Daily American telegraph., 1851-12-23
A RARE DOG STORY.

In 1892, was then in my nineteenth year,
and well remember the circumstance
A gentleman, whose country seat stood within
six miles ofmy" cottage on the moor,n kept a
fine mastiff dog. BY day he was chained up
near the house by night, he was loose TO range
through the garden and enclosures, terror to
evil doers, but kindly affected to all such as do
we'll Now, whether it was natural instinct,
for wolves are only wild dogs,) or whether he
had received some real or supposed affront from
the sheep fraternity, | never could learn; for
though the dog had a language of his own, and
in which he conversed very fuently at times.
yet must confess | could better understand
the language of his eyes (dogs have very ex-
presslve eyes) than the language of his lips.
Be this as it may, one morning he was accused
OF having murdered two OF a neighbor's sheep
His master, unwilling to take up an evil report
against his faithful watch dog, had the trial
postponed to Monday next, as they say in court.
On the following night, however, another,
murder was committed. This time, the fact
was too clear to admit doubt. Hero was
brought in guilty, not by verdict of his peers,
butby convention of oftwo-legged animals, who
were too dull to appreciate his motives, and too
blind to sympathize with him under the circum-
stances, neither had they courtesy TO ask, as
ties ever since the days of Haman, who him
self was strung up fifty .cubits, if he had any
objection to make against being hung, but
straightway they proceeded to execution. His
master, while a tear crossed his eye-ba, says,
John, get stout piece Of rope. Hang Hero
behind the barn, so as not to be seen from the
house. Having spoke thus, he entered his
dwelling. Hero heard his sentence with the
same philosophic indifference that have heard
some two-legged animals receive theirs in the
Hall of Justice in the Park. He never opened
his mouth but, thinks he, there will be long
respite between the sentence and the hanging
day. So, without speaking word, he cleared
a stone fence five feet high, ,o'er hills and dales,
DER fields and floods he flew, as with the wings
of the wind. He never drew up till he entered
city of refuge; here the avenger Of blood
dared not TO enter. ...
You have\ read in that book, for which
all other books were made, man drew bow
at uenttue the unerring eye of Omnipotence
became pilot to that shatt-it entered between
the joints Of his armor, and the proud monarch
sunk dead in his chariot. The same unerring
eye directed the flight Of this dog to the spot
where, after an absence Of nearly seven years,
he was the means Of saving the life of his master,
as you will see in the sequel.
1t came to pass, when nearly seven years had
expired since the fright and fight of Hero, (no
doubt the poor dog was scared enough, when
he heard the order for immediate execution
that his late master was sojourning on the
borders ofScotland and England twas winter
and dark in that climate at p. M. He put
up at tavern by the wayside. As soon as he
dismounted, and went in the stable TO see that
his horse was cared for, he was followed by a
large mastif dog, who by every means that
dog could invent endeavored to draw his atten-
ton. The gentleman sat down in the hail. the
dog by his side, when he began to think there
was something strange in the dogs attentions
and manners. He put his hand on the head OF
the dog; and spoke kindly the dog encouraged
him, laid his paw on his masters knee, and
looked earnestly in his face; recolections arose
in the memory of the master, and he exclaimed
in surprise, "Why, Hero, are you here 2"
Hero was so pleased at the recognition, that he
almost leaped on his masters back. Whether
the landlord was informed Of the merits of the
case, or not, my informant did not say at any
rate, Hero and his master were never separate
from that hour Hero followed his master in
the bedroom when seeing him about to un-
dress, he seized the skirt of his coat with his
teeth, and drew his master towards closet; on
opening the door, he discovered the corpse Of
man suspended against the wall He saw his
danger, and made preparations accordingly.
This matter occurred shortly after the return Of
the army from America, after the war for Inde-
pendence. Many Of the disbanded soldiers took
to robbing on the highways, and gentlemen
always travelled well armed. He saw that his
four pistols were in right trim, piled everything
movable in the room against the door, and sat
down to await the result. AT midnight, there
was a knock at the door vial Of medicine,
which was standing on the mantelpiece, was
wanted for one Of the family, who was taken
suddenly i'll, &C. Mr.. Morton (Which was the
gendeman's name) informed the assaiant he
was prepared with firearms, and would shoot
tho fSrot ,,oa, that anfarod pracentlv he die