The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-22
Selert S@gg.
FAITHFUL DHU.

was preparing for his journey home,
which lay through some of the finest
scenery in Argylshire. AS he turned
into his stable yard where his horse was
put up, his attention was called by the
bowling of a dog, evidently in great PAIN
Turning round, he saw coolie puppy,
which had just received kick from a
drunken farmer, who was now reeling
out of sight. MacGregor picked up the
dog, and, upon examination, found one
of his foreegs broken. Carrying him
into the inn, he inquired to whom it be-
longed. Nobody knew anything about
him. He looked starved and miserable,
and evidently had been neglected for sew.
eral days. On finding himself gently
handled and spoken to, the puppy left
off bowling, and looked at his new pro-
tector with an expression of astonish-
ment, evidently unaccustomed to such
usage, which soon turned to one Of in
stinctive trust. Procuring some splints
of wood, MaCGregor set to and bound
up his leg, and fastened him into a bas-
ket, which he placed in his gig, Then
he went into the stables where he was
greeted by loud neigh in a few min.
utes he returned, followed by strongly
built, handsome Scotch pony, which,
though rough and shaggy, showed marks
of his Arab blood in delicate muzzle and
small pointed ears, Bluebell was soon
harnessed, and they soon started on
their way. MacGregor was one of those
few people who love and thoroughly un-
derstand animals. He had found the
secret of managing them. They were
not TO him "hewers of wood and drawers
of water" to do his work, and to be used
and cared for Just as much as was need
full not to lose by them; but to him they
were what they ought to be to every true
man, Gods gift, to be loved and cared for
as such, and for the use of which he was
one day to give an account. All the an
imals of his farm loved and obeyed him.
He showed them that he loved them,
and did not fear them, and they gave to
him what the severest treatment, or the
longest wrongly called breaking in"
could ever have obtained, their full sub.
mission.
Their first nights resting place was a
small inn on the shore Of large loch,
After seeing to Buebell's comfort, Mac
Gregor bound up the puppy's leg again,
and gave him. some food. The dog had
evidently accepted him for his MASTER
He was peculiarly large dog for his age
jet black, except where marked by tan |
and MacGregor called him "Dhu," which |
in Gaelic means dark.
And now our story must pass several |
years-years in which Dhu has fully re-
warded all the care and kindness he re-
ceived as miserable and neglected pup.
ed with life. They were never apart;
and cleverer sheep dog on the hill could
not be found. How easily one can tell,
by the way a'dog does. his work; how he
has been trained. Some will turn sheep
any way by a turn Of the hand or glance
of his masters eye; others, again, can be
got to do nothing without swearing, ges-
ticulating, and shouting, and often stones
thrown at the dog, who stands puzzled
and uncertain amid such din. We find
MacGregor, Dhu, and Bluebell crossing
the same range of mountains we desert.
bed in the beginning of our story, but in
very different weather. 1t was the month
of November; the road was covered with
snow, driven by aIferce northeast wind.
Calamity the little horse had climbed
the steep ascent. 1t was hard work
sometimes.to keep footing, as the wind
came whistling with tremendous force
down the glens, driving the binding
snow in their faces. Many time it had
brought Bluebell to a stand, with his
legs firmly planted till the wild blast
passed.
Slowly theyrreached ithe top, where
the road wound around the little loch,
now dark and wild, lashed into rough
waves by the wind. The horse stopped,
exhausted with his pull, when wilder
gust came bowling on them, Bluebell
could not resist it, and the gig was blown
off the road down into the water beneath,
fall of some thirty feet, into an awful
abyss of seething water, with the night
closing in, and several miles from help
This is no invention of the fancy. The
incident happened within the last two
years, and close to the writer's home
Happily, MacGregor was tossed out and
fell not in deep water, his fall broken by
some of the bushes but still so severely
injured that for long time he remained
unconscious. Bluebell was almost i'm
mediately Observation-Disclosures to free {
himself from the gig, When MaCGregor ]
awoke from his stupor he found his faith
full dog lying near him. Dhu had fallen (
over some little distance from his master s
and had dragged himself, severely cut
and injured, to his masters side. Mac. &
Gregor spoke to the dog, who struggled |
to rise and answer him. As his senses G
grew clearer he saw his only salvation |
depended upon his dog; if he could only /
reach the nearest house they would un. a
derstand and follow him to the place of \
the accident. Laying his hand on the Q
dogs head, MacGregor said slowly and /
clearly, "Hie, fetch them, Dhu!" Dhu f
looked in his face unwilling to leave {
him. The order was repeated, and the Y
noble dog struggled to his feet. Finding '
a place where he could scramble up, he a
started as quick as he could down the f
brae. At last he reached the small pub 4
lie house, some eight miles down the T
glen, where MacGregor was wont to wa v
ter his horse. He reused the people by G
barking, and on opening the door, they S
found him sunk on the ground against it .
quite exhausted. They recognized him /
at once, and knew some accident must
have happened. They carried him in r.
and tried to restore him little, as he y
was indispensable for showing them the Il
way. When all was ready they carried a
him out and put him down on the ground. +
Dhu seemed to know all depended upon v
him. Gathering himself up, he turned o.
to the steep brae, down which he had n
come, now marked with blood. D
The storm ragged fercely, and they could
only made slow way. The gallant dog il
held on steadily till he reached the place h