Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-16
DAILY EVENING STAR.
A RARE DOG STORY.

year, and well remember the circum-
| stance-a gentleman, whose country-seat
stood within six miles Of nv cottage on
the moor 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
eyil,doers, but kindly affected to all such
as do we'll. Now, whether it was natural
instinct, for wolves are only wild dogs, J
or whether he had received some real or
supposed affront from the sheep fraterni-
ty, l never. could learn; for though the
dog had language of bis own, aud i'm
which he conversed very fuently at times,
yet 1 must confess, / could better under
stand the language Of his eyes, (doSs
have very expressive eyes,) than the Ian
guage of his lips. Be this as it may, one
morning he was accused of having MUIR
dered two of neighbor's sheep. His
master, unwilling to take up an evil re-
port against his faithful watchdog, had
the trial postponed to Monday next, as
they say in court. .zFa i rf ...-z.
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, but by a con-
vention Of two-legged animals, who were
too dull to appreciate his motives and too
blind TO srmpathize with him under the
circumstances; neither had they courtesy
to ask, as had been the custom in all
civilized communities, ever since the davs
Of Haman, who, himself, was strung up
fifty cubits, if he bad any objection to
make against being hung, but straight.
way they proceeded to execution. His
master, while tear crossed his eye-ball,
said. "John, get stout pisce Of rope
Hang Hero behing the barn, SO as not to
be seen from the house.
Having spoke thus, he entered his
dwelling. Hero heard this sentence with
the same philosophic indifference that
have heard some two-legged animals re-
ccive theirs in the Hall of Justice, in the
Park. He never opened his mouth but,
thinks he, there viii be long respite
between the sentence and the hanging
day. So, without word, he cleared a
stone fence five feet high. Ger hills and
dales, DER fields and woods, he flew as
with wings of the wind. He never drew
up till he entered the city of refuge here
the avenger of blood dared not enter.
You have read in that Book, for which
all other books were made, man drew
bow at a renture the unerring eys of
Omnipotence became pilot to that shaft
1t entered between the joints of his armor,
and the proud monarch sunk dead in his
chariot. The same unerring eye directed
the fight of this dog to the spot, where, |
after an absence of nearly seven wears, |
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
flight of Hero, mo doubt the poor dog
was scared enough, when he heard the |
order for his Immediate execution, that
his late master was soiourning on the |
border of Scotland and England. 1t was
winter, and dark in that climate at 5 |
p. m. He put up at tavern by the way
side. AS soon as he dismountcd and |
went in the stable to see that his horse
was cared for, he was followed by a large |
mastiif dog, who by every means that a
dog could invent, endeavored to draw his |
attention. The gentleman sat down in
the hall, the dog by his side, when he
began to think there was something
strange in the dogs attention and man
ner. He put his hand, On the dogs head |
and spokl- kindly. The dog encouraged, |
laid his paw on his masters knee, and |
looked earnestly into hs face. Recollec-
tions arose in the memory of the master,
and he exclaimed in surprise, {" Why,
Hero, areyou here?' Hero was SO pleased |
at the recognition, that he almost leaped |
on his masters back. Whether the land |
lord was informed of the merits of the |
case, or not, my informant did not say |
At any rate, Hero and his master were
never to separate 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 towards closet. On Open
ing the door he discovered the corpse of
a man suspended against the wall. He
saw his danger and made preparations
accordingly. ID. ........
This matter occurred shortly after the
return Of the army from america, after
The war Of Independence. Many of the
soldiers took to robbing on the
and gentlemen always travelled
well armed. lie saw that his four pis-
tolls were in right trim, piled everything
in the room against the door,
and sat down to wait the result. About
midnight there was a knock at the door,
a vial of medicine, which was standing
on the mantle-piece, was wanted for one
the family, who was taken suddenly i'll.
Hero growled, as if to say, there are
two of u.s." Mr.. Morton, the gentleman s
name, informed the assailant he was pre-
par ed with firearms, and would shoot the
first man that entered. Presently, he
the voices of three men,
when, after some further parley, an axe
was sent for, to break open the door. At
this critical moment the sound of car
riage wheels was heard from afar: the
robbers paused. Mr.. NJ. thrust his head
olt of the window, as the carriage ap-
and halloed at the top of his
Toice. They heard bis cries and stopped,
when the robbers fled by the back door.
There We're four men in the carriage.
They secured three women, whom they
found in the house, and lodged them in
all. By their information, the men
were caught soon after, tried and hung
The women were banished to botany Bay