The Lincoln County herald., 1872-12-04
JUPITER, THE ST BERNARD
DOG


90 ssg,ciou., 1t wi" difficult to think
they belonged ouIy " dog. But
though snly . dog, be vi" one Of the
highest Of the race, fer this reason. that
bis whole life vas .pent 10 saving the
lives Of others. and could Jcu or | do
anything better than that?
His hone vas the aonastsry Of Mon,
81. Bernard | don't know whether be
had been bern there his forefa,hsrs
cane originally from Spain, from the
sunpy south, with its vineyards and
orange groves. What a contrast to the
eternal ice and snow where We find him
I don't know whether be ever played as
other puppies DO hi, after life was 20
grave and earnest, with such work to get
through, I think it must have thrown it's
shadows well ever bis youth. AT any rate
be had bsen trained from his earlier days
to follow the grea. aud noble instinct.
which bis Creator had given him. And
well az those who went before him had
done, our friend Jupiter ou.shone them
ALL
On the highe,t inhabited laud 10 Eu
rope-s,500 fee. absvs the sea, and
rsing often above the clouds tos--whsre
the ice never entirely melt., and there
are few days even 10 summer when the
show does not fa.l-in the very heart Of
the Swi" mountains, s,an1. a building,
old and gray aud grim, called the monas.
terry, or lIospics Of Mont St. Bernard.
All around 10 a waste Of snow, except
whore the sharp, steep rock. leave no
surface Tor the snow to rest ou. All IL
shll, there is no life, no color anywhere
Could anybody would anybody live
there? you say-away from friends aud
klndred-away from all that Is green,
bright aud CHEEKY, shut up in those
drsary, desert regions?
The Monastery is inhabited by about
forty msuks, who, aided by dogs, devote
themselves to the great work Of saving
the lives which would otherwise be lost
in the snow.
Desert as it is, there are travellers
constantly passing to aud fro between
Italy and Switzerland. They are liable
to be ovsrtaken by darkness or fatigue or
sudden storms, and many a one would
never reach his home il il wore not for
the timely suc.or Of these brave and
noble men. Perhaps one sinks down,
overcome by wsarinesS and the great
cold the lnow comes softly down fake
by fake, so wcak yet so mighty, and
soon you would not know where the
stranger fell. Who shall tell the spot
where he lies? Who shall dig him GU,
from his cold, cold grave?
Jupiter will do it. lilo has done it.
IT has been the business of his life
This one faithful dog had saved the
lives Of twenty-five persons, by finding
them, and digging them with his paws
out Of the snow
So keen is the scent Of the St. Ber.
nsrd race, that they will detect a human
being even when buried many feet be
meath the SHOWN. Day after day the
monks send them forth, or 70 with them
themselves, but if it were not for the
dog', they would never know tho spo,
where the pcrishing traveller lies. If
the dogs go alone, bottles of cordial are
tied around their neck., and warm wrap.
around their bodies. for the benefit of
thoSe they may fnd.
When they dseovera body. they give
notice by peculiar kind Of howl, which
soon brings the monks to the rescue.
The dogs scratch away tho snow, and tho
poor human being is then taken to the
Monastery, and every means used to
restore life. Often it is too late they
have slept to wake no more. But more
often the friendly aid has come 10 time
they are tended and nursed with tho ut
most care, and then, with u guide and
tho dog, and good supplies, are set forth
on their why once more.
Once dog found, deep down 10 the
snow, a woman and hor little girl. ],
was too late TO save tho mother-she was
'slesp in death, mud so the dog turned
all hIs attention to the child. How he
managed to pursuado her to mount on
his back, we do not know, but he did
'nd in that way carried tho little one
'afely to the home ready for her.
But to return to Jupiter. am afraid
rev will think his end u sad one. One
lay there came to the llospico courier