Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-10-06
AN UNDERGROUND ESCAPE.

Snap, my little fox-terrier, was the
most affectionate and devoted dog ]
ever remember. Itmattered not where
l went, he .was sure to be close to nv
heels, and the thicker the crowd, the
closer he kept to them. For the three
years that lived in London, in all our
wanderings l 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 1 had constantly to
travel by it from Kings Cross to Pad
dington, and. Snaps habit of keeping
close being we'll known to the officials,
they winked at his accompanying me-
On a 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 d;sEay, as porter slammed
the door and the train began to move,
observed Snap on the platform, run
ming wildly up and down looking for
me. Suddenly he saw me at the win
dow. but il was too late; and as we en-
tered the darkness of the tunnel, I
heard him give 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 60 back for him. But how had he
missed me? could not understand it.
for he had never done such a thing be-
fore. Five minutes brought us to Cover
street, and train then due took me
back in another five minutes to where I
had started fronk
Have you seen my dog?'' Iasked of
a porter there who knew me.
Your dog, STRIP answered the man.
ooh yes, to be sure. You left him be-
hind, didn't you? Well, as the train
went into the tunnel, saw him Jump
from the platform and follow it,
"Whatn' Isaid; {" he WASH following
it when we reached Cover street"
"Wasn't heP ThenI expect he's still
in the tunnel. The train went too fast
Tor him to keep up with it,
Hell be run over'' 1 exclaimed,
very nervous for Snaps safety.
Tell you what, sir. I'll 90 and get
permission, if you like, from the inspec.
tor 10 take a lantern and see if we can
find him."
l thanked the man, and he started of
to get the necessary permission. which
the Inspector gave, after saying some
thing about people having no right to
bring dogs into the station. Together
the man and then went into the tun-
mel.
The unaccustomed darkness, to saw
nothing of the perils of such an expe.
dition, inspired me with considerable
dread. and 1 kept tight hold of nv
guides arm. When we had advanced
some two or three hundred yards alone
the underground highway, or rather
Glow" way, the lights of an up-trair
became visible. AS it went by and we
stood still for 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
goesr'
He was pointing toward the red dan.
ger light at the tail of the recedine
train. and there, sure enough, was Snar
scampering after it at pace which nc
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 oil
the recesses, or man-holes, as I believe
they are called. When this second train
had shot past us, there again, to our
establishment, was Snap galloping afte,
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 il,
chow ridiculous" / cried, land vel
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
marvellous that he had escaped ths
wheels even SO far in these agonizing eff
forts to find me.
AS the lights of the next engine came
in view, resolved to give the last car
rage just time to pass, and then to rush
out, and, if possible, to intercept my
poor pet. for | expected him again t.
return with that. was not mistaken
and as i slipped from the man-hole il
front of the dog, the porter held hi.
lantern so that its light fell full upor
my form. Snap instantly recognized
me, and with one bound and breath
less yelp landed on my breast. ani
clasping me tightly round the neck witt
his two fore-legs as if they had been the
arms of a loving child, he rubbed hi
wet nose excitedly against my face