The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-11-10
A Dog. Horse. And Fish Story.

Two friends of ours, staying week or
so at one of the watering-places on the
Gull, were accustomed daily to rise at an
early hour, and walk, fishing implements
in hand, to a bayou, about a mile in the
rear of the hotel. Once there, benig ex-
pert anglers, they committed much de-
vastation among the ranks of the finny
tribe.
The walk through the pincy woods to
the trout and perch-stored stream was
cool and pleasant enough at five o'clock
in the morning, but the return trip on foot,
by eight or ten o'clock, was acknowledged
to be less agreeable, as it was warmer
and more fatiguing. 1t will easily be
imagined, then, that at the last fishing
expedition our friends made, which took
place a Few days since, the suggestion
proffered by one of them that they should
borrow the one-horse cart of carpenter,
who lived near by, and who was an
acquaintance of theirs, was speedily ac-
cepted and putt execution. The carpen-
ter had no objections; the cart was pre-
pared, the little Creole mustang was har-
messed, and our friends jumped into the
vehicle and ratified off for the fishing
ground in high spirits. Knowing that
they would be able to bring back much
more fish than usual, they took with them
large, stout champagne basket, which
they designed filling to the brim with the
scaly victims Of the book and line. Away
they ratified, then, as we said before, and
quietly but ploddingly followed them
huge mongrel dog, belonging to the car
penter. BY that dog hangs tale!
Arrived near the bayou, the fishermen
jumped out, tied the mustang to sapling,
gathered together their fishing-rods, lines,
bait, champagne basket, spiriatual and
other refreshments, and adjourned to
the banks for piscatorial operations. The
dog curled himself up under the cart and
went to sleep; the mustang slept without
curling himself up.
After a couple Of hours of pleasant and
diligent labor, the champagne basket was
filed, and the two confederates prepared
to decamp. Smiling and anticipating an
agreeable drive home, they packed up
their booty and marched towards the cart.
"You unite the horse while put the
basket in" said tho chief fisherman to
his comrade, and each proceeded to his
task.
"Bow, WOW, wow!" and the big dog
sprang out and took his stand by the
cart, growing, showing a formidable array
Of teeth, and braking in terrible manner.
As soon as either fisherman made a
movement towards the cart, or the horse
the dog flew at him like fury, and COM
PEELED him to aprecipitate retreat. Coax
ing, threats, pebbles and sticks thrown,
were ofno use-they only made the ami
Haa! inoEe farocious. He wes evidently
accustomed to act as guardian to his
masters cart when the master was absent,
and the fellow (the dog, we mean) was as
obstinately bent on the preserving the
property from all invasion.
To depict the embarrassment Of our
friends at this ludicrous coup detat OF
canine invention, would be impossible,
There was no use in trying to outwit the
dog; his movements were so rapid, and
he so plainly had the advantage of position,
that no sudden dash at the horse or cart
would be successful, without total aban-
donment Of all the baggage, equipment,
and booty. One Of the two adventures
proposed to do away with the dog by
summary measures, but that plan was
speedily abandoned. The other finally
suggested that the basket of fish should
be left behind, and that they should make
"a hop, skip, and jump" for me cart,
where once established, they could easily
defend themselves from the canine enemy
But the other man swore he would rather
give up his head than his fish.
At length this last named individual
went into the bushes 10 cut long pole,
wherewith to stir up the ferocious animal.
The othes expeditions er tied hunting
knife 20 n fshin0-rod, and approacbad