Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1856-10-16
The Dog Noble and the Empty Hole.


many things, and by his dog lore excited
the undying admiration of all the Children.
But there were some thing which Noble"
could never learn. Having on one occa-
sion seen a red squirrel run into hole in
a stone wall, he could not be persuaded
that he was not there for evermore.
Several red squirrels lived close to the
house and had bGeeme familiaf, bat tnot
tame. They kept up a regular romp With
Noble" They would come down from
the maple trees with provoking GOODNESS:
they would run along the fence almost
within reach; they would cock their tails
and sail across the road to barn; and yet
there was such we'll timed calculation
under all this apparent rasl.ness, that
Noble" invariably arrived at the critical
spot just as the squirrel left it.
On one OCCASION Noble" was so close
upon his red backed friend that, unable
to get up the maple tree, he lodged into
a hole into the wall, ran through the
cinks, emerged at little distance. and
spring into the tree. Tho intense enthu-
siasm of the dog az that hole can hardly
be described. He filed it full Of barking.
He paved and scratched as if undermin-
ing bastion. Standing off at little
distance he would pierce the hole with a
gaze as intense and fixed as if he was
trying magnetism on it. Then with tail
extended, and every hair thereon electri-
fed, he would rush at the empty hole with
a prodigi0us Onslaught.
This imaginary Squirrel haunted" No
bic" night and day. The very squirrel
himself would run up before his eyes in
to the tree, and crouched in a crotch.
would sitsilently watching the whole pro-
cess of bombarding the empty hole, with
great sobriety and relish But Noblen
would allow of 20 doubts. His convic-
ton that, that hole had squirrel in con
tinned mistaken for six weeks. When
all other occupa tons failed, this hole re-
NAMED to him. When there were no
more chickens to harry, no pigs to bite,
no cattle to chase. no children to romp
with, no expeditions to make with the
grown folks, and when he had slept all
that his dog skin would hold, he would
walk out of the yard, yawn and stretch
himself and then look wistfully at the
hole, as if thinking to himself, Well
as there is nothing else to do | may as
we'll try that hole again!
We had almost forgotten this little
trait, until the conduct of the New York
Express. in respect to Col Fremont's rel
ligion brought it ludicrously to mind
again. Col. Fremont is, and always has
been, os sound Protestant as John
Knox ever was. He was bread in the
Protestant faith, and has never changed. |
He is unacquainted with the doctrines
and ceremonies Of the Catholic Church, |
and has never attended the services of
that church, with two or three exceptions
when curiosity, or some other extrinsic
reason, led him as witness We do not
state this upon vague belief. We know
what we say. We say it upon our own
personal honor, and proper knowledge
Col. Fremont never was, and is not now,
a Roman Catholic. He has never been
wont to attend that church. Nor mas he
in any way directly or indirectly, given
occasion fof this report.
1t is gratuitous fault, utter barren alb
solute and unqualified. The story has
been got up for political effect. Its still
circulated for that reason, and like other
political lies, it is a sheer INSCRIPTIONS
falsehood, from top 10 bottom, from the
core to the skin, and from the skin back
TO the core again. In all its parts in pulp,
segment rind, cell and seed, it is a thor
ough and fatal untruth, and they who
spread it, bear false witness. And as to
The stories of the Fulmer, etc., as to sup
posed conversations with Fremont in
which he defended the mass, and what
lot, they are pure fctions. They never
The authors of them are SLAM
ierers; the men to believe them are dupes
he men who spread them are endorsers
If willful and corrupt libelers.
But the Express like " Noble" has open
ID on this hole in the wall, and can never
'e done barking at it. Day after day it
escorts to this empty hole When every
hing else fails, this resource remains
fheae they are, indefatigably-the Elk
oress and +" Noble''-a church without
Fremont, and hole without squirrel in L
I'll Il
In some respects however, the dog had
he advantage. Sometimes we thought
he really believed that there was squir-
eel in it. But at other times he had, APP
)arently an inkling Of the Righteousness
If his conduct, for he would drop his tail
md walk towards us, with his tongue out
md his eyes little aslant, seeming to
'ay, Ny dear Sir, you don't understand
! dogs feelings. | should Of course much
refer squirrel, but if can't have that {
IN empty hole is better than nothing. /
imagine how would catch him if he was
here. Besides people who pass by don't |
know the facts. They think that have /
rot something. 1t is needful to keep up /
ny reputation for sagacity. Besides to
ell the truth. | have looked into that
lole so long that | have half persuaded /
myself that there is squirrel there, or {
viii be if | keep on"
Well every dog must have his day, and
very dog must have his way. No doubt
we were to bri2g. hacls !. 49,
lfter two SUNNI
make straight
With just mn
We never re
without thinkiI
voc, tho dor