The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-03-25

would be very quiet. He crawled under
chalr and lay there until the service
was over, and from that hour we had
only to tell him that we were going to
nave prayers, and in he would 90 under
that chair. Once only did he leave his
place, and then he was seized with a sud-
den and strong desire to exterminate a
nea. lie got up as quietly as he could
ana walked into the next room, and, af-
ter battle with the wicked flea, lay
still until the family arose. When
went IN to speak to him he lay with his
head down and no motion of his tail, ex-
cept the slight deprecatory wag with
which he was wont to receive reproof.
He knew that he had done something
out of the way, and he was afraid it was
wrong. WhenI spoke to him kindly he
was all smiles In moment. The head
was raised, the tail began to wag VIC
lently, and he showed by every means of
expression that dog has that his mind
was relieved of dreadful doubt.
For more than year Brant was the
pet and pride of the household. Every
one loved him almost as they would have
loved Child. He was so bright and
playful, with such keen sense of the
ludlcrous, and yet withal so loving, so
obedlent and sympathetic, that all, from
the aged father whose silver hairs were.
indeed, ga crown of glory, to the Young
est grandchild who visited the parental
home, regarded him as true and faith
ful friend and beloved companion. He
was constant source of pleasure to us
all, and | am afraid, if any outsider had
known the amount of time that we spent
III playing with and talking to and about
that dog, he would have consid-
cred that we were laboring under
alteration Of the intellect. 1t
was a picture worthy of a Land
seer to see the venerable patriarch of 80
years, whose life had been spent in labors
for the good of his country and of the
world, talking to the dog; and the dogs
quick appreciation of the honor CON
terred upon him by such notice and his
ready response to all efforts for his en-
tertainment. Every day we congratu-
lated ourselves upon our wonderful good
luck III obtaining such a treasure, and
wondered how the dogs former master
could have made up his mind to part
with such friend.
tale which illustrates more than any
thing else the little fellows singular
beauty of character. As the autumn
drew on, the beloved father, whose
strength had been failing for a number
Of years, grew more and more subject to
attacks Of painful and terrible disease:
and Brant, as if he appreciated the situa-
ton, seemed to grow more and more low
ing and considerate OF his grandpa for
by that name he bad learned to know
him). When, in the early morning, one
OF these terrible attacks would come on,
and we stood about the bed of the suffer
err and administered whatever restora-
tIges we hoped might bring ease and
comfort, Brant would steal quietly in and
Wit anxlously and pertinaciously until
he knew that all was well again, and
then, after assuring himself Of his grand
pas safety, he would come away. Moth
ing would induce him to leave my faith
ers room during one of these attacks,
nor, indeed, would he stir until the pa
tient was able to rise and dress himself.
If my father was obliged to lie on the
sofa during the day, Brant was at oEce
full or sympathy, and would sit beside
him and whine and want to shake hands,
and when my father rose and took his
usual seat, Brant would express his Joy
by every means IN his power.
So it went, and we all grew more at
tached to the little fellow, because of his
almost human sympathy with suffering
Bat at last came a time when his char
acter was to be even more tried, that it
might show forth It's beauty in a clearer
light. An insidious disease attacked
first his beautiful eyes and dimmed their
glory forever, and then bis whole sys-
TEN. Everything that veterinary sci
ence could suggest was done for his re-
lief and comfort; but all efforts were in
vain, and, after painful illness of near
~ five weeks, the end came, and the
little sympathizing, loving heart ceased
to beat. During all those painful weeks
his patience, cheerfulness, ana good tenn
per preached a sermon to us all.
Well do | remember one stormy after
noon lit was the 23d of December), when
/ was sitting beside and talking to him,
ard he showed more life and spirit than
for some days. His grandpa heard NE
from the other endof the hall, and came
down to shake hands with the little pa
tient and to speak word of sympathy
to him. Brant looked up at him with
love shining from his dimmed eyes, and
gave bis little feeble paw, and wagged
bis bushy tail with unusual vigor. That
was their last meeting. That night the
aged man, who all his life long, like
Enoch, "walked with God" passed gen.
tly ana quietly through the gates into
the city, " "and he was not, for God
took him."
From that time the little dog, who had
done so much to brighten the last hours
of my fathers life, grew rapidly worse,
and two days after that day, when, amid
the grief of the whole city and the toll
ing bells and weeping heavens, we COM
mitted to earth all that was earthly of
one of Gods saints, Brant died; and
may we not hope that there is a place
somewhere i'll Gods universe where that
faithful little soul may be rewarded fo1
the good that he was able to accomplish
during his short life?
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GeOrgia's Gold Mines.
(Corres. Louisville Courier-Journal.l
l.n., khn Nl, oct Il