The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-10-27
OUR DOG ROVER.

Rover was gift Born on the same
day with baby Charley, he was pres
ent to him. 1t was winter, and Rover
was wrapped in square of flannel and
laid by the kitchen fire, and fed milk
from a saucer. Five pair of hands
helped him change his position-five
pair of feet ran themselves tired wait
ing on and capering about him in their
JOY, and five tongues said: "Oh see!"
when he opened his eyes and put out
his cunning little red tongue to lap the
milk
One of the differences between him
and the baby upstairs was that he grew
so much faster, and when little Charley
was ready to creep, and rolled over in
the effort, Rover could bound after a
ball and curvet around, as much at
home on his own legs as he ever
could be.
Rover was well named. He never
saw a patch of water that he didn' t
make dive for it, nor piece of wood
land that he did not explore. The chill
dren were all lively They ran races
with him, and swan with him, but
We're not always ready for his mischief
Once be seized little pair of pants (the
owner was in the Water). What a
commotion! His eyes shone with fun
The bare-legged owner started for his
trousers. Whenever at a safe distance
Rover stopped and shook them
vigorously, paved and rolled over
in the grass with them, and
finally deposited them on the
doorstep. Now, little Dick could not
appreciate so much fun, and howled
and vowed all sorts of punishments
when he should be caught.
Caught, indeed! Well said, The little
scamp never could be caught! No
burglar ever kept out of police track as
he did theirs after one of his tricks.
1t was not often he was quiet. At
one time he had rushed through an
open doorway into bedroom, seized "a
boot, which he mumbled, shook. tore.
and then hid in his kennel. He was
caught and tied up. His release was
due to the appearance of a pho
tographer, and in a subdued state of
mind he allowed himself to be made a
picture of. Whether he thought this a
part of his punishment or not, | can t
say, but he Immediately afterwards
gravely marched to the kennel and
brought the injured boot and laid it at
the owners feet. The puzzle now was,
should he be praised for returning
the stolen property. IL was incur
ably injured, but the way they
had taken to teach him right
from wrong was to always praise
him when he did right. He stood now
demurely, without wag of his tail or
move of his long ears, evidently in an
ticipation of something-should it be
praiseP | think no one could help IT,:
and ''Good dog, Rove. Nice door'
satisfied him, and the "cloud rolled by''
off his dog mind and he trotted Off
evidently thinking virtue was its own
reward.
Rover had unbounded dore about him.
The snort of locomotive engine was
always looked upon as challenge for Il
race that could not be resisted. Al
those times the car platforms were NOT
protected by gates as now. 1t was in
credible how far dog and engine wonld
keep pace together; but no one knew
better than Rover that steam would heat
finally, and Just at the right point he
would slacken his speed enough to hmm
On the platform, and so. of courss FIX
log and the engine arrived at the sta-
ION at the same time. This cunnino.
naneuVer was watched for by the engi?7
leer. who gave him reserved fr6nt
'eat for the rest of the ride.
But how the boys hearts thrmned
he hrst time they saw him race in
ron' Oh the engine, barking at it, and