Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-09-02
is c f l. l. A \ 7
RAB AND HIS FRIENDS.
BY DR.. JOHN BROWN.

Four and thirty years ago Bob Ainslie and
were coming up Infrmary street from the
Oh school, our heads together an4 our arms
u,.r-twisted, as only lovers or boys know
bow or why.
When We cot TO the top Of the street and
turned north, we espled a crowd at the Iron
darci A dog fight :. shouted Bob, and
vas 0f and so was |, both of us ali but
lrving that it might not be over before we
glt up and is not this boy nature2 and hu-
man nature too and don't We all wish
house on fire not 20 be out before we see it
b.gs like fighting. old Isaac says they de-
light in it, and for the best Of all reasons
and boys are not cruel because thev like to
s-a the fight. They see three OF the great
cardinal virtues OF dog or man-courage, en-
iurance and skill--ln intense action. This
very different from love of making dogs
. -,lt, and enjoying, and aggravating, and
-lking gain of their pluck. a boy-be he
ever 50 fond himself Of fghting,-if he be a
good boy, hates and despises all this, but he
would have run off with Bob and re fast
enough it is natural, and not wicked in
'erast, that all men and boys have in wit
Messing intense energy in action.
Does any curious and finely ignorant wo-
nan wish to know how Bob's eye at glance
41n0unced a dog fight to his brain? He did
not, he could not see the dogs fighting; it
was the flash Of an inference, rapid induc-
ton. The crowd round couple of dogs
hytting, is a crowd, masculine mainly, with
an occasional active compassionate woman,
futterlu. wildly round the outside, and using
her tongue and her hands freely upon the
men as SO many brutes : it is a crowd annu-
lar. compact, and mobile a crowd centripe
al, having its eyes and It's head all bent
wuward and into one common focus.
Well, Bob and | are up, and it is not over
a small, thorough bred, white bull terrier, is
l,y throttling large shepherds dog, un-
arustomed to war, but not to be trifle / with.
They are hard at it ; the scientific little fel-
doing his work in great style, his paste
Ia. enemy fighting wildly, but with the
,arpest of teeth and with great courage.
Science and breeding however, soon took
...r own the Game Chicken, as the pre-
mature Bob called him, working his way up,
q X his final grip Of poor Yarrow' S throat
md be lay gaspiug and done for. His mas
n. "a brown, big young shepherd from
Teeimuir. would have liked to have knocked
Wn any man, drunk up Esil, or eaten
noodle. for that part, if he had chance
was no use kicking the little dog that
would only make him hold the closer. Many
were the means shouted out in mouthfuls, of
best possible ways Of ending it. Water
-t there was none near, and many shouted
d who might have got 1t from the well
h Black triars wind Bite the tail = and
large, vague, benevolent, middle aged man,
More anxious than wise, with some struggle
it the bushy end of Yarrow's tail into his
ample mouth, and bit with all his might.
Ils Was more than enough for the much
7aalrng, much perspiriDg shepherd, who.
"I,l CLEAN Of JOY over his broad visage,
-7.'ered a terrific tacer upon our large,
aiue. benevolent. middle aged friend, who
went down like a shot.
sui the chicken holds; death rot tar off;
saqH! pinch of sn fl - observed sharply
calm, highly dressed young buck with an
9e gihss IN his hand. Snuff, indeed ~
s''"led the angry crowd, affronted and glar-
'HS- Snuff pinch of snuff :" again OBJ
Nt'es the buck. but with more urgency
"hereon We're Produced several open boxes,
anu from null. that may have been at Gull
''-eI ne took pinch. knelt down, and pre-
'rnted 1t to the nose of the Chicken. The
I'"' OF physiology and of snuff take their
urse; the Chicken sueezes, and Yarrow is
.reel
The young pastoral giant stalks off with
arrow IN his arms comforting him.
But the chickens blood is up, and his soul
lnsatl>hed; he grips the first dog he meets,
nut discovering that she is not dog, in Ho-
merle phrase, makessa brief sort of drnende
and Is Of. The boys, with Bob and me at
'aeir head, are after him; down Niddry
,,reet he goes, bent on mischief; up the
.owgate like an arrow-Bob and |, and our
'nall men painting behind.
There, under the large arch of the south
fdge, rs huge mastiff, as if with his
,ands IN his pockets he is old, gray, Drin-
lied as big as little highland bull, and
nae the Shakspearian dewlaps shaking as he
The Chicken made straight at him, and
aNtens on his throat. To our astonishment,
ag great creature does nothing but stand
'aI, hold himself up and roar. How is
N Bob and are up to them. He is
1 -uzzled The bailies had proclaimed a
4 general muzzling, and his master, studying
Iength aud economy mainly, had encom-
u hls huge Jaws in a home made appar-
1s' constructed out of the leather of some
"eent breechin. His mouth was open as
al as 1t could; has lips curled up in rage
'rt oi terrible grin his teeth cleaning
4uy' from out the darkness; the strap
''ss ms mouth as loose as bow string !;
whole frame stiff with indignation and
''l Prise his roaring asking all round "did
n s.u ever see the like of this ?'' He looked a
l1 lI1'4e oi anger and astonishment, done in
A.rrd ,,l .en granite.
soon had crowd; the Chicken held
knife :" cried Bob; aud cobbler
22a;c 2r,C nm ms knife you know the kind of
.i,.'' ii,rs' worn away obliquely to point, and
"tyS keen. Iput its edge to the tense
''.er 1t ran before IL, and then one sud
- JERK OF thai enormous head, a sort of dir
Iiet about his mouth, no noise-and the
6-en' and fierce little fellow is dropped,
III" p and dead. solemn pause; this was