Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-08-24
AN OLD STORY.
"The DOG OF Montargis." !"

Apropos Of the present controversy
as to the reality of recent combat be-
tween man and dog near Birrhing-
ham, many of our readers who have
stopped at Montargis, on the route from
Paris to Lyons, will remember the story
of the Dog of Montargis who fought
with the murderer OF his master and
avenged his blood In the great hall of
that town, before its demolition, there
was fresco painting over the fireplace
representing the strange duel, which
was fought, according to tradition, in
the presence of Charles VI, in the lists
of the lie de Notre lame at Paris.
The story is told at length in Memories
sal, les Duels. 1t runs as follows: One
day NJ. Aubrey De Mont Didier, gen.
tleman of birth and influence, was jour
neying alone though the lonely forest of
Bondy, when he was attacked by robbers
and killed, his body being buried by the
assassins under a tree hard by the spot
where he fell For some days an Eng
lish bloodhound which he had with him
watched over his grave till compelled by
hunger to quit the post On this the dog
made his way to the house OF friend OF
the deceased gentleman at Paris, where
the strangeness of his manner, coupled
with the fact of his having come back
without his master, reused much curiosl'
ty and wonder. As soon as he had been
fed, he kept running toward the door OF
the house and then back to his master
friend, pulling him by the sleeve, and
used all sorts of dumb eloquence, as II
he wanted him to follow. AT last the
friend resolved to follow the leading of
the dog, who made his way to the forest
and went straight to the foot of tree,
where his murdered master lay. Here
the dog began to howl piteously, scratch
ing up the earth with his paws and show
ing his wish that the place should be dug
out. Then digging few feet the friend
and companions came upon the body OF
NJ. Mont Didier, bearing the wounds
which had been inflicted upon it by the
knife of the murderer. For some time,
however no trace of the actual assassin
could be found, till one day the dog met
in the street of Paris certain Chevalier
named Macaire, whom he instantly tried
to seize by the throat with great fury
This strange conduct on the part of
quiet and peaceful animal was repeated
on second occasion, and, as it was
known that Macaire had been personal
enemy of Mont Didier, grave suspicious
began to be aroused. Atlength the affair
reached the ears OF the King, who, being
anxious that the matter should be tho
roughly sifted, sent for Macaire, and also
for the dog, who was gentle and playful
until he scented Macaire in the crowd OF
courtiers standing around the King,
when, as usual he showed the tiercest
hostility toward him. Struck by such an
undersigned piece of cireumstantial ev-
idenee, the King at once ordered that
that the decision should be referred to
the trial by battle, or appeal to the
judgment of God" and combat was
ordered to be held between the Cheval-
ier and the dogin the lie de Metre Dame,
which then was almost an open space.
The terms OF the encounter were that
the dog was to have an empty cask to
retreat into after he had made his springs
at his foe, while the man was allowed a
cudgel by way of arms. Everything
was prepared for the duel, when the dog
no sooner found himself free and face to
face with his antagonist than he began
to running round and round Macaire,
avoiding his blows, until at last he seized
him fairly by the throat, and after Sc.
we're struggle succeeded in laying him
prostrate on the ground. The Chevalier
was rescued from the dogs grip by the
bystanders, and conscience stricken, in
the presence of the King, his Court, and
the rest of the spectators he acknowl-
edged his guilt A few days afterward
be expiated his crime upon the scafold.
Tie DOG of Montargis" is a well-known
tale in France, where its substantial truth
is not doubted, and it has been, we be-
lieve, the subject of at all events onepop-
ular drama.