The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-01-29
NUMBER l42.
A sagacious Dog.
lFrom AL the Year Rsund.l

On wednesday, the 27th of June, 1866, Mr.. Otto
Striedinger, gentleman connected with the
Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley, went with two
friends to croquet party at Westend. about five
by his favorite dog Worry, q magnificent black
retriever. The weather being extremely hot the
croquet did not begin before four O'Clock and
was followed by supper, SO that it was ten o'clock
men then walked back to Netley in the dust. The
frotpath by which they returned led through a
private park, and across q common overyrown
win heather When about mile from Netley,
the walkers passed reservoir which supplies the
hospital water. The night being hot and close,
Mr.. Striedinger wished to give his dogaa swim.
he whisued again and again, but no Worry
came; SO he made up his mind that the dog had
had lost the track, as there was very little scent
on the ground. Worry's master did not trouble
himself about his whereabouts, as he had been
ior years very independent dog, quite up to
taking care of himself, and would doubtless find
his way home later. Mr.. Striedinger arrived at
the hospital, and was preparing to go to bed
when he remembered that he had to
answer two letters. which he had received
by that afternoons post, Just as he
Was starting with his friends for westend. These
letters were OF great Importance, and when Mr..
trieainger had looked for them without success,
he feit extremely uncomfortable. He instituted a
search all over his rooms, turned his writing case
opsy-tnrvy, looked through his desk-but all in
vain. He then took light, and had hunt in
back empty handed. Thoroughly tired and dis.
composed he went TO bed. Unable to Sleep he
got up in the middle Of the night to make another
and an equally fruitless search. At last the morn
ing sun began to light up the rooms, which was q
signal for fresh investigst with the same result
ihen, and not before. the idea struck him that the
letters having been delivered Just as he was start
ing ior lne cro9aet party, he must have read them
on the way thither, and must have put them In his
coat pocket; but when he thrust his hand into the
pocket, and drew 1t back empty, he felt convinced
that his letters were lost beyond all chance of re-
cOvery. Hoping against hope, however, he re-
solved to make one more effort.
he rushed on, unshaven and unkempt, to re-
uaee his steps OF the previous day, looking right
ana ieit, turning over every scrap of paper he
saw on the road, stopping wherever he recol-
lected that he and his companions had stopped
the day before, mistsking every object that was
conspicuousy light in the distance for the papers,
and growing more despairng every minute.
After walking on, for about three miles, he
espied black object lying close to the fooipath
IL was Worry's black head. Representing him
self for having in this great uEeasiness forgotten
his fayorite, be whstled to Worry who, however,
instead OF showing his usual alacrity, remained
lying motionless on the ground. His owner
supposed him to be caught in one of the
snares with which he knew the common
TO be thiekly studded but, on his
approaching Worry, up jumped the dog, leaving
exposed TO Mr.. Stredinger's delighted view the
missing letters, together with a number Of other
loose papers. There had been very heavy dew
that nlght and Worry's curly coat was as wet as If
be had hah an hours swim in the neghboring reser
voir, but the papers were dry, hot and crisp
as breakfast roll out Of bakers oven. There
we're marks Of teeth on one or two Of them, show
ing, either that before having recourse to his sub
sequent and successful expedient for preserving
his masters property, Worry had endesvoIed to
collect and carry the scattered manuscripts,
or, which is more probable. that he had
tndiDg them too numerous to allow Of his
acting on his retrieving instincts-brought
all the outlying letters within reach of the shelter
q his outstretched body. 1t was now eight
O'Clock. This devoted dog had been on guard
over these papers for sixteen hours, ever since
the friends went to Westend, at about four
o'clock on Wednesday afternoon II must have
been then, and not on the return to Netley, that
Mr.. Stredinger dropped his letters for they fell
out OF breast pocket Of the coat which he hung
over his arm when walking in the sultry heat Of
The afternoon, but which he wore on his way home
At night when it would be impossible for the con-
tents OF the pocket so to escape. The gentle
men in returning must have made some slight de-
Walton from the pathiby which they had gone, and
n this manner must have missed the sentinel,
Korry.