The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-07-16
A Dog and His DOinpS

He was pure Newfoundland, with Il nice
broad head and beautiful brown eyes, and
such n sweet expression at the corners of his
mouth you would be sure to think he was
smiling. A more aiicctionatc heart never
beat than that beneath the shaggy breast of
our dog Custer We trained him to hold the
halter in his mouth and lead the horses away,
and he was very proud to be allowed this
honor, and would wag his big bushy tail in
a satisfied way, and hold his head high in or
der to look as digniticd as possible, | sup
pose.
His tricks and Accomplishments were many.
lie could carry two eggs in his mouth at
once and never break one. He could turn a
knob as well as any one, and on entering Il
room would always turn around and put his
paw on the door to close it. Ifthis failed he
would jump upon the door, taking care not
to scratch with his nails. lie was more in
tclligcnt than many men ! have seen, and if
any one sat down in the house without dof-
fling his hat Custer would steal stealthily IN
behind him and pull it off, then dropping it
on the floor at the side of his chair would
walk quietly away and lie down, as one who
had performed duty. We would wrap a
few pennies in Il paper and send him with it
in his mouth to Il store for candy, of which he
was very fond He would never give it to
quainted, and would bring the candy home
untouched, but after delivering it to us would
stand cXpectantly by, wagging his tail and
waiting for the sweet morscl he knew he was
sure to get He was fond of milk, too, but
would carry it faithfully to our pet lamb and
though he would glance longingly into the
pail occasionally, he was never known to be-
tray our trust or steal one sip of the coveted
beverage.
We could send him to remote part of the
house for any article, and he would be sure
TO understand and bring it to us if he could
find it, and he generally found whatever he
would search for. l would say: Cluster,
bring my overshoes from the hall" He
would get up and yawn, and perhaps look up
in my face with n dog-smie as though he
said "You lazy girl, why did you disturb
my pleasant dream" then turn the knob of
the hall door and in a moment return to me
with both rubbers in the cavernous depths of
his red mouth
| would say: Bring me my thimble. 1t
is up stairs on the window" He would turn
his grand, glossy head first on one side, then
on the other, and look at me in Il puzzled way,
as though trying to fix it upon his memory,
then turn slowly away to do his GRAND
Sometimes on the way he would seem to for
get and come back to me, looking very much
ashamed, dropping his wide, curly ears and
pecping mt me from the top ofhs eyes. Then
would repeat my demand and he would run
friskily away again, and come back with the
thimble hid in his mouth. Oft he would tan
talizc me playfully and refuse to give it to
me, shaking his head in a mischieyous way
and keeping just out of my reach, as Iran to-
ward him. One day friend came to visit
us, bringing her little poodle. He was
mere pigmy compared to our noble New
foundland One blow from his great paw
would have utterly annihilated the little fell
low. In playing around him as he lay on the
rug, the poodle bit him with his sharp little
teeth, upon his huge upper lip. Dear old
Custer did not retaliatc at all, but as the I'M
pudent little dog persisted in annoying him
and biting him, the tears rolled down the
dusky face, and few sobs welled up from his
broad breast, indications of physical pain,
but he was altogether too gentlemanly to
touch one so unequal in size with himself,
when he would have needed only to open his
mouth once, and close it, and the little poodle
would have been among the things that were
-fHicd0O EieIR