Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-04-27

was called up in the middle OF the night
by the intelligence that the premises ad-
Joining his place of business were on fire.
The removal ofmy books and papers"
said he, in telling the story, "of course
claimed my attention; yet, notwithstand-
ing this, and the hustle which prevailed,
nv eve every now and then rested on a
dog, whom, during the hottest progress of
the confiagration, I could not help MOTTO
ing running about, and apparently taking
a deep interest in what was going on, con-
triving to keep out of everybody way, and
vet always present amidst the thickest of
the STIR When the fire was got under, and
I had leisure to look about me, l again OBJ
served the dog, which, with the tiremen,
appeared to be resting from the fatigues of
the day, and was led to make some inquir-
les respecting him.
"'Is this your dog, my friend p said to
a fireman.
"'No, SIR answered he; 'he does not
belong to me- or to any one in particular.
We call him the f1remen's dog
"' The firemen's dogr replied. why
SO? Has he no MASTERY
"No, sir reioined the fireman he calls
none of US master, though we are all OF us
willing enough to give him nights lodg-
ing and pennyworth Of meat. But he
won't stay long with any of us. His de-
light is to be at all the fires in London
and, far or near, we generally find him on
the road as we are going along, and some
times, if it is out Of town, we give him a
lift don't think there has been fire for
these two or three years past which he has
not been at
1.-The communication was so extraordi-
nary that found it difficult to believe the
story until it was confirmed by the con.
current testimony of several other firemen
None of them, however, were able to give
any account of the early habits of the dog
| or to offer any explanation of the circum-
stances which led to this singular pro
pensity. Some time afterward was again
| called up in the night to fire in the vii
lage in which l resided (Camberwell in
Surrey) and, to my surprise, here 1 again
met with the firemen's dog still alive
and well, pursuing, with the same apparent
| interest and satisfaction, the exhibition ol
that which seldom fails to bring with it dis
aster and misfortune, oftentimes loss OF
life and ruin. Still, he called no man mas
| ter, disdained to receive bed or board from
the same hand more than night or two
at time, nor could the firemen trace out
his resting place"
Such was the account of this interesting
animal as it appeared in the newspapers
to which were shortly afterward appended
several circumstances communicated by {
fireman at one of the police offices.
magistrate having asked him whether
was fact that the dog was present at mos
of the fires that occurred in the metropolis
the fireman replied that he never knew
"Tyke," as he was called, to be absen
from a fire upon any occasion that he (th
| fireman) attended himself. The magis
trate said the dog must have an eXtraOr
binary pr dilection for fires. He then aske,
what length of time he had been know
to possess this propensity The fireman
replied that he knew "Tyke" for the las
nine years, and although he was gettinl
old, yet the moment the engines wer
about "Tyke" was to be seen, as active a
ever, running off in the direction of tn
fire. The magistrate inquired whether tn
dog lived with any particular fireman
The fireman replied that "Tyke
other; he had no particular ia
vorites, but passed his time among then
sometimes going to the house of one, an
then to another, and off to third when b
was tired. Day or night, it was all th
same to him; if fire broke out. there b
was in the midst of the hustle, runnin
from one engine to another, anxiousl
looking after the firemen; and althoug
pressed upon by crowds, yet, from his de1
terity, he always escaped accidents, onl
now and then getting ducking from th
engines, which he rather liked than othel
wise. The magistrate said that "Tyke
was most extraordinary animal, and ha'
ing expressed a wish to see him, he ws
shortly after exhibited at the office, an
some other peculiarities respecting hil
were related. There was nothing at a
particular in his appearance. He was
rough looking, small animal of the territ
breed, and seemed to be in excellent col
dition, no doubt from the care taken
him by the firemen belonging to the di
ferent companies. There was some diff
Guilty experienced in bringing him to tt
office, as he did not much relish going an
distance from where the firemen are usual
/ to be found, except in cases of attendir
them at a confagration, and then distant
| was of no consequence. 1t was four
l necessary to use stratagem for the purpos
/ A fireman commenced running; "Tyke
7 accustomed to follow upon such occasion
' set out after him; but this person havi1
e slackened his pace on the way, the sag
e cious animal, knowing there was no fiji
8 turned back, and it was necessary to car
: him to the police Office Chambers "a
e ecdOtes Of Dogs"