The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-12-19
Anecdntes Of Dogs.


Soutbey saws "a dog at Congreve went regularly
every Sunday to Pankridgc church, during a whole
wear that the church was under repair, and, II he
could get in passed the proper time IN the family pew
The same writer records Methodist dog, who regu-
larry attended chapel alone, though pelted by the
church boys. His master never went, and When pc
was drowned IN a fit of ntoxication, the dog ceased
coming" John Nelson maintained that the attend
ance Of the dog at the meeting was designed to at
tract his master to come in search OF the means OF
salvation but added that ''the end TO be answered
being frustrated by his DEATH the to secure it
we're no longer needfuI:" But the most curious OF
these church stories is the following one given by Mr.
Jesse as original:
'sThe Rev. Mr.. L. had a large bloodhound which
had been allowed to acquire the habit OF accompany.
ine the household to church. where he always behaved
with the greatest decorum lying at the foot Of the
pulpit stairs till one unfortunate day when stranger
oficated in lieu Of his master. The dog seemed TO
take no notice until the communion Service but when
the stranger was within the altar rails and had just
commenced the reading of the first commandment,
then the dog uprose placed bis fore paws on the rails,
and gave utterance to a fearful bay. The stranger,
being of timd temperament, fed TO the vestry-room,
and the hound was ANONYMOUSLY expelled and for
some time was kept chained up on Sundays during
service After while this restraint was discontinued;
but the hound did not attempt to reenter the church,
from which he felt himself communicated. 1t then
soon began to be observed that lie disappeared every
Sunday though no one knew or cared to inquire
where, till one day Mrs H., married daughter Of
Mr. Us was stopped in the street at BriXham by an
angry looking woman, who poured Hood OF abuse On
her the drift Of which she could not at first under
stand until the woman openly accused her Of send
ing her dog to disturb the devOtOns OF those who at
tended meeting. Mrs H., aghast, asked what she
meant and heard to her surprise that for some Sun
DAYS the exchurch dog had gone to chapel and though
most respectful and devotional in bis demeanor, his
presence was trial to the of the congregation
L. / 81 4 ~ hfY,,-.l
being a high churchwomau, could only express her
regret that her dog should have so far lapsed as to
let himself down to attend meeting. He was once
more placed under strict restraint on Sundays and
thus debarred from attending any religious denomina
ton whatsoever"
Of the strong affection manifested by the dog for
his master and the sagacity which, inspired by this
feeling he often displays the recorded instances are
so numerous that they must be familiar to every
Napoleon as is well known, was much struck by see
ING on the field of Bassano a dog guarding the dead
body of his slain master, and a similar incident oc
cured after the battle of Taayera. In recent
times the American papers have recorded the follow
ing incident Of the war just concluded:
1.-THE widow of Lieut.. Pfeh of Illinois, was eua
bled to find her husbands grave at Ptsburg Landing
1.-THE battlefield of Shiloh by seeing dog which had
aceomDanied the lieutenant to the The dog APP
preached her with the most intense manifestations Of
iov and Immediately indicated to her as well as he
was able his desire that she should follow him. She
did so, and he led the way to distant part OF the
field and stopped before a single grave She caused
it to be opened and there found the body OF her dead
husband. Itappears from the statement OF some OF
She soldiers that when Lieut. Pfett fell, his dog was
by his side and thus remained, licking his wounds
antil he was taken from the field and buried. The
dog then took his station by the grave, and nothing
could induce him to abandon it but for sufficient
length of time each day satisfy his hunger until ne
was by some means made aware Of the presence OF
his mistress. Thus had he watched for twelve days
by the grave of his slain master"
Twelve DAYS, however are as nothing when com
pared with the three months during which the body
of tourist who died from fall on Hclvellyn, was
watched unbured BY the little dog that accompanied
him. an incident celebrated in verse by Sir Walter
Scott and Wordsworth aud in the romance of 'Syr
Tyramoure" quoted by Mr. jesse at considerable
length a greyhound is represented as burying his
murdered and watching the grave for the space
Of seven years when he quits it to go to court and
bring the murderer to justice after the fashion OF the
weknown dog Of Montargris.
In many instances, especially among that fine breed
of dogs the Scotch colley, and to certtin extent IN
he English sheepdog, this affection for the master
takes the shape Of strong sense OF duty and as this
is seconded by perhaps the highest canine intelligence
the results produced are sometimes most wonderful
At a single word sometimes without word or even
signal from the master these dogs will direct the eyo
Iutons of a large flock Of Sheep although one won
dars very often how their physical energies can hold
up under the ncesSant fatigue to which they are eX-
posed Mr.. Meyrick in his little work on House
Dogs and Sporting Dogs" describes the proceedings
of one of those dogs in a manner which sets in a
striking light the faithful dutifuncss Of the animal
He says:
q once saw a coley, in the highlands Of Scotland,
left in solitary charge Of flock Of sheep which were
feeding ia a field separated only by ruined WALL full
of wide gaps, from field of young corn. l watched
the dog for some time; he had taken his stand on
hiloc[ from whence lie could overlook the whole
field and check the slightest attempt make free on
the part Of the sheep. l was told by the person who
accompanied me- that the dog remained patiently and
watchfully at lis post from the earliest dawn until
nightall and brought the flock home in the evening
on hearing the shrill whistle Of bis MASTER who lived
nearly mile away VIVA. extraordinary intelligence
and what strict sense Of duty must this dog have
possessed"