The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-06-17

ut 10 all over with the poor creature
by this time, my dearl'' says the worthy
man. 81 heard the plunge we'll enough
| although l refused my eyes the sight of
his sinking in the water. His life must
have left him in a few seconds; and now
let US neither think nor speak of the oc-
currencs any more, especially as ne have
80 many other things to concern Us that
are of far greater Importance.
'His lie must have lefs him In a few
seconds, father p crisd Fanny 'sand We
are neither to think nor speak of the poor
creature any morsl Why, yonder comes
Neptune, crouching toward Us, with the
cloth you took with you in his mouth -
The father stood still in amazement
until the faithful brute came up to him,
throwing itself down at bis feet Ia An ina-
ploring attitude, and as much rs saying,
''What had done to cause you to treat
me 60 See, have brought back the
cloth that you tied around me, and have
taken care that it should not be lostl"
'.Poor bruts!'' calculated the farmer,
on seeing all this. Thou shalt not per>
ish by my hands; but shall 60 where
These were glsddening words to the
affectionate Fanny. Away, with Nep-
tune led by her, she hastened to announce
the repfieve that had been issued, and to
tell of the wonderful escape of the faithful
animal, in consequence, il was seen, of
the stones weight having caused the cloth
into which it was put 10 burst, and thus
to liberate the condemned dog, splendid
swimmer that he was the pleasant oc~
currence being accepted by every member
of the family as an encouraging token,
and serving to tighten the sorrow with
which they looked for the last time Gu
the place of their birth and up>b-inging
Next day the emigrants were upon the
face of the mighty deep, ploughing their
way to a land of promise, the sagacious
Neptune being the object of not a few
othter caresses than those which little
Fanny bestowed rpon him 1t was OBJ
served that the head of lhe family paid
more attention to the mute creature than
he ever before had done, and also that
this kindness was joined to special favors
| to his youuges, daughter. He was thank
full that The dog had been spared and sur
vived; nor in the Transatlantic home
| was be found to be unseryiceRble.
But time sped age gained upon this
faithful house-keeper, as it did upon Will
| liam Welsh, and death Was at length TO
overtake both. Two years had elapsed
since the good map first set foot upon the
soil of Canada. He and bis offspring
were now comfortably settled in their
| American habitation and the prospect
of independence, though not of idisness
or opulence, were theirs the father, al
ready widower, looking humbly yet
| trustinely forward to another and better
world, beyond the grave. He sickened,
and for weeks was bed-ridaen D.: bis cher
ished dog, as if endowed with some
measure of human sympathy as we'll as
foresight, every morning and evening seek
ing 10 pay The good man visit, but
never prolongins his stay 80 as to be
troublesome To meet the welcoming
and extended hand; 10 respond as such
creatures do to kindly words; and then to
take its leave with short lingering look
thrown behind, was the uniform procc-
dure of the old domestic on each visit.
William Walsh died ; nor from that
time did Neptune ever evince q wish to
90 TO the chamber where lay the remains
| of his late master Ii looked as if his
| grief was too great to allow him to ap-
proach the body from which The spirit
had fed that had dealt so tonderly to the
creature From the hour of the farmer s
| decease, to that in which the corpse was
carried to its last reating place, the saga
cious brute refusing all food, hiding itself, it
seemed, in a corner where it might mourn
unnoticed and untroubled, yet not uncars
ed for by the affectionate Fanny.
The worthy farmer had pitched upon
a spot in the adjoining forest in which he
| wished to be buried, and had been al
pains to enclose and lay it out in MAN.
ner fitting for receiving the ashes of his
defendants and bis people. Many time
had he repaired thitber to do the needed
or appointed work of fitting the locality
for its intended design, and always with
Neptune for a companion. The day of the
funeral arrived, and now the dog left his
lair for silent mourning, in order TO follow
the corpse to the burying ground nor
ever did day pass, while the creature
lived, that he was not to be found wend-
ing his way to and from the sacred spot !;
the grave on each and all Of these occa-
sons being lain upon by the animal, SO
that the grass never failed to show oyi>
bence of the temporary bed.
Three months had elapsed since the
death, when one morning it was ascer>
tanned that Neptune had been missing
ever since the forenoon OF the preceding
day, that being the time of his accustom-
ed journeyings to the burial spot. What
was more natural than to seek the crea-
ture there Nor can the reader have
failed to have anticipated the statement,
when it is told, that upon the grave of its
late master the dog was found to have
died And let it not be deemed to have
; been irreverent in Fanny Welsh, neither