
tho fatherless and the widow and feel
quite confident that lie will protcc. u.s.
sAnd He did protect them, and that We
~ night, too, in most extraordinary and
wonderful, and, may add, miraculous
manner. The farm house was solitary
one; there was not another within half n
mile Of il. That night there was n good
deal ofmoney in the house, tho proceeds Of
tho sale. The mother aud her three young
children, and maid-scrvan,, wcrc the sole
inmates. They had retired to rest some
time. Tho wind was bowling fcarfully,
and shook the wooden house ut every
blast.
This kept tho poor mother awake, and
sqe thought she heard in tho pauscs Of the
tempest, some strange and unusual noise,
seemingly at the back the house. While
eagerly listening TO catch the sound again,
she was startled BY the violent barking Of
. dog, apparently in a room in the front
part Of the house Immediately beneath the
chamber. This alarmed her still more, rs
they had no dog Of their own.
sSho Immediately arose, and going to
her minds room nwoko her, md thcy went
down together. They first pcepcd into the
room where they had heard tho dog. l,
vas moonlight, at least partially SO, for the
night vas cloudy; still il was ligh, enough
70 distinguish objects, although but family
They saw IN immense black dog scratching
and gnawing furiously at the door leading
into the kitchen, whence she thought that
the noise she first heard had proceeded.
She requested tho servant to open the
door which tho dog was attacking so yio-
lently. The girl was determined and
rcsolutc creature, devoid Of fcnr, and she
did DO without hesitation; when the dog
rushed out; and the widow saw through
the open door two mon ut tho kitchen win
dow, which was open. The men instant
ly rctrented, and the dog lcnpcd through
the window after them. A violent scufile
ensued, aud il WINS evident, from the occa.
sional yelping Of the noble animal, that no
foe some time had tie worst Of it.
The noise Of the contest, however, grad.
ually seceded, till Mrs. M could hear
only now and then faint and distant
bark. The robbers, or perhaps mnrdcrers,
had taken out pane Of gnss, which had
enabled them 10 undo the fasicnings Of tho
window, when but tor tho dog, they would
doubtless have accomplished the purpose.
The mistress and maid got light, and SO.
cured the window as we'll MS they could.
They then dressed themselves, for to
think Of sleeping any more that night was
ont Of the question. Thcy had not, how
ever, got down stairs the second time be-
fore they heard their protector ut The cutter
door for sdmittancc. They Immediately
opened il, when he came in wageing his
bushy tail, and iawnng upon each OF them
in turn, to be pattcd and praised for bis
prowess.
He then stretched his huge bulk, at full
length, beside tho warm stove, closed bis
eyes, and went to sleep. The mex, morn
ing they gave him breakfast any dog
might have enyicd; after which nothing
could induce him 10 prolong his visit. lie
stood whining impatiently ut the door till
il vas opened, when Le gallopcd oil in
great hurry, aud they never saw him at
Ierwssd.
They had never seen tho dog before, nor
did they ever know to whom he belonged |
il was very singular circumstance, and
they could only suppose that he came with
oomo stranger to tho sale. The family
moved tho following day to their new cot
tage in the village; and when my wife aud
] called upon them, Mrs. M. reminded me
lhat, when last saw her, she had told me