The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-10-22

after Tie sIrlcteSt soaICn no corp:
g could be discovered. Recollectin,
N therefore, the manner in which ii
lie traveller had treated his dog, 1 can
t, to the conclusion that he had tried I
r kill the creature. But wherefore
This was the mystery which | coul
n not solve.
l. "Bevis remained with US, testify
= ing the utmost gratitude for on
e kindness. His intelligence and goo
humor attracted the strangers VIII
g frequented our inn, and the tai
o which we had to tell of him, faile,
not to excite their curiosity. On
e morning in autumn, had been on
v to take a walk accompanied by Beyis
e When returned, l found seated b.
b the fire, in the common hall, newly
= arrived traveller, who looked aroun,
} as entered. As soon as he per
? ceived Bevis, he started and callet
him. The dog Immediately started
toward him with frantic demonstra
, tions of joy. He ran around him
, smelling his clothes, and uttered .
sort of salutation with which he hon
ored you just now, and finally plac
ing his forepaw on the travellers
knee began to lick his face.
"Where is your master, Bevis =
Where is Sir Arthur p asked the
stranger in English.
"The noble dog howled piteously
and lay down at the travellers feet
Then the latter begged us to explain
his presence. | did so; and as he
listened, | saw tear fall on the beau
.iful head of the greyhound, whom
Le leaned over to caress.
"'Monsieur,' said he, addressing
me, 'frOm what you tell me, | venture
to hope that Sir Arthur still lives.
We have been friends from child.
hood. About three years since he
married rich heiress, and this dog
was presented to him by her brother.
Bevis was highly cherished for his
fidelity, a quality which unhappily
WAS not possessed by his mistress
She left her fond aud loving hus-
band, and eloped with another man.
Sir Arthur sued for a divorce and
obtained it; then having arranged
his affairs in England, he set out for
the Continent, followed only by his
dog. His friends knew not whittier
he went. Doubtless the presence of
Bevis, evermore recalling the memory
of her who had so cruelty wrOnged
him, must have torn his heart, and at
length impelled him to destroy the
faithful creature. But the shot not
having been mortal, the dog, imag-
inc, when he recovered conscious
ness, was led by instinct to seek the
house where his master last slept
No, Monsieur, he is yours and /
heartily thank you for the kindness
you have shown him. ~ ~
"About 10 o'clock the stranger
retired to his room, after having ca
reesed Bevis who escortad him IN
his door, and then returned to his
accustomed place before the fire.
NV parents and the servants had re
tired to rest, and prepared to fol-
low their example, my bed being
placed at one end of the common
hall. While | was undressing /
heard a storm rising in the noun
tains. Just then there came knock.
ing at the door, and Bevis began to
growl. i asked who was there? A
voice replied, Two travellers, who
want a nights lodging | opened
small chink of the door to look out,
and 1 perceived two ragged men,
each leaning on large club. l did
not like their looks, and knowing
thai several robberies had been CON-
mitted in the neighborhood, refus
ed them admission, telling them that
in the next village they would read
lily find shelter. They approached
the door as though they meant to
force their way in, but Bevis made
his voice heard in so formidable a
manner that they judged it prudent
to retire. l bolted the door and
went to bed. Bevis, according to
his custom, lay down near the thres-
hold, but we neither OF US felt inclin
ed to sleep.
ga quarter of an hour passed, when
suddenly, above the walling of the
wind, came the loud, shrill cry of a
human being in distress. Bevis
rushed to the door with a fearful
howl at the same moment came the
report of gun, followed by another
cry. Two minutes after, l was on
the road, armed with carbine and
holding a dark lantern: my father
and the stranger, armed, accompa-
MED me. As for Bevis, he had dart
ed out of the house and disappeared.
"We approached the defile which /
before, at a moment when
a fash of lightning illuminated the
scene. A hundred yards in advance
we saw Bevis grasping man by the
throat. We hurried on, but the dog
had completed his work ere we
reached him, for two men, whom l
recognized as those who had sought
admittance to our inn, lay dead,
by his powerful jaws
Further on, we discovered another
man, whose bloody wounds the noble
dog was licking. The stranger ap-
preached him, and gave cpnvulsive
cry; it was Sir Arthur, the master
of Bevis -
Here M. Dermann paused; the
seemed to overcome him,
and he stopped to caress the blood
hound in order to hide his emotion.
After q while he finished his recital
In a few words
sSir Arthur was mortally wounded,
but had lived long enough to recog-
nize his dog, and to confess that in
a moment OF desperation lie had
tried to kill the faithful creature who
now avenged his death by staying
the robbers who had attacked him
He appointed the stranger his execu-
tor, and settled large pension on
Bevis, to revert to the family of the
inn keeper, wishing thus to testify
his repentant love towards those who
had suceored him. The grief of
Bevis was excessive he watched by
his masters couch, covering his dead
body with caresses, and for a long
time lay stretched on his grave, re-
fusipg to take nourishment; and it
was not until the lapse of many
that the affection of his new
master seemed to console him for tt te
loss of Sir Arthur"