The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-11-06

if indeed they find voices TO plead for lhs
midnight marauder, who, apart from thei
secret acts of villainy, may be very ser
vIceable animal. The master himself ha,
naugh, to say, since slay the thiefor pnN
Tor the sheep, are The grim alternatives =
The axe, the cord or The fowling piece, gen
rally settles the matter on the spot, while
he very stop, which has SO often shelter
el the villain, seems half aghast with 81
len, horror. As the habit is incnrabe, nnl
he chain at best but an imperfect chcei
ipon il, il il advisable in an cases to dc
troy the cnlprit, be be pointer, setter, ter
rier, hound, Or ever so valuable a variet,
# the species. The clean bred pointer
ave never heard accused Of the act, ihnnpl
g, too, may, occasionally, be led u6f int.
evil ways. II is a fancy of my own, TN
The lopng beast, half pointer and setter
where neither stock is pure, is more addict
ed TO sheep killing than any other varict,
Of the sporting dog. The setter himsel
when he once takes to the killing Of limo
cents, will sometimes forsake his profes
sional business 10 ass,il flock, which have
come in his way in the course of the sport,
| have heard story of a well bred setter
who unaccouninbly left bis master sur
rounded by quail 10 the sinbbles, and afte,
III absence OF some minutes, was actual,
seen By the farmer lhr,i,ling sheep in al
a5joining field. The man started to the
house for his gun aud during hi, absence
The dog returned 10 his mas,cr's side, hunt.
| - vi IL
breaking short returned to bis nefariou>
work, Just as the avenger, armed with one
# those long old fashioned pieces, which
sent death inio the British ranks as often
luring the days Of seventy-six, made his
timely appearance on The scene. Ofcourse
the malefac,or died the death.
Another setter who was detected in a
similar piece of work, was shut up all night
i the urgent request of the farmer in Il
zen with puenacous old ram, who i, was
expected, would not fail 10 revenge hi~
slaughtered children. In the morning t.
he surprise Of the owners of both animals,
The patriarch of the flock was found stark
nd lifi-sdead as multon,' rs an Engli n
rustic would sav-with his throat terribly
torn; while the dog, on the contrary, whnl.
" uninjired, was wagging his tail IL gc'
,m. was nn, Informed as to bis snhse
luent disposal; bu, | am inclined to ,hnk,
II things dulv considered, that he, too
nus, have died The death.
The propensity properly belongs to The
wild state Of the race, along with other pc
,n'iariies Of less Importance; such as hi
- a IL
turning aroind. like wolf in its lair.
three times hefnre they lay down Il
| ,leep--,aking solitary journeys for some
| secret pprpose--someiimes to visit an old
eompn MON, but most generally TO hnnt up
mischief. A dog has been known TO leave
his home a, night. md 90 to farm-honse
three or four miles of, to join comrade
where after some capering round The porch
md mysterions communings, the two wonld
90 off TO = third farm, ten miles distant
from the frs, mud worry sheep. In ,b,
instance each culprit was found on hi,
porch before DAY, an | il was mi, bv Il eli
racks in the snow lhat their mislee 8
we're brought hame tn them a this re-
minds Us strongly Of The wolf.
Some wears ago, n store keeper. WIN
lived il the centre Of small village in The
lppcr part Of the State, Ind a remarkabl'
| Intelligent dog of The mixed Italian and
| newfoundland breeds. This - was very
| ssctu', ani had been taught to dn manl
amusing things, which hal become the talk
It The whole countryside II, would take
.o,ds home to customers-caFry his mas
ter's boots to the shoe .makers--sanrch.
when ordered, for ANYTHING which might
have been lost in the fields or roadside
watch faithfully any articles 10 which bis
attention was particularly directed, and
really seemed to comprehend every word
,ha, was said 10 him. Having always been
we'll cared !or, he had attained an extraor
dinary size and was possessed Of uncom
mon activity for 50 powerful dog. His
coat was coarse and heavy. and in aIusion
to his tawuy color, and something Of mag
nanimity in his locks, he was called Lion
Of mild and peaceful disposition. though
brave as his roYal neme sake, Lion of
course, was great iavorite with everyho-
Is, and only an ol ice, Of terror and dislike
10 thieves aud evl.doers. The store keep
,r had repeatedly refused large offers for
/ him, aud nj the period to which refer, he
vas in the very prime Of his days.
About six miles North West Of the vii,
| lagc, aud three from the main road, was
situated an extensive farm-known in the
township, as the Hampton farm--a large
portion of which was devoted TO raising
sheep. At different periods for several
years past, the Hampton farm had suffered,
as it was supposed, from the depreda.ions
of wolves, which, though scarce in the for,
D, of the vicinity, were still occasionally
TO be met with. More than one wolf had.
IN fact been tracked time back a ID
slain b. the hunters, but for more than
three years not an individual Of the species
had been seen n the township. Neverthe
less, sheep were still worried, at certain
times, during winter and fall, un,il at last.
suspicion fell upon the dogs of the neigh
horhood Bat the sirictest scrutiny failed
to detect single plaguc-spot within
leagues OF the hillside farm, and, accord
ingly, the whole corporation of dogs was
pronounced TO be sound. The charge then
reverted TO the wolves. Bat, though traps
were set and stric, watch kept for seve
raj nights in succession, no sign OF vol
could be perceiyed The very first night