Connecticut western news., 1884-10-01
A FAITHFUL AND NOBLE DOG.
How he Saved Many Lives in a Burning
 Hotel and Lest His Own


 Hotel and Lest His Own
 The large Newfoundland dog Fleck, belonging to the St. Elmo Hotel. in the town of Eldred, Penn, waa known throughout the northern oil fields for its great strength and almost husman intel hgence. The porter of the hotel, a kindhearted but incorporate person, was an especial favorite with the dog. The porter, a small man, slCIpt in little room back of the office. On Thursday night the porter WAS very drunk when he went to bed, and soon fell into a heavy sleep. Sometime in the night he was awakened by the loud barking of Heck, who was jumping frantically on the porter's bed and seizsug the pillow with his teeth. The still drunken and drowsy porter tried to make the dog go away, but the animal persisted in his efforts, and it finally dswned on the befuddled mind of the porter that the house was on fire. His Eoom was full of smoke, and he could hear the cracking of the flames. He sprang from bed, but was still so drunk that he fell to the floor. The faithful dog at once seized him by the coat collar, the porter not having removed his clothing on going to bed, and dragged him out of the room and half way to the other door of the office, when the man succeeded in getting to his feet and unlocking the door, staggered to 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 up stairs. He first stopped at the door of his masters room, where he howled and scratched at the door until the inmate was made aware of his danger 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 the guests down stairs to the outer door, each one of these, however, being strangers in the house, which fact the dog seemed to understand in looking out for their safety.
 All the inmates of the house seemed to have lost their heads in the excite ment, and it is said that the hotel dog alone preserved complete control of him. self, and alone took active measures to save the inmates of the house. In and out of the burning building he kept continually dashing, piloting some half dressed man or woman down stairs only to at once return in search of others. Once lady with a child in her arms tripped on the stair while hurrying out and fell to the bottom. The child was thrown on the floor in the hall some dis tance away. The woman regained her feet and staggered in dazed way out of tbe door, leaving the child in the midst of the smoke that was pouring from the office door The brave dog saw the mis- hap, and, jumping in through the smoke, seized the child by its night clothes and carried it safely out. Notwithstanding this rescue the mishap that made it necessary led to the death of the noble animal. The mother of the child on being restored by the fresh air, first be- came aware that her child was not with her, and crying out wildly that "Anna was burning up in the house 1" made a dash for the building as if to rush through the flames to seek her child. Heck had already brought the little one out, but it had not yet been restored to its mother. The dog saw the frantic rush of the mother toward the burning building, and heard her exclamation that some one was burning up in the house, and although the building was now a mass of smoke and flames in- side and out, the dog sprsng forward and, as a dozen hands seized the woman and held her back from her insane at- tempt to enter the house, disappeared with bound over the burning thres- hold. The faithful animal never ap- peared again. His remains were found in the ruins.
 There is no doubt in any ones mind that but for the intelligence and activity of Heck the fire ill the hotel would not have been discovered in time for single inmate to have escaped from the build ing, and that the noble animal under stood from the half-cra zed movements of the child's mother that there was still another one in danger, and to rescue whom he give his own life, is accepted as equally certain. The remains of Heck were given fitting burial, and his loss is regretted as that of useful citizen might be.
 |