Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-02-09
SOMETHING ABOUT MY PETS.

SOMETHING ABOUT MY PETS.
MANY bitter tear they have cost me-
the different pets have had: not their
possession, but their loss, which followed
as inevitably as fate, and as surely as day
follows night. As far as my recollection
goes back, my four footed friends have oc-
cupied prominent places in my affections,
and have eventually become the cause of
great sorrow. The first doubt / ever felt
of the justice and humanity of the world
in general, and my kinsfolk in particular,
was because of the cruel death of my
favorite dog, Arno, who had been given
away after my older brothers death to a
family who had more use and room for
large hunting-dog than my widowed
mother.
At first, he refused utterly to stay with
his new master but when he found that
the doors of his old home were steadfastly
closed against him, he would lie in wait
for me as went to school; and on my
ways follow me, drawing back his nose
their being pinched in by the sharp shut
ting gate, and looking wistfully through
the paling with his big, honest eyes. Per-
heps my elders did not understand dog
language as I did; but knew that Arno
fully appreciated the feeling which led me
to throw my arms around his neck and
weep bitter, childish tears on his brown
head and he felt comforted by my sympa-
thy, am sure, for he would lick my hands,
and wag his long haired tail with little
joyous whine, before trotting back to the
broad stone steps in front of his masters
house. But night always found him under
my chamber window, which looked out on
q narrow lane, used as thoroughfare and
here could hear his deep-mouthed bark
all night long as he kept fancied maraud-
ers and real dogs from encroaching on our
premises and his self-chosen battle ground.
For he met his death here at last.
He had become quite aged; and the
other dogs of the neighborhood had fire.
quently made common cause against him,
for blocking up Ito them) the passage in
the lane, but had never yet been able to
rout him. One night, however, they at
tackled him with Overpowering numbers,
and punished him SO severely that it was
found to be necessary, or, at least, merciful,
the next morning, to send bullet through
his head and end his misery. To me this
all seemed terribly cruel, and I cried
wildly, and sobbed out my reproaches
against every body for having left him to
lie out in the street at night, instead of al
lowing him safe shelter in the house. I re-
fused to be comforted, or adopt any other
dog in his place, but bestowed my affec-
tions and caresses impartially on ali the
stray dogs and horses that happened to
cross my path.
Some time after was married, little
spotted dog, of no particular breed, sought
shelter from the rain on the basement
steps, one day, and refused to tramp I"
when the shower was over. She was
short-legged, smooth-haired little thing,
with the brightest eyes I ever saw in
dogs head. Tiny soon became my pet,
and amply repaid us for the food and shell
ter we had given her. She learned every
thing, and with such ease that l
sometimes suspected I had taken
into my family one who had for
mer1y been public circus performer. She
could stand on her hind legs and beg for
an apple or piece of sugar; she could
fetch a hidden handkerchief, glove, or
cap; she could jump through hoop, and
could pick out from among a lot of arti-
cles the shawls, comforters, or hats be-
longing to myself, or any member of the
family. On the approach Of buggy to
the house, she would rush to the window,
and II she recognized it as the Captains,
would scratch and whine till opened the
door for her, in sheer self-defense. Dash
ing up to the buggy, she would wag her
tail with such vehemence as threatened to
upset her little round body-begging, in
this way, for glove, or the long buggy
whip, to drag into the house.
Tiny also knew the name of the differ
ent members of the family, whether they
occupied the same house with us OF only
came on visits. If mother came on visit,
for instance, I could send Tiny from the
kitchen with key, paper, or anything
she could carry, and on my order, Give it
to mother" she would carry it to the par
lor, or wherever mother might be, and lay
1t carefully in her lap, or on the sofa be-
side her. On the order, Kiss the Cap
tain," she would Immediately dart at that
gentleman, and, if he ever SO artfully
avoided her little tongue for the time
being, she would watch the first opportu-
nifty to climb into his lap, or jump on to
piece OF furniture, to execute the COM
mand
Soon after Tiny's advent, young stag
hound was given to the Captain, and him
she took under her wing, though in size
he could boast of three times her own
volume. Dick, am very sorry to own,
was not SO well treated as Tiny; and 1
smlte my breast even now, and say very
penitently, "naeG culpa," when I think of
how hurt hip one day. was lying on
the sofa, half asleep from the heat
and the exertion of cutting the
leaves of new magazine. Presently,
Dick approached, and before could open
my eyes, or ward him of, he had jumped
on the sofa and settled full on my head and
dog with all my might to the floor, where
he set up such pitiful crying, that
/! knew he must be seriously hurt. Jump
ing up, saw him, quite distance from
the sofa, holding up his fore-leg, on which
his paw was dangling in loose, out-of-
place manner. Comprehending what /
had done, / carried him into the next
room, and poured the basin full of water,
in which held his paw, and then bound
rags on the dislocated limb, stepping the
paw into the water occasionally, to keep
down the swelling till the Captain should
come. Sorry as felt for having inflicted
such pain on the poor animal, it was per-
feet farce to watch his proceedings, and
had laughed till my sides ached before the
Captain got home 1t SO happened that
mother and one or two other near friends
came in during the course of the day. AS
soon as any one entered the room, Dick,
who had been allowed to take up his quar-.
ters on blanket in the sitting room,
would hobble up, hold up his wrapped
paw, and, elevating his nose, would utter
heart-rending cries of pain, thus passing
his hat for a penny worth of sympathy, u
as Enthusiastically as have known human
beings to do many time before. Then,
with cries and grimaces, he would induce
the beholder to follow him pityingly into
the next room, where he would immerse
his foot in the water, as I had made him
do, once or twice. During this perform.
ance Tiny would keep close behind him,
and with little sympathetic whines, would
echo all his cries and eomplainings; and
this show was repeated whenever they
could get fresh spec 'ator
At the same time, we had in our posses.
sion horse, which for sagacity, kindness
and docility, outshone all the horses
have ever had the fortune to become &C.
quainted with. Not the most partial ad.
miration of Kitty's many virtues could
lead me into believing her to be beautiful
though she was by no means an ugly
. horse. A bright bay, with well-shaped
head, she was too short bodied, though the