The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-08-05
A RARE DOG STORY.
BY GRANP THoRBURN.

4 RAhE dug > IOkI.
BY GRAHT THoRBURN.
In 1892, was then in my nineteenth
ear, and well remember the circumstance.
A gentleman, whose country seat stood
! within six miles of my s'cottage on the
moor" kept fine mastiff deg. BY da,
he was chained up near the house; BY
nlghi, he was loose to range through the
garden and enclosures, a terror to evil
doers, but kindly affected TO all such as do
well. Now, whether it was natural in.
stinct, (for wolves are only wild dogs,) or
whether he had received some real or sup
posed affront from the sheep fraternity, !
never could learn; for though the dog had
| = language of his own, and in which be
conversed very fuentIy at times, yet |
must confess could better understand the
language Of his eyes (dogs have very ex-
pressive eses) than the language Of his
| lips. Be this as it may, one morning he
was accused OF having murdered two of
iineighbor's sheep. His master, unwilling
TO take up an evil report against his faith
fu witch dog, had The trial postponed TO
Monday next, az they say in court On
1.-THE following night however, another mur
der was committed. This time, the fact
was too clear to admit doubt. Hero
was brought in guilty, not by verdict Of
his peers, but by convention of two-ieg
ged animals, who were too dull to appreci-
ate his motives, and too blind to sympa
lhze with him under the circumstances.
neither had they courtesy to ask, as has
tlon III 49,;
les ever since tho DAYS Of Haman, who
himself was strung up iftv cubts, if he
/ nd any objection to mike against being
aang, but straightway they proceeded to
execution. His master, while tesr cross
d bis eye ball. says, John, get a stout
,lece Of rope. Hang Hero behind the barn,
% as no, to be seen from The house, Hav-
ag spoke thus, he entered his dwelling.
Hero heard his sentence with the same
phlosopbic indifference that | have heard
some iwo-legged animals receive theirs in
the Hall of Justice in the Park. He new
ar opened his mouth; but, thinks he. there
will be a long respite between the sentence
aud the hanging day So, without speak
ing word, he cleared stone fence FIVE
feet high, o'er hills and dales, o'er fields
and floods he few, 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
9ther books were made, man drew a bow
Al Venture; the uDerring eye of Omnipo
tence became pilot to that shaf--it enter
ed between the joints Of his armor. and the
proud monarch sunk dead in bis chariot.
ihe same unerring eye directed the fight
q this dog to the spot where, after an alb.
=sace If nearly seven years, he was the
means Of saving the life Of his master, as
% will see in the sequel.
i II came 10 pass, when nearly seven
cars had expired since the fright and flight
i Hero, (no doubt the poor dog was scared
enough, when be heard the order for imme-
iiate execu,ion.) that his late master was
-"journing on the borders Of Scotland and
England; it was winter, and dark in that
climate at 5 p M. He put up at tavern
by the way side. As soon as he dismount.
ed, and went in the stable to see that bis
horse wss cared for, he was followed BY a
Iarge m1siff dog, who by every means that
4 dog could invent endeavored to draw his
attention The gentleman sat down in
the hall, the dog BY his side, when he be-
gan to think there was something strange
in the Digs attentions and manners. He
put bis 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; recollec,ions arose in
the memory ofthe master, and ho exclaim
ed, in surprise, "Why, Hero, are you
here?" Hero was so pleased al the recog
milton, that he almost leaped on his mas
ter's back. Whether the landlord was in
formed of the merits of the case, or not, m,
informant did not saw; at any rate, Hero
and his master we're never separate from
that hour. Hero followed his master in
the bed room; when seeing him about to
nndress. he seized the skir, Of his coat with
his teeth, and drew his master towards n
closet; on opening the door, he discovered
the corpse of man suspended against the
wall. He saw his danger, and made prep
aratons accordingly. This matter occur
red shortly after The return Of the army
iTtiD dltCI tHC WoI III
dence. MANY Of the disbanded soldiers
took to robbiug on the highways, and gen
iemen always travelled well armed. He
saw that his four pistols were in right trim,
piled everything moveable in the room
,gainst the door, aud sat down toawait the
result. Al midnight, there was knock a,
The door; vial Of medicine, which was
standing on the mantlepiece, was wanted
for one Of the family, who was taken sud
denly i'll, &c. Mr. Morton (Which was the
gentleman's nancy informed the assailant
he was prepared with firearms, and would
shoot the first man that entered. Present
ly, he distinguished the voices of three
men, when, after some further parley, an
axe was sent for 10 break in the door. Al
this critical moment, the sound of carriage
wheels was heard from afar; the robbers
paused, Mr.. NJ. ,hrus, his head out Of the
window, and as the carriage approached,
hallooed at the top Of his voice. They
heard his cries, and stopped, when the rob
bers fled by the back door. There were
four men in the carriage, they secured