The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-09-11
Prem the Iude pendent Angus, :.
The Dog Noble and the Empty Hole.
BE HENRY WARD BEECHER.

-A~SfA--tN
The first sun nler which we spent in Lenox.
We had along very intelligent dog named
Noble H was learned in many things. and
by his dog lore exciting the undying admiTa-
ion of all tile children. But there were
some things which Noble could never learn
Having Oh one occasion seen a red squirrel
run into hole In a stone wal, he could not
be persuaded that lie was not there for ever
more
Several rel squirrels lived close to the
mouse, and had become familiar, but not tame,
They kept up regular romp with Nobte---
Fbey would come down from the maple trees
with provoking coolaess; they would run
sloag the fence almost within reach, they
would cock their tails and sail across the
road to tie barn; and yet there was such
we'll timed calculation under all this apparent
Y.shness that Noble Invariably arrived at tie
critical spot JUS the squirrel left it,
On one occasion, Noble was 50 close upon
his red backed friend, that. unable to get up
the maple rec. lie lodged into a hole in tie
wall, ran tilrou5 5h the chinks emerged at a
little distance, and spgang into the tree. The
intense enthusiasm Of the d0s at that hole
AN hardly be described H filled it full Of
barking. H. paved aud scra, ,ched as ii un-
ierminln., a bastjon. Standing off al li,tle
distance. he would pierce the hole with gaze
as Intense aud tAed a. ii he were trying
magnetism on it. Then, With tail extended
md every hair thereon electrified. he woald
rush at empty hole with Frodigio#s on
slau4ht.
This imaginary squirrel haunted Noble.
night aad day. The Very squire! himself
would run up befole his face into the tree
md, crouehed in a crotch, would SIT silently
watching the whole process Of bombarding
he empty hole. with great sobriely and rel
sh But Noble would allow Of no doubts
His conviction lhat the hole had a squirrel
IN. CO tinued unshaken for SIX weeks. When
III other occupation failed. this hole rem tin-
ID 10 him. When there were no more chick
ms to harry, no pigs 10 bite, no cattle 10
chase, no children TO romp witt, no expedi
ions to make with the grown folks, and when
ne had slept all that lis dog skin would hold,
ne would walk out OF the yard, yawn an
stretch Kim and then look wistluliy Al the
lole, as ii thinking to himself. well. as
here 5 nothing else to do, | may as well try
hat hole again
We lad almost fargat-e en- lis iUla trait, un-
il the conduct OF The New York Express. IN
respect to Col Ffemonts religion broa2Lt i
adlcrously = m5ad agaa- Cel. Fremont is.
.nd always has been, sound Proses ant
IS John knoA ever was. IL was bred In tire
Protestant faith and has never changed. lie
: unacqna;usei with the doctrines and cere-
monies Of the Catholic Church. aud has new
II attended tie services Of tba. church. with
wo or three exceptions. wien curiosity. or
,otne Other ox-tju@e reason led him rs a vii
lesS We % not STATE tits upon vague belief
We know what Ne say. We say ilupon our
own personal honor and proper huo~led 5e.--
tol. Fremont never waS. and Is not now. a
Roman Cetho3ic. lie has never been wont to
,ttend that church No. las i3e in any way
irec,Iy or inslsrcetly, given occasion 1yr thIs
report.
/ is rra ra'uitous falsehood. utter, barren.
absolute and unqualified. The story has
been got up for political effect, Il is still
crcuIat ed Tor that reason, and like other poht
ical lies it is sheer Inscriptions talseboo1
from top to b.. ON. from tile core to the skin.
anl from tie skin back to the core again. In
II the stories OF the Fulmer. etc, as TO sup
aose1 converSa ions with Fremont, Ia which
he defended the mass AMI what not. they
are pure tcaions.-Ihey never happened.
The authors Of them are slanderer<: the men
% believe them are dupes; the men who
+, spread them become endorsers OF wll!ul and
corrupt Iibelers.
But the Express. Ike Noble. has opened
on this hole in The wall aud car never be
done barking A. it. Day after day j, resorts
to this empty hole. When everything else
falls. this resource remains There they are
asi-abiy--.he Express and Noble
church without Fremont. ard a1L2.e without
a squirrel III i.
In some respects, however, the dog had lie
advantage. Sometimes We thought that lie
Il