Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-17
THE DOG THAT STOOD ON HIS DIG
NIFTY.


if Bruno had belonged to us, fear that we
never should have priced him as he de-
served, for we had been terribly frightened |
about mad-dogs when we were children, |
and so had grown up with most unreal |
sonable dread of the whole canine race.
When l left my careless girlhood behind, |
l tried hard to leave my cowardice with it; |
but to this day, / am only courageous in |
streaks, where dogs are concerned. Bruno
was great, shaggy, black dog, as big as a
calf six weeks old. He was kept as watch
dog in a large store, and when our home
fell to us in the rooms over said store, he
seemed to think he had us also in his charge. |
The people before us had made much of
him, inviting him up stairs, letting the baby
ride on his back, or go to sleep with him
on the floor, and treating him to taste of
all the nice tid-bits that were brought into
the house. Of course he soon thought he
had the freedom of the place.
He had such large, pleasant eyes, so full
of benevOlence, and fun too, that it is a
mystery how could help liking him. But
if he had been lion, or a big bear, l could
not have been more nearly scared to death
than / was on the day of our arrival, when,
looking up from basket of dishes that
was unpacking, saw his huge form in the
doorway. Over went basket, and with
a marvellous spring | went over the basket
clear into the adjoining room, where | shut
the door with a bang, locked it, and
screamed for life. Just then some one out
of doors whistled cheerily, and the mon
strous fellow went bouncing down the
stairs, to my great relief.
l saw no more of him that day; but the
next morning he paid me a visit. had
ust placed the gridiron over a nice bed of
Goals, and held in my hand a plateful of
Juicy steak, cut ready for broiling, when l
heard a painting sound close by me, and
looking round, there stood Bruno with his
great oPen-mouth nearly on level with
my shoulder.
was too frightened to scream or to run
away. My first thought was the necessity
of coaxing rather than fighting, if haply
might escape with my life.
Trembling, held out to him bit of raw
meat. The immense jaws gave one snap,
and the bit vanished. Another followed,
until only tiny morsel remained for my
husbands breakfast. Could not in some
way save that? l made several steps back
ward toward the door, and hope began to
spring up in my heart. But Bruno, alas!
had been taught to speak for what lie
wanted, and now, with one eye on the rem
nant in the dish, he tipped his head back
and-spoke! That was enough. | threw
him the meat in despair, just managing, as
did so, to get ont of the room. don't
think my husband particularly enjoyed
breakfasting on dry toast alone, but he bad
taken an unaccountable fancy TO the dog,
and remember that thought the scanty
fare suitable punishment for such taste.
"Hell run mad and bite you, and then
you will have the hydrophobia, and bite
me-" l said, when, man-like, he tried to
reason with me. As if a woman's fears
could ever be made amenable to reason.
Bruno had now evidently determined to
give me the pleasure of his acquaintance.
Whether the breakfast gave him an idea
that l was subject to generous impulses, or
whether he liked me for my own sake,
cannot say, but 1 was hopelessly in his
good graces. He evidently thought my
friendship worth having, and left no doggish
art untried to win it.
Once in particular, when l was nicely
dressed for going out, ! sat down to wait
for my husband, who was preparing to ac
company me. Ladies wore drapery sleeves
then, and had donned for the occasion an
elegant pair of lace undersleeves. They
were present from dear friend, who had
herself embroidered them, and l was ad
miring the delicate work, when Bruno
came into the room, and in his unfeigned
delight in my fine appearance, laid his dirty,
wet nose, directly across my arm. Didn't
Jump?
NV laces were soiled, and the fringed
trimmings of the oversleeves so bedaubed
and tangled, that l had to dress again, and
not half so becomingly.
''Ughl You great ugly cur" said l: but
took care to wait until he was out Of hear
ing before / said it.
ale is only scraping acquaintance" said
my husband, laughing.
But | was determined not TO be familiar
with him.
"Beasts were not made to live in the
house with human beings" l said to Brit
nos master one morning, when l was
brushing the stair carpet. The dog had
never learned to use the mat at the door,
and all the sand that everybody tracked into
the house was consequently laid to my want
of neatness.
of you really do not like to have him
come up stairs" said Bruno's master, "you
have only to tell him so. He will under
stand and take the hint"
to coax him hypocritically when his pres
ence frightened me. poor Bruno. Good
fellow!" was all had ventured to utter.
But had little faith in the remarkable
intelligence that would make him take
hint that was sometimes thrown away
upon my own species. Nevertheless, |
thought the experiment worth trying. That
very noon Bruno appeared about dinner
time, just dropping in to see what l was up
to. He had habit Of doing this at meal
times, and if he was hungry, it was par
ticulaTly incOnyenient time to receive him.
So, without even the politeness Of even say
ing good morning, began: "Brunow
He looked up and opened his mouth ex-
pectantly.
''Bruno," said l, speaking slowly but I'M
pressively, "you must go down stairs direct
ly. And don't you ever show your face up
here again."
Poor Brunei He had been wagging his
tail ever since he came in, out of pure good
will. He looked at me wistfully, just d mo-
ment, to be sure that | was in earnest. |
can't say that there were not tears III his
eyes. But with only the mute protest Of a
look, he turned away and went out of the
room.
At first / could not believe that he So well
understood me; but no persuasion of my
husbands, nor even the promise of the
incest beafsteak, could induce him to enter
our doors. Neither could he be coaxed to
approach me. He never seemed to be aware
of my presence, and, if met him anywhere
about the premises and stopped to speak to
him, he passed on as composedly as if had
been invisible. Somehow got the better
of cowardice when / found he would have
nothing to do with me, and actually sought
an intimacy with him, but in vain. He
would guard most faithfully anything that
| intrusted to his care-magnanimouslyr re-
turning good for evil, and heaping Goals of
fire on my head. But l had rejected the
affection he offered me, and lost it forever.
Methodist.