The Democratic sentinel and Harrison County farmer. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1851-1852, 1852-01-28
A Rare Dog Story.

n gcnLltIudils WHOSE cOnHLIl Stdt oOOOu
within six miles OF my cottage on the moor.
kept fine mastiff dog. By day he was
chained up near the house; by night be
was loose to range through the garden and
enclosures, terror to evil doers, but kindly
affected to all such as do we'll Now, wheth.
er it was natural instinct, for wolves are
only wild dogs, or whether he had received
some real or supposed atfront from the sheep
fraternity, never could learn; for thogh the
dog had 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-
lpresslve eyes) than the language of his lips.
Be that as it may, one morning he was ac-
cused of having murdered two of a neigh
boris 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 a
doubt Hero was brought in guilty, not by
verdict of his peer, but by convention
of two-legged animals, who were too dull to
appreciate his motives, and too blind TO sym
pathize with him under the circumstances,
neither had they the courtesy to ask, as has
been the custom in all civilized communities
ever since the days of Haman, who himself
was strung up fifty cubits, if he had any OBJ
lection to make against being hung, but
straightway they proceeded to execution
| His master, while tear crossed his eye-ball,
says, John, get stout piece ofrope. Hang
Hero behiud the barn SO as not to be seen
from the house. Having spoken thus, he
entered his dwelling. Hero heard his SEN
tence with the same phlosophic indifer-
ence that have heard 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 be-
tween the sentence and the hanging day
So without speaking word he cleared stone
fence five feet high, Ger hills and dales, DER
fields and floods he flew, as with the wings
of the wind. He never drew up till he en-
tered a 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 a bow
at "venture:" the unerring eye of Omnip-
otence became pilot to that shaft entered
between the joints ofhis armor, and the proud
sunk dead in his chariot The same uner-
ring 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 near Y seven years
had gone since the fright and flight of Hero,
(no doubt the poor dog was scared enough,
when he heard the older for immediate ex-
ecution, that his late master was so journ-
ing on the boards of Scotland and Eng
land; it was 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 mastiit
dog, who by every means that dog could
invent endeavored to draw his attention.
The gentleman sat down in the hall, the dog
sat by his side, when he began to think there
was something in the dogs attentions and
manners. He put his hand on the head of
the dog, and spoke kindly: the dog encour-
aged him, laid his paw on his masters knee,
and looked eranestly at his face; recollections
arose i'll the memory of the master, and he
exclaimed, in surprise, "Why, Hero, are you
here?" Hero was so pleased that he almost
Ileaped on his masters back. Ican't say that
the landlord was informed of the case at any
rate. Hero and his master were never sepa-
rated from that hour. Hero followed his
master in the bedroom; when seeing him
about to undress, he seized the skirt of his
coat With his teeth, and drew his master to-
wards a closet; on opning the door, he discov-
erthe corpse of man suspended against
the wall. He saw bis danger and made
preparations accordingly, This matter oc-
cured shortly after the return of the Army
from America, after the war for lndepend-
ence. Many of the dsbanded soldiers took
to robbing on the hghways,-He saw that
his four pistols were ia right trim, piled ev-
cry thing movable in the room against the
door, and sat down to await the result. At
midnight, there was knock at the door; a
vial of medicine, which was standing on the
mantlepiece, was wanted for one ofthe fam
lily, who had taken suddenly i'll, &e., Mr.,
Morton (Which was the gentleman's name
lIllOt ulGu Lll6 doSdlIdub tuhb nC WOO piCphA CN
with firearms, and would shoot the first
man that entered. Presently he distinguish
ed the voices Of three men, when, after some
further parley, an axe was sent for to break
in the door At the critical moment the
sound Of carriage wheels was heard from
afar; the robbers paused, Mr. M. thrust his
head out of the window, and as the carriage
/ II H. L,llaood at Tho ofl h.
voice They heard his cries, and stopped
when the robbers fled by the back door
There were four men in the carriage, they
secured three women whom they found
in the house, and lodged them in jail. By
their information, the men were caught
soon after, tried, and hung; the women were
banished to Botany Bay fer life.
On searching the house, several corpses
were found buried in tho cellar; and in the
rooms, many articles were identified that
! belonged to persons who had disappeared,
and were never heard of till this occurrence
Hero went home with his master, and
was happy dog many years thereafter,
when he died, and was buried. A stone
recording the providantil deliverance, was
set up over his tomb, and his portrait hung
in the wall. with the family escutcheons.
The story was published in the newspapers
and periodicals Of that day, all over Britain,
as a fact beyond controversy.
GRAET THoRNDURE. Oct. 1851
! Eg-"See therep' exclaimed an Irish sol
! der to gaping crowd, as he exhibited with
J some pride his tall hat with bullet hole ii