Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-01-09
TALES AND SKETCHES.
A TRuE rpOG STORY.
BY PAUL WARD.

The Newfoundland dogs name was Tip
poo. The bulldogs was Boxer. They
were ncighbors of mine in early life,
and | was personally acquainted with both
animals, though on widely different grounds
OF intimacy. Tippoo was my bosom friend.
and loved him. Boxer was Tippoo's most
relentless and cruel enemy, for which reason
hated him, and would have sought his
blood, but that-being of tender years, and
cautious temperament, conscious, moreover
of presenting an appetising display of bare
leg, insisted on by the sumptuary laws Of
the period-I thought it possible that lie
might take a fancy to mine and so, as II
rule, kept discreetly out of his way. For
he was an ugly dog was Boxer, and a
vicious a bandy-leggcd, black-muzzled,
truculent, nervous cared tight-skinncd, i'm
placable, ill-conditioned dog, very like my
5eou ideal of what the Champion of England
ought to be.
Tippoo was very different kind of quad
ruped. believe him to have been the most
perfect gentleman that ever stood on four
legs, just rs believe Boxer TO have been
the most consummatc rutfian that ever was
lifted, by the agency of hemp Cord, from
any number of those locomotive supports
Tippoo was nearlyas tall as myself. could
just look over his glossy, silken-ringcted
back, when cuddling his noble neck. He
wore full suit of black and white, particu-
larly snowy at the bosom. He was IS strong
as lion, and as gentle as "a lamb. Next to
playing with me, (Which am proud to be-
lieve was his favorite pastime) he delighted
in nothing so much as the exercise of carry
ing in his mouth a favorte cat attached to
the household of which he was conspicu-
N,,c tb, hnt ,,f utp ln
then releasing, and running race with her
to the top. The cat was generally the Win
ner, and always seemed to enjoy the triumph
immensely. TO this day, believe Tippoo
made point Of running slowly on purpose
50 as gailantly TO concede victory to the
weaker vessel.
"Tippo belonged to a country gentleman
Ga sort of "halfsGuire," as they would say
in lrelandD who resided opposite my fathers
house. In my opinion, and in that OF the
majority Of my playmates, Tippoo was the
most important anu respectable inhabitant
of the village, up to the advent Of Boxer
who came among Us Unexpectedly, on a
visit to Tippoos master, in the train Of
! sporting lawyer of detestable memory. AS
soon as that subversivc brute (BoXer-nOt
| the sporting lawyer had made his appear
anCe, sye felt much us the loyal servants of
King Louis the Sixteenth must have felt on
the outbreak of the great French Revolution.
Monarchy was disposed III favor OF black
guardisrn. But the blachguard was strong
aud me,ciless, with Il set OF terrible white
teeth ever eager to bite So that we poor
little partisaus of the ancient regime were
tain to cench our impotcnt fists in secret.
Tippoo had DO chance against Boxer
What is the use OF Telldrcssed gentleman,
let him be never SO strong or skilIful III the
use OF his clcnchcd digits, descending from
his cabriOlet 10 do battle with scavenger
armed with mud shovel He sedulously
avoided Boxer, who on his side lost no OPP
portunity of hunting ont and prosecuting
{ rippoo, Tlppoo was losing character
dreadiully. lie neglected his food, kept his
kennel, and was unanimously pronounced a
coward OF the most contemplate stamp
| His very court tlatterers 1--WE were no better
| than the more matured and ambitious OF our
| specics) began to blush for their sovereign's 5
pusllanimity.
/ One day the masters Of the two dogs stood
/ on the lawn alIeady alluded to, in amic&J.e
/ converse with third person, no other than
my own fnther-to whom am indebted for
the details of this instructive story. Boxer
stood between his propgietor's legs, which,
! like his own, were bandy. | have the keen
est recollection of those Iegs-musters anG
dog sand | remember that the Whole siH
were modelled upon the same pattern,
which was one extremely distasteiui to my
feelings.
"lIo!loa !" said my father, "here comes
Tip We shall soon see him sneak away
when he discovers Boxer Dreadful coward
that big dog OF yours, Matthews, to 5t
sure"
"Wcll, he used not tn he So" said Tip
poo's master reluctantly, 'but must confess
that since wilkins has been here with hi
bull the overgrown eur las made me asham
ed of him."
''No call for that" said the bulldog
master, better dogs than Tip have funke'
at the sight of my Boxer, BY iove, though
he hasn't bolted yet. Bed or Boxer Vii
murder him ~
Boxer certainly showed playful indica
tions of desire to attempt the experiment
10y prcking up his cars and starting oil at
brisk trot in the direction of Tippoo, who
however, to the astonishment OF the specta
tors, made no movement toward recovering
the Shelter OF his easily accessible kennel
On the contrary, he seemed to wait for an'
encourage his aggressor's attack.
"'rhe dogs mad clearly" said the lawyer
Looks like it, Mr., Matthews assented
He isn't acting like dog in his senses"
"Getting very near the water, though, 10
a mad dog" observed my father.
And in, truth, to get near the water wa
the main object of Tippoo, than whom
more thoroughly sane dog did not exist q
that epoch OF canine history.
There was deep dyke running at th
bottom of the lawn, fed from the reseryoi
of neighboring tin-mill, and which ha
been greatly swollen 10y the recent rains
Tppoo keeping his large full eyes CAREFUL
fixed upon his approaching foe, sidled IN
coquettish, serpentine manner towards I'll
brink OF this artificial stream,
There the bulldog tlew at and pinne
him. Tippoo crouehed on the grass pro
trate, submitting to the outrage without
growl.
"CAl him of wilkins" said Tippoo
= master, In excited tones. "The purest New
ioundland Ia the country | wouldn't hay
. him injured for hundred doliaFs !"
"lIll Boxer Here boy Good dog
Let 60 :" the sporting lawyer clamored, as
shower of sticks and stones were Aunehe
10y the trio OF spectators 10 enforce the con
mAnd.
But Boxer would not lei go, and Tppe
would net r,slst or run. lie merely kept
slipping. sliding, and lsmbcflng towards q
brink ~ the water, dragging the bull'd'
with him by The mere iulft fnfcf Of AlH b