The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-08-26
A St. Louis Dog.

hG ~. AOulS UtOOc.DeVOCTUt VllS tu0
following dog story:
OF all animals, domestic or wild, per-
the head. The line dividing between in.
stinct and intellect is but line, and Oft
entimes the shrewdest metaphysicians
are puzzled to tell exactly where the one
begins and the other ends. Indeed,
when some brilliant evidence of high in.
stinct is brought into favorable contrast
with low intellect we are almost per.
suaded to believe that, like the equato.
rial line, it is but an imaginary one.
Of all the dogs which have been seen
in this city, not one can compare with
"Pompey," the Franklin avenue dog,
Pompey is ten years Of age. He was
born on the premises of his present own
ers. He stands about twenty. eight inches
high, is of comely proportions, of very
sedate manners, and has ever been adj
verse to cultivating the acquaintance of
other dogs. The little social courtesies
which other less dignified dogs are wont
to exchange whenever they meet are be-
meath his dignity, and he will countenance
no undue familiarity either from man or
dog By day he is perfect hermit,
hiding himself in the rear of his mas
ter's stables, and seldom coming from
his seclusion even for food or drink; by
night, even his owners are powerless to
keep him from his "beat" When
but two years of age he began career of
night-watching. Not combining himself
to his masters premises, he included the
entire neighborhood. Thus, in a few
weeks he became aware that policemen
were similarly engaged, and he was not
long in making himself acquainted with
his blue-coated allies, with whom he soon
became constant nocturnal companion
and a great favorfe. In summer and
winter, through rain and snow, when
other dogs were comfortably crouched in
their kennels, for eight years has Pompey,
faithful to his duty and apparently con-
scious of his responsibility, paced his
lonely beat side by side with the police
man. Though he never received the ap-
pointment, though the Commissioners
have never officially recognized him as in
the service, he has never faltered in his
fidelity. When on duty at night he often
times has met his masters on the street,
but no amount of coaxing can induce him
to give to them single wag of recogni-
ton. Off duty, by day, he is equally in
different to the salutations of his night
companions. He knows perfectly the
boundary Of his beat, and the policemen
have frequently passed the line to
see if he would follow; but he
invariably comes to a dead halt
and by his action says: You
mistake your limit" The policeman re-
lieved from duty at eleven o'clock is in
stantly ignored the moment his partner
comes on duty, and no strategy can in
veigle him into following his first COM
panion. He is thoroughly familiar with
the Specification of the different "raps,"
geants challenge two raps) was given,
semi-conscious state, the dog actually
reused him from his nap by paving and
nosing at his hands! And it is we'll known
by his owners that even in the daytime,
when he is off duty and when nothing else
will move him, the sound of "three dis
tinct raps" "a policeman's call for help
will instantly rouse him from his hiding
place; and on one such occasion, being
fastened, he broke his chain and dragged
the remnant of it after him to the scene of
the difficulty, where 1t is needless to say
he rendered effective service.
There are several business places on his
beat where light is left burning all night,
and whereI the policeman on duty occa-
sionally takes look in to see that all is
right. At each of these places the dog IN
variably stops and, standing on his hind
legs, takes observations with as much ap-
parent concern as his partner-the other
policeman!
For years it has been the habit of the
policeman on duty to divide with him
whatever they may have in the way of
lunch. If bV design or neglect fair di-
vision of rations is omitted, he will
promptly manifest his indignation by fall
ing nearly square to the rear of the Of
fender, which distance he will doggedly
maintain to the close of the rounds.
When an arrest is made, he always gets
in position so as to place the prisoner be
tween himself and his partner. But, per
haps, the most conclusive indication of in
telligence is shown by his recognition,
ever after, of any prisoner whom he has
once accompanied to the lookup. No
matter when or where he may meet such
one, he seems to look upon him as an
outlaw, and, while never actually attack
ing, he will, by indescribable but eloquent
actions, endeavor to hold him in durance
His owners were at first greatly annoyed
at Pompey's nightly wanderings, and made
many efforts to keep him exclusively TO
his home duties; but they have long since
concluded that the doctrine of Pythagoras
is made manifest in their dog, and they
have come to believe that the spirit of
some deceased policeman has infused it.
self in the body of Pompey. Be that as
it may, Pompey is one Of the institutions
of the city, and one, too, of which it may
we'll be proud.