Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-03-17
BRAN AND HIS MASTER.

BRAN AND HIS MASTER.
The autumn gale had shaken the windows
and reared along the roof in gushes, and
sometimes made the house tremble; now the
only noise was the fastening, intermittent
laundering roar of the breakers, with inter
ludes of seething, infinite murmur 1t seem,
ed as if | had awakened so stealthily as not
to disturb the enchantment, and with nv
eyes fixed on the alternately fading and in
creasing ladder of shrouded moonlight that
stretched from my window to a great distance
on the sea, | moved not, but breathed low,
striving to believe that this vas a scene for
hidden mortal eyes, and after few minutes
of such romantic Indulgence, | really feared
that to betray any sign of wakefulness would
bring upon me sorrow and pain, as the sweet
heroine of one of Tieck's charming legends FOR
feited peace and prosperity by mentioning in
II moment Of impulsiveneSs, the fairy country
into which her feet had been permitted to
stray in childhood. But suddenIy-ay, in
simultaneously as a flash of lightning-my
fancy and calmness were supplanted by ter
ror and amazemennt; [ saw in the light that
filled the window, as in a frame, the living,
moving reality of young man-fear and
agony of strife in his handsome face-battling
for life, his arms dashing out as if swimming;
heavy, wet-hanglng locks falling over his
forehead. That vision must have been before
me for fully minute, and so distinct, so real,
so near was 1T, and 50 earnest was the express
sion of the eyes implOring help, that [ Shrek
ed out, and the cry came from the very core
of my terrified heart, 60 God save him
save him! save him !" and | sprang from my
bed i'll agony. In moment my father and
Margaret had come to my room | had faint
cd them and could only answer their anxious
Inquiries, when | regained consciousness, by
the falsehood: at was only horrd dream"
AT breakfast my father, alarmed at my pale
ness, wish u to send for the physician, but
would not assent. Then he said "Well, Al
lie, come and take a walk on the beach with
me; the gale is trying to blow away and the
breakers are tremendous" | was delighted
to do so, and in few minutes we were on the
shore. The noise of the waves entirely drown
ed all attempt at conversation, and the spray
washed over US in showers Numerous sea-
gulls were lowering over the raging waters,
screaming Shrilly: sometimes battling tlutter-
ing by against heavy gusts of the remaining
gale: sometimes swooping with wonderful
grace and swittness down to the foaming
crests that lasted but second Indescriba-
oily wild and magnificent was the scene; deaf
cning and terrible its roar.
Where we had reached the beach, we had
stood mOtlonless until my father pulled at my
plaid for it was useless to attempt speaking,
and pointed with excitement to where an i'm
mcnsc dog lay, apparently IifeIess, Just above
the strong bullets of the surf, but not beyond
the whirhng eddies that were churned in
ripples of foam about his body In moment
| rushed to where he was, and with the water
to my knees, and almost taking me off my
feet at every descending sweep, | bent over
him and put my warm hands through the
heavy, curling coat. "Poor, noble old fell
s low-dead y But as [ said So [ saw the
great soft eyes open thankfully, and the
splendid bush of Il tail rise about an inch
from the sand and fall again the half-Iftng
of the cyelid, and the mite OF wag that was
left, being all the expression of life remain
ing to HIM. When my father, coming to-
wards me, saw my delight, he hurried to the
rescue. Together we managed, after many
rests, to get nim on the rug before our kitch-
en- lire. Yes, we had to stop several times
and lay our burden down, because it was an
enormous Newfoundland, weighing, my father
thought, over one hundred pounds. 1t was a
long time before the poor fellow fully got the
use of his limbs or strength enough to eat
the meal | had prepared for him. He was
very handsome, and his gratitude and deyo-
ton which increased and expressed them
selves day by day, in the most courtly grace
and Difference to every look or movement of
mine, were touching to see. At the time the
waves had thrown him an offering at my feet
he had on a heavy, black leather collar, with
Il silver plate, markad: Chico Manton." Of
course my father made inquiries, and adver-
tised in the Sag uarbor journals for an own
err but what probability was there that a dog,
so strangely cast upon the sca-shore by
storm would be Justly claimed? As it was,
r, info
inquiries or advertisements. In every storm
through the winter that was then setting in,
would my great dog and friend go down to-
wards night to the beach, and look seaward,
neutrality-suspicious., for the master he had lost.
For weeks | tried every name applied to
dogs could remember, to see if could find
his own. | ran through the Ponies, Brontes,
and Watches-the Smiths, Jones, and Rob
insons of the dog directory and then tried
the glossaries of history and romance-kit-
mer Gelert, Hodain, and more. The dog
would lie or walk beside me, and turn
his head towards me as l called each
name, but drop his ear and eyes as
if in disappointment, and give a gentle
wag to his tail in thanks for my attempt.
But one day, about the middle of Novem-
Der, in walk through the village-and 1
never went out without my new friend-I
stopped at the windmill to talk with Israel
Grayson, one of the old oracleS of our neigh
borhood. Ny dog stood with his head just
within the door, Nine or ten bags of feed,
ground and sifled, stood ranged along the
wall, and l tried to name correctly to the
miller the contents of each bag as | gathered
some in my hands. About the last | was in
some doubt; | hesitated moment, looked
inquiringly at old GraYson, who was smiling
at my perplexity, and exclaimed: Now |
know-Brann As I spoke that word, nay
dog gave loud bark, actually doglaugh,
aud bounced into the mill, put his fore feet
on the bag, was standing by, and kissed NE
on the chin. Why, Bran-Bran-old fellow
is that your name ?? Bran! Branr How de-
lighted the great beauty was. He twisted
his body like whalebone, from side to side,
jumping and careering in delight, and wag-
ging his tail with tremendous velocity, bark
Inc all the while in rapid tremors of JOY. l,
too was so pleased to find his name, that Bran
and ran races across the fields all the way
home: | not firing of calling Bran Bran
and he barking furiously at every call, and
jumping to kiss my hands. At length he
caught the parcel was carrying and dashed
ahead, throwing it up once or twice to catch
it again in his mouth, trying to lnclte me to
get it from him but he got home first and
carried my new, thick shoes to my father. |
followed in few moments, laughing and
excited why, father, | have found his
name; did you ever hear of dog named
Bran p Bran ? Why of course, Allie; Bran
was celebrated dog; second to none OF the