American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-06-14
NO. "a.

doze at every convenient opportunity; SO
| had naturally troubled my head very III
| tie about him, taking it for granted thai
he was at his usual occupation. But,
| whether he had been asleep before or not,
| at any rate he was wide-awake now, and,
as it seemed to me, in a very odd humor
| indeed.
.s.What's the matter, old fellow?' I said
| to him, when he set up this dismal
howl. Don't you want to have a swim ?
| Well, you needn't unless you like, only
I mean to have one; so down with you,
| and let me get my clothes off, But, in
| stead of getting down, the creature began
| to conduct himself in the most incompre-
hensible way, first Selling me by the trou-
sers with his teeth, and pulling me to the
| edge of the rock, as if he wanted me to
plunge in dressed as l was; then catch
ing me again and dragging me back,
much as though l was big rat that he
was trying to worry; and this panto-
mime, declare, he went through three
separate times, barking and whining all
the while till l began to think he was
going out of his mind.
Well, God forgive me! but at last ]
got into passion with the beast. l
couldn't conceive what he meant. For
two or three minutes tried to pacify him,
and as long as took no more steps to get
my clothes off he was willing to be paci-
fed; but the instant / fell to undressing
myself again he was on me once more,
pulling me this way and that, hanging on
my arms, soldering over me, bowling
with his mouth up in the air. And so at
last l lost my temper, and | snatched up
my gun and struck him with the buttend
of it. Ny poor Rolf!'' said Uncle Dick,
all at once, with falter in his voice; and
ha CT oh fIy
and laid his hand on the great black
head.
"He was quieter after I had struck
him." said Uncle Dick, after a little pause.
" For a few moments he lay quite still at
my feet, and l had begun to think that
his crazy fit was over, and that he was
going to give me no more trouble, when
all at once, just as had got ready to jump
into the water, the creature sprang to his
feet and flung himself upon me again. He
threw himself with all his might upon my
breast and drove me backwards, bowling
so wildly that many a time since, boys, |
have thought must have been no better
than a blind, pesverse fool, not to have
guessed what the trouble was; but the
fact is, | was conceited young fellow las
most young fellows arel and because |
imagined the poor beast was trying for
some reason of his own to get his own
way, thought it was my business to teach
him that he was not to get his own way,
but that l was to get mine; and so beat
him down somehow don't like to think
of it now; struck him again three or
four times with the.end of my gun, till at
last | got myself freed fronrhim.
''He gave cry when he fell back. l
call it a cry, for it was more like some
thing human than a dogs howl-some-
thing so wild and pathetic that, angry as
was it startled me, and l almost think,
if time enough had been given me, l
would have made some last attempt then
to understand what the creature meant;
but 1 had no time after that. l was
a few feet in from the water, and
as soon as had shaken him off he went
to the edge of the bit of cliff, and stood
there for moment till | came up to him,
and then-.just as in another second |
should have jumped into the sea-my
brave dog, my noble dog, gave one last
whine and one look into my face, and
in another instant l saw what he had
meant. He had scarcely touched the
water when / saw a crocodile slip like
lightning from sunny ledge of the cliff,
and grip him by the hinder legs.
You know that l had my gun close at
hand, and in the whole course of my life |
never was so glad to have my gun beside
me. 1t was loaded, too, and revolver. l |
caught it up, and fired into the water. / |
fired three times, and two of the shots |
went into the brute's head. One missed !
him, and the first seemed not to harm him |
much, but the third hit him in some vital |
place, l hope-some sensitive place, atany |
rate, for the hideous jaws started wide.
Then, with my gun in my hand
still, 1 began with all my might
to shout out 'Rolfr l couldn't
cave my post, for the brute, though
ne had let Rolf go, and had dived for a
might make another spring, and
didn't dare to take my eyes off the spot
where he had gone down; but l called to
NY wounded beast with all my might,
md when he had struggled through the
water and gained moments hold of the
-ock, l jumped down and caught him,
md somehow don't know hOw-half
,arricd and half dragged him up the little
bit of steep ascent, till we were safe on
he top-on the dry land again. And
hen.upon my word, don't know what
did next, only 1 think, as | looked at
ny darling's poor crushed limbs, with
he blood ooZing from them, and heard
lis choking gasps for breath-I-I forgot
or moment or two that was man at
III, and burst out crying like child.
Boys, you don't know what it is to
eel that living creature has tried to give
ID his life for you, even though the crea-
IRE is only soulless dog. Do you think
had another friend in the world who
would have done what Rolf had done for
ne? If l had, L did not know it. And
hen when l thought that it was while he
lad been trying to save my life that had
aiken up my gun and struck him! There
re some things my lads, that man does
Without meaning any harm by them,
which yet, when he sees them by the light
If after events, he can never bear to look
Jack upon without sort of agony; and
hose blows l gave to Rolf are of that
ort. He forgave them, my noble dog;
nut have never forgiven myself for them
o this hour. When l saw him lying be-
ore me, with his blood trickling out upon
he sand, think | would have given my
light hand to save his life. And well |
night, too, for he had done ten times
more than that to save mine.
Z" He licked the tears off my checks, my
,oor old fellow; | remember that We
ooked a strange pair, l dare say, as We
ay on the ground together, with our heads
Idle by side. It's noble old head still,
sn't it, boys? Il don't mean mine, but
his big one down here. All right, Rolf! .
We're only talking of your beauty, my |
adj It's as grand head as ever dog
ad. l had his picture taken after l came
ome. I've had him painted more than
nee but somehow | don't think the
ainters have ever seen quite into the bot
ON of his heart. AT least, l fancy that if
were painter l could make something
etter of him than any of them have done
ct Perhaps it's only notion of mine, {
ut, to tell the truth, I've only dozen I
ines or SO in my life seen painting of l
Il hot oh 4