Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-10-25
HECK THE HERO.
How He Saved Many Lives and Lost
His Own.

The large Newfoundland dog Heck,
belonging to the st. Elmo Hotel in the
oil town of Eldred, Penn. was known
throughout the Northern oil field for
its great strength and almost human
intelligence. The porter of the hotel,
a kind>hearted but Incorporate person,
was an especial favorite with the dog.
The porter, small man, slept in a lit
tie room back of the Office. The dog
slept in the Office.
On Thursday night of last week the
porter was drunk when he went to
bed, and soon fell into a heavy sleep.
Some time in the night he was awaken.
ed by the loud barking of Heck
who was jumping frautically on the
porter's bed and Selling the pillow with
his teeth. The still drunken and
drowsy porter tried to make the dog
60 away, but the animal persisted in
his efforts, and it finally dawned on
the befuddled mind of the porter that
the house was on fire. His room was
full of smoke and he could hear the
cracking of the flames. He sprsng
from the bed but was still SO drunk
that he fell to the floor. The faithful
dog at once seized him by the coat COL
lar, the porter not having removed his
clothing on going to bed, and dragged
him out of the room and half way to
the outer door of the Office, when the
man succeeded in getting to his feet,
and, unlocking the door staggered into
the street.
The fire was rapidly spreading over
the building, and the hotel was filled
with guests, not one of whom had been
aroused. The dog no sooner saw that
his helpless friend was safe than he
dashed back into the house and ran
barking loudly upstairs. He first stop
ped at the door of his masters room,
where he howled and scratched at the
door till the inmates were aroused and
hurried out Of the house, as there was
no time to lose. The dog gave the
alarm at every door, and in some in.
stances conducted guests down stairs to
the outer door, each one of these, how
ever, being a stranger to the house,
which fact the dog seemed to under
stand in looking out for their safety.
All about the house seemed to have
lost their heads in the excitement, and
it is said that the hotel dog alone pre-,
served complete control of himself, and
alone took active measures to save the
inmates Of the house. In and out o.
the burning building he kept continu
ally dashing, plotting some half-dresseC
man or woman down stairs, only to a
once return in search of others. Once
lady with child in her arms trippet
on the stairs while hurrying out, ant
fell to the bottom. The child wa
thrown on the floor of the hall some
distance away. The woman regaine(
her feet, and staggered III a dazed way
out of the door, leaving the child in tn,
midst of the smoke that was pourin.
from the Office door. The brave do,
saw the mishap, and jumping in through
the smoke, which was now becomin.
almost impossible, and Selling the chill
by its night clothes carried it safel,
out.
Notwithstanding this rescue the mis-
hap that made it necessary led to tn
death of the noble animal. The mothe
of the child on being restored to tn
fresh air first became aware that tn
child was not with her, and crying on
wildly that Gamma was burning up il
the house |" made dash for the build
ing, as if to rush through the flame
to seek her child. CHECK" had al
ready brought the little one out, but
had not yet been restored to its moth
er. The dog saw the frantic rush G
the mother toward the burning build
ing, and heard her exclamation tina
some one was burning up in the house