The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-03-19
Stories About Animals.

A SINGULAR encounter between dog
and a donkey occurred recently in
Blackpool, England. The dog rushed
at the donkey as he was standing in a
field, and fastened on his nose. The
donkey shook him off, bit him about the
head and shoulders, and tossed him
wildly about. The dog again seized the
donkey, and the combatants could not
be separated. After the fight had lasted
half an hour the owner decided to have
the dog shot, as it had by that time fas-
tened with a firm hold on the donkey's
nose. A gun was procured, but so saw
age was the fight that it was difficult to
shoot one animal without killing the
other also. At last aim was taken, a
bullet was put into the dogs head, and
it dropped to the ground When the
smoke cleared away the dog was dead,
but the infuriated donkey had returned
to the charge, kicking, biting and
tramping on the dog. 1t was with great
difficulty the donkey was at last driven
| off.
Mr.. Farler, the Colonial Secretary of
Honduras, says the London Telegraph,
while exploring the interior of the
colony, was overtaken by drove of
peccaries, and was compelled to scram-
BILE up tree, dropping his rifle in the
performance. The whole packed gath
cred around his perch, grunting and
sharpening their tusks. Snow the
peccary is not only ferocious, but pa
tent, and rather than let an object of
its anger escape will wait about for
days, SO that the Secretary had before
him only two courses-either to remain
where he was until he dropped down
among the swine from sheer exhaustion
and hunger, or else to commit suicide at
once by coming down to be eaten there
and then. While he was in this dilem-
ma, however, what should come along
and looking out for supper, too-but
jaguar. Never was beast of prey so
opportune, for the jaguar has particu-
lar fondness for wild pork, and the pee.
carries know it, for no sooner did they
see the great ruddy head thrust out
through the bushes than they bolted
helter-sketer, forgetting, in their anxiety
to save their own bacon, the meal they
were themselves leaving up the tree.
The jaguar was off after the swine with
admirable .promptitude, and the Secre-
tary, finding the coast clear, came down,
rejecting as he walked toward the camp
upon the admirable arrangements of ma
ture, which, having made peccaries to
eat Colonial Secretaries, provided also
jaguars to eat the peccaries.'
A remarkable story of dog that died
of broken heart is told by DIR. Martin,
of Atlanta, Ga. W. II. Harvill, the
father-in-law of DIR. Martin, who died
recently at a ripe old age, was the
owner of a very fine bulldog, by name
Ponto. "For several months before his
DEATH" says DR.. Martin, "this dog was
his constant companion. There was
something almost human in the devo-
ton of the dog to his master, and, as
particularly nd of his dog. The daily
movements of the old gentleman for a
long time before his last sickness were
as regular as those of a clock, and
Ponto followed him as surely as his very
shadow. When the old man died, Ponto
took his place by the coffin, and did not
bulge until it was taken from the room.
Then he got up and followed it closely
to the hearse, and followed the hearse
to the grave. Ponto came back to the
house changed dog. Every night he
lay upon his rug in the porch and
moaned piteously all night long. Every
day found him making the rounds just
as he used to do before the old man
died. tempted him with the choicest
meat, but he refused to eat. l offered
him the warmest milk; he would not
drink. He went about with his head
down, the very picture of sorrow. He
dwindled away almost to a skeleton.
One day, about five weeks after the old
man died, Ponto came dragging hislank
and weak body down the street. When
he got by the fence there he stopped
and sank upon the ground. | ran to
him, and, lifting him in my arms, car
cied him into the yard, for he was
dead!"
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