The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-12-03
Il DOG SYORI.

Dogs cannot laugh, except with their
tails; and then their laugh IS laugh Of
iov. | doubt the existence OF doggish
sense of hunIor. But sc0rn aud contempt
they undoubtedly do feel-they show 1t 10
other dogs, and | believe that they must
feel it for some men. At least L should
not like to run the risk of losing the re-
spect of a dog of any character. | should
certainly see it in the comtemptuous whisll
of his tail, and in the sidelong elances of
his eye. The most supreme exhibition of
contempt that ever saw was from dog
of mine fIe was n noble beast, large aud
beautiful. His sire was an English blood
hound, his dam n St. Bernard mastif.
He was fawn colored, brindlcd, and his
ears were softer than the finest silk. He
was so big that he could stand on all fOurs
and take a roll with his month from the
dining table, and that he could spring mp.
put his paws on my shoulder, and look me
in the face. And yet ] had little black
and tan terrier that would bully dear old
Thor-for SO | named hm-out of every
thing; everything, that is, but bones,
meatlesS bones: for that is subject upon
which no dog of any delicate sense of what
is due to himself will allow the least ont
side interference. But Thor loved Puck
and would let the little rascal do alu ost
what he liked, and when his teasing and
impudence reached a point that was iutol-
erable, the grand old fellow, instead of TAX
ing his tormcntor by The back of the neck
and quietly dropping him somewhere ont
of the way, would meekly come and put
his great paw on my knee to beg me to go
out and set matters straight. And yet for
Puck he would fight anything; and many
was the row into which he got by stand
ing up for his quarreIsome little playfel-
low.
One day [ took Thor with me on a new
walk in the course of which we passed the
gate of a farmer who had .wo large pointer
dogs, which were very cross and quarrel
some both with man and beast ; even SO
much so that they attacked men that came
to the gate. As we approached the gate,
there they lay together outside of it upon
the close green sward that stretched into
the road. At the sight of Thor they
priclled up their ears, rose to their feet and
began to growl. Thor, trotting on ahead
of me, turned his head Il moment, but kept
on his trot. As we dew near they crouch
ed together up1n their bellies and began to
move thus toward the middle Of the road :;
and when we were opposite their gate,
with one yeping bark, they made Il stimuli
taneous rush upon the stranger. Oh, Thor,
Thor did the spirit of Shakespeare enter
into thee, that without even turning thy
head again, thou hcavodst up thy leg like
Crabs dog, aud served those dogs rs he
served the GentlcwOman's farthingale, and
then io9gedst on as if nothing had happen
ed, leaving them to sneak back to their
lair, with their tails between their legs,
less i'll fear than in astOnshment, and thy
delighted master to cpave the sky with
laughter? Ncrilr. | think there be some
human ours, who like to spring yelping
upon a man merely because he is stran-
ger, whom it would be well if some big hu-
man mastiff would treat somewhat after
the same fashion. They deserve no more
respectful cons liberation. Richard GreBt
WIife