Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-03-17
81. Cinirsvrne, March ~, 1ssA.
A Faithful Dog.
BY UNCLE TOBY.

Ihe Messrs. Hubert kept very extern
sive jewelry store in one Of our large cities,
and tor the better security of their store
against FIRE and other casualties, they en-
ployed one Of their clerks to sleep in it at
night. The idea Of the store being attack
ed by robbers was not for a moment enter
tanned, but it was for other objects, such as
security from fire, and the like, that young
Loring, the Clerk, slept there, for he was
not supplied with any weapons to repel an
attack Of thieves. But one dark, dreary
night, he was awakened by singular noise |
which ressmbled that which party Of burg |
lars might produce in an attempt to enter |
the building, and looking towards the back
windows he soon satisfied himself that one
ormote persons were endeavoring as quiet
ly as possible to effect an entrance at that
quartar. They had already removed part
of the sash aud shutters with their cum
ningly devised instruments and must have |
been at work sometime before he was AVA
kened. !
Now young Loring regretted that ho had
no weapon but not through fear, that was
not characteristic Of the young gentleman,
but that he might pepper the rogues a lit
tie. At fret he determined to cry out and
arouse the watch, but as they had advanced
SO far before he awoke he thought he would
drive them off by strategsm. He slipped
OH us ciUtucS QulCtly duu upprOdCutu tuc
spot where the thieves were busy; he saw
the hand Of one of them pass inside the
shutter, into the store, in its owners sndeav-
ors to guide small hand-saw with which
he was cutting an aperture for the body to
pass through.
Young Loring felt inclined to chop off the
hand with small hatchet tina: lay hard by,
but he refrainsd and bethought himself of
spewerful preparation of caustic vitrol, and
other penetrting stuffs, that we're used in
the testing of silver and othermetals. One
drop of this would instantly eat into tho flesh
and produce poisonous sore in ten minutes
time. He cautiously dropped little upon
the burglars hand and awaited the result.
BILL" at length exclaimed the burglar
TO bis comrades I've a cursed burning on
the back of my hand. It's so sore l can
hardly work this saw. Phew! how it smarts.
] guess I've cut it with the saw. Hold the
dark lantern here"
"Fudgel" replied hiseompanion. "changc
hands then, but don't stop"
Take the saw yourself then. can't
stand this pain"
And while the discom6tted burglar with
drew to groan over the supposed cut, the
other took his place with the saw, and in a
moment after he received few drops of the
fiery liquid upon the back Of his hand, and
was soon groaning with agony.
Curse this saw, it has cut me tool
groaned the second thief.
And after sundry oaths, mutually OK
changed until the first and worst attack Of
pain 6as over, they renewed the attempt to
make an entrance
The Clerk permitted them to 60 on awhile
uninterrupted, knowing that at any time he
oeuld stop their efforts by crying ou, but he
hoped to hear some watchmen passing the
fropf IF ha hon, ba n,,uiI nall
10 secure the rogues and resolved to wait
for this until it would do to wait 10 longer
But soon the burglars had 80 much enlarged
the hole that they would shortly be able to
enter it themselves.
Seeing that he must do something to stop
them the clerk crcpt into the dark closet at
one side Of the window, and uttered fierco
but low growl in the imitation of dog -
Both Of the rogues stepped back and at this
unexpected interruption.
Hang it, Bill, there's q cursed dog in
there. l didn't know that the Hulberts
kept one,' said ono to the other.
"A dog2 that's bad. Curse 'cm, il it was
man, why a shct or dirk stroke would fi1
him; but dog is quite another thing, fol
If We shot him he would be sure to half Kill
one of us.
Bow, WOW, wowl" cried the clerk with
all his power as he saw them preparing to
resume their work.
''Coniound the dog" exclaimed Bill.
"Never mind, go ahead, Bill, and get il
open now. III fix him when we get in"
The burglar addressed as Bill, thrust hi
hand in once more to wrench off the peo,
of wood that obstructed their entrance, whcr
the clerk, having already armed hlmsel
with pair Of pinchers, seized the robber
hand as though in q vice. and set up sucl
an outrageous barking that the whole neigh
borhood was alarmed.
'For heavens sake, Jack, lend us hant
here; the cursed animal is biting my hant
off" said tho burgar to his confederate.
Pull il away-pull it away, quick!"
II can't"
'Give it jerk" said the other.
"O-o-o! | cant, murder, murdor!"
This cry, added to the believing Of th
supposed dog soon brought the watch il
good earnest and the thief who was at lib
berty to do so, ran for his life.
The watchman's lights showed Bill Sike
that he had been bitten bya pair piaclers
This is fact, and occurred in New Yorl
during the winter OF ls4l; and Bill Skies
served out his Imprisonment on Blackwell's
Island.