The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-19
A Brave Dog.

Brave was wise dog that lived in
Alton, Maine. He belonged to the old
est boy in a family of ten children, SO
you see that he had good many little
masters and mistresses; but he loved
them all dearly, and served them faith
fully, and protected them, and defended
them whenever they needed him, until
he died.
There is many pleasant story to tell
OF him, for, though he was large and
strong, he was so gentle and goodman
nered that the neighbors and the school
children would say, "What good dog
Brave isl"
When the baby was learning to walk,
she would pull herself up and cling to
his back, and he would wag his tail and
look lovingly around at her, and walk
slowly and softly about with her, ac-
commodating himself to her uncertain
step. And once, wien she lost her hold
and fell back, he expressed the tender
est sympathy for her, and licked her
bumped head until she laughed with
delight again.
1 am going to tell you one story about
Brave.
Once when Nan and Nell were straw
berrying down by the stream in the
meadow, the sheep got out of the past
ure and came trooping past them, with
the cross old buck at their head. The
little girls dropped their baskets and
ran, for they knew he would attack al
most everything he saw, and only few
days before he had broken the neck of
neighbours buck in fight.
There was large stump near, upon
which they climbed and sank down
breathless, but they were ready to faint
with fear when they saw that he had
stepped out from the flock and followed
them, and was stamping and shaking
his head, and making other threatening
signs.
For moment they hoped his atten-
ton was taken by the baskets they had
dropped, but, after smelling of them
and finding nothing to his taste, he put
his head down and charged upon the
stump. The shock almost sent them
of, and large piece of rotten wood
dropped out of the side of the stump
and fell off.
The children were frantic. The wide
flat stretched west nearly half-mile,
then there was hill, and on the top of
this was their home. They could only
see the back of the barn, and there was
no one stirring in sight.
Again the old buck came on, and the
stump shook to its foundations. They
were certain that it could not stand
many such assaults, and they were in
the greatest fear of falling off
"Oh," sobbed Nan, "if we had only
taken Brave!" and at thought of him
she drew up her breath in sheer desper-
alton, and initiated the peculiar, pierre
ing whistle by which her brother always
called the dog from distance
Then she strained her eyes toward
the house, but oh it was so far, and it
seemed so hopeless! Again the buck
struck the stump, and again. above
NelPs screams, she called louder than
before, and whistled forthe dog.
And this time, through her tears,
what did she see? Was it brown ball
rolling with lightning speed down the
dim hill, or could it be Brave coming
And now it has reached the fiat, and in
a straight line for them, hugging the
ground as it comes flying across.
Nearer and nearer and faster and
faster it came, until the old buck, Just
gathering himself for another spring,
was suddenly rolled into a heap on the
ground, and, amid the joyous cries OF
the children and the hoarse growls from
strong mouth that was tearing the
wool from his throat, he scrambled to
his feet and scampered away with the
frightened flock
And Brave trotted back to the thank.
full children, wagging his tail, and lick.
ing their fearful faces as they Rugged
him, and when they had picked up their
baskets and made themselves ready he
escorted them proudly home.
ANNA BoYNToN.