Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-27
"UNsER FRITZ"
"A True Story of One of the Truest and
Most Faithful of Friends.

think l am going to tell them something
about the Crown Prince of Germany,
whom all the people of the German
Empire love Familiarity to call "Unscr
Fritz"-Our Fritz.
But the Fritz Pm about to speak Of
was a Crown Prince among dogs. He
was a st. Bernard of the most magnif-
cent proportions, with a strain of the
bloodhound, which made people at
times a little afraid OF him. But he
never troubled them unless there was
something suspicious-looking about
them, of which he took it upon himself
to be the Judge. He was as black as a
coal from head to foot, with. the excep-
ton of a white star upon his breast.
He was a most superb Watchdog; no
regiment OF the old Kaiser's grenadiers
could have guarded our premises more
vigilantly than did he, and if the Ger
man Fritz looks aRer the affairs of his
Empire, when he comes to govern it, as
we'll as our Fritz did after his charge,
his subjects will be admirably taken
care of.
Fritz was a dog of very lofty bearing,
very exclusive in his associations, and
the soul of dignity and pride. He was
superior to all the ordinary little mean
nesses of dog-hood; he was W
known to take anything he was forbid
den to touch, for his obedience was alb
solute.
1 have. from my friend Rose Kings
low an onnoloto ~ n IOr. Lo1o--L
her father. Charles Kingsley, who once
SO far forgot his principles (though
reared in the Eversley Rectory) as 10
steal a beefsteak While the family was
at church. MI. Kingsley called up the
dog. and in a grave manner reproached
him with what he had done. From
that day forth, till the day of his death,
the word ''beefsteak" was v ut
tered in the dogs presence without his
dropping his head and skulkiny away,
with his tail between his legs. Our
Fritz was higher bred, and had o
honorable PRINCIPLES than Mr.. Kings
ley's dog; he never stole q bcefsteak!
His devotion to his master was exclu-
sive and extreme. l believe he would
have let his ars be cut of if his master
had wished to do it. and would have
made no fuss about it. He went with
his master everywhere except to church;
and IS he always knew when Sunday
came, he had never to be told to stay
at home that day. He was not allowed
to enter the library where his master
usually sat. unless on special occasions;
and a motion Of the finger was then
sufficient to beckon him in or to order
him out. Yet he would lie with his
muzzle On the rug, at the library door,
with mathematical precision. bringing
it to q line with the door holdings, but
not intruding q half-inch beyond-so
strict was he to the letter in his obe-
dience. He would bound to the cham
Der and bring down his masters Slip
pers when he saw his master come in,
and if he heard an order given for the
riding horse to be got out, he lust as
eagerly hunted up and brought the
riding-boots.
His devotion to his master was of
such a watchful character that if INV
stranger approached him. he always
managed to stand between his master
and the newcomer, keeping u steady
eye on the latter.
The way he would kiss and caress his
master, and the horse his master rode.
was pathetic to see; he never seemed
perfectly happy unless he had in sight
the face and form that were dearer to
him than his own life.
| shall never forget a touching scene
that occurred last October of our poor
Fritz's life. Our Virginia gentlemen
have every autumn what they call the
fail hunt; when about twenty of them
form an cncampment in the mountains,
some twenty or thirty miles distant,
where they remain a fortnight for deer
shooting. They carry several tents
with them, beds and bedding, cooking
stove, a colorcd man-cook, and all the
utensils and arrangements for a fort
comfortable living. All the
packs of hounds in the neighborhood
are gathered together in a leash.
On the morning of which l speak. the
cavalcade, hunters. horses, bag
servants and many packs
Of hounds, were gathered together in
our stable-yard, awaiting the signal for
Horns were sounding, dogs
5aying, guns were gathering,
hunters were laughing and talk
ing, and 3 general excitement was over
all the establishment
Fritz's spirits were extremely high.
He sprang up a dozen times aud kissed
his masters riding-horse, brought his
his whip and boots, and seemed
beside himself with 10Y.
But Fritz was moi to be Of the hunt
ing-party. On the mountains he was
out of his element, and only married
sports s. he was to be left at home.
But his master could not bear to tell
him this. and determined rot to start
with the party, but make a detour and
slip away unperceived. Consequently
he had his horse led round to the front
gate of the house, intending to mount
there. but Fritz was SO alert and vigil
Isn't that it was impossible to elude his
watchfulness. So his master took him
aside and said, in low but impressive
tone of voice:
Fritz, you are not to so with me-"
If the dog had been shot, 1 think he
could scarcely have fallen to the ground
more suddenly, as if deprived of life.