The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-10-14
A DOGS ADVENTURE TUNNEL.

A DOGS ADVENTURE IN A TUNNEL,
Snap, my little fox-terrier, was the
most atfectiOnate and devoted doc
ever remember. 1t mattered not where
l went, he was sure to be close to my
heels, and the thicker the crowd. the
closer he kept to them. For the three
years that | lived in London, in all our
wanderings never once missed him or
had any trouble with him.
AS far as possible. dogs are prohibit.
ed from travelling on the underground
railway; but as | had constantly to
travel by it from Kings Cross to Pad
dington, and Snaps habit of keeping
close being well known to the officials,
they winked at his accompanying me.
On certain afternoon, being, as usu-
al, on my way to Paddington, and a
train being due at Kings Cross, ]
made rush for it, and reached the plat
form Just as train was coming into the
station.
Jumping into compartment, !
looked to see if the dog was with me,
but to my djsnay, as a porter slammed
the door and the train began to move,
L observed Snap on the platform, run
ming wildly up and down looking for
me. Suddenly he saw me at the win
dow, but it was too late; and as we en-
tered the darkness of the tunnel, |
heard him give a despairing bark.
felt angry with myself for not look
ING after him more carefully, and re-
solved to get out at the next station
and go back for him. But how had he
missed me? | could not understand it.,
for he had never done such thing be-
fore. Five minutes brought us to Cover
street, and a train then due took me
back in another five minutes to where /
had started from.
Have You seen my dog?" Iasked of
a porter there who knew me.
Your dog, sir?" answered the man.
''Oh yes, to be sure. You left him be-
hind, didn't you? Well, as the train
went into the tunnel, | saw him lump
from the platform and follow it.
What 1 said; {" he WASH following
it when we reached Cover street"
WASH he? ThenI expect he's still
in the tunnel. The train went too fast
for him to keep up with it."
liz IL Dc lul over! l eNClalmeu,
very nervous for Snaps safety.
Tell you what, sir. Hi 90 and get
permission, if you like, from the inspec-
tor to take Il lantern and see if we can
find him.
[ thanked the man, and he started off
to get the necessary permission, which
the inspector gave, after saving some
thing about people having no right to
bring dogs mo the station. Together
the man and | then went into the tun-
mel.
The unaccustomed darkness, to say
nothing of the perils of such an eXpe-
dition, inspired me with considerable
dread, and | kept tight hold OF my
guides arm. When we had advanced
some two or three hundred yards along
the underground highway, or rather
Glow way, the lights of an up-train
became visible. As it went by and we
stood still for a minute, the roar and rattle
were not calculated to dispel my
nervousness. They were terrible
deafening. Immediately it had passed,
the porter cried out.
look there, sir-look; there he
goes"
He was pointing toward the red dan
ger light at the tail of the recedinp
train, and there, sure enough, was Snap
scamperng after it at a pace which no
one could have given fox-terrier credit
for. began to call and whistle as
loudly as [ could, but my voice was
drowned by the Kissing whir and rattle
going on. just then another engine
hove in sight on our line of rails, and
we had rapidly to step back into one of
the receSses, or man-hOles, as | believe
they are called. When this second train
had shot past us, there again, to our
establishment, was Snap galloping after
it. He had not observed us. of course.
We then walked on some little way
further along the tunnel, and in a min
ute another up-train passed us, and
there once more was the dog behind it.
"How ridiculous" l cried, land vet
how painful, to see the poor little beast
tearing to and fro for dear life in this
way! He will surely be run over before
long"
But the reason was obvious; he could
not keep up with the speed of the train,
and by the time it had distanced him,
another probably passed in the opposite
direction, when, confused by the noise
and turmoil, he turned Immediately and
pursued that. 1t seemed to me simply
that he had escaped the
wheels even so far in these agonizing eff
forts to find me.
AS the lights of the next engine came
i'll view, | resolved to give the last car
riage just time to pass, and then to rush
out. and, if possible, to intercept nv
poor pet, for | expected him again to
return with that was not mistaken,
and as ! slipped from the man-hole in
front of the dog, the porter held his
lantern so that its light fell full upon
my form. Snap instantly recognized
me, and with one bound and breath
less yelp landed on my breast, and
clasping me tightly round the neck with
his two fore-legs as if they had been the
arms of loving child, he rubbed his
wet nose excitedly against my face.
Terrified well-nigh unto death, gasping