The weekly Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1865-186?, 1865-12-30
The Faithful Dog.

The following story is said, by
the Portsmouth Chronicle, to be de
rived, as to all its facts, from most
respectable Quaker family, whose
veracity cannot be doubted
about fifty years ago, in the wes-
tern part Of the State Of New York,
lived a lonely widow named Mozher.
Her husband had been dead many
years, and her only daughter was
grown up and married, living at the
distance of a mile or two from the
family mansion.
~And thus the old lady lived alone
in her house by day and night. Yet
in her conscious innocence and trust
in Providence, she felt safe and
cheerfully did her work quietly dur
ing the daylight, and at eyentide lay
and slept sweetly.
"One'morning, however, she awoke
with sn extraordinary and unwont-
ed gloom upon her mind, which was
impressed with the apprehension that
something strange was about to hap
pen to her or hers. So full was she
of this thought that she could not
stay at home that day, but must go
abroad to give vent to it, by unbo-
soming herself to her friends, espe-
cially to her daughter. With her she
spent the greater part of the day,
and to her she several times repeated
the recital of her apprehensions.-
The daughter as often repeated the
assurances that the good mother had
never done injury to any person, and
added, II cannot think any one
would hurt you, for you have not an
enemy in the world"
"As the day was declining, Mrs.
Mozher sought her home, but express
ed the same feelings as she left the
daughters house.
"On the way home she called on a
neighbor, who lived in the last house
before she reached her own. Here
she again made known her continued
apprehensions, which had nearly ri
pened into fear, and from the lady of
the mansion she received answers,
similar to those of her daughter
"You have harmed no one in your
lifetime, surely no one will molest
you. Here, Rover, said she, to a
stout watchdog that lay on the floor
"here, Rover, go home with Mrs.
Mozher, and take care of her."
"Rover did as he was told. The
widow went home, MIXED her cows
took care of everything out of DOORS
and went to bed as usual. Rover had
not left her for an instant. WheI
she was fairly in bed, he laid himself
down upon the outside of the bed
and as the widow relied upon his fl
iflelitysa and .parhaps ehia herself 70,
time in the night she awoke, being
startled probably by a slight noise
outside the house. 1t was so slight
however, that she was not aware o.
being startled at all, but heard, as
soon as she awoke, a sound like the
raising of window near her bed
which was in a room on the ground
floor. The dog neither barked nor
moved. Next there was another
sound, as if some one was in the room
and stepped cautiously on the floor
The woman saw nothing, but now
for the first time felt the dog move
as he made a violent spring from thu
bed: and at the same instant some
thing fell on the floor, sounding like
a heavy log. Then followed othel
noises, like the paving of a dogs
feet; but soon all was still again
and the dog resumed his place on the
bed without having barked or growl
ed at all.
"This time the widow did not q
to sleep Immediately, but lay awak
wondering, yet not deeming it bes
to get up. But at last she droppe'
asleep, and when she awoke the sui
was shining. She fastened out Q
bed, and there lay the body of a mai
extended on the floor, dead, with ;
large knife in his hand, which wa
even now extended. The dog ha'
seized him by the throat with tn
grasp of death, and neither man no
dog could utter a sound till all wa
over. This man was the widow
; son-in-law, the husband of her onl
daughter. He coveted her littl
store of wealth, her house, her cattl'
and her land; and instigated by thi
, sordid impatience, he could not wa
, for the decay of nature to give he
, property up to him and his, as th
!. only heirs apparent, but made tn
stealthy visit to do a deed of darl
, ness in the gloom Of night. "A fearf
retribution waited for him. III
widows apprehension communicate
]. to her mind and impressed upon HI
nerves by what unseen power v
know not, the sympathy of the W
man who loaned her dog, and Il
. silent but certain watch of the dc
j: himself; formed chain of even
which brought the murderer's bloc
upon his own head, and which a
difficult to be explained, without
ference to that providence or owe
X < ruling which numbers the hairs
y our heads, watches the sparrow
!, !, fall, aud "shapes our ends, rous
! hew them as we will"
Il ~-->4-.0s%~-~~~
! Virtue is both titles and estate;
l. title the most exalted, because it
4 God who confers it; an estate me
d rich, because it endures forever. Z
Il Wy may not derogate the title,
;, cause it is written in the book