The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-09-26
A FAITHFUL DOG.
How He Rescued Child from Drowning
and Kept at Bay It's Mother and Friends
--Paul's Ingenious Plan. .,t


How He Rescued Child from Drowning
and Kept at Bay It's Mother and Friends
-Pauls Ingenious Plan. .
On the margins of the beautiful wind
ing streams and rivers of France wash
erwomen may often be seen at their
work, presenting, under the leafy shade
of the grand old trees, very pictur-
esque effect. No doubt you have seen
pictures of these watering-places, They
are furnished with row of shallow,
three-sided boxes, open toward the
shore, and with the back resting on
posts set in the water. Just below the
surface of the water a smooth board
slants downward, and the washerwom-
an, kneeling in the box, holds her
piece of washing upon this slanting
board with her left hand, while in her
right she grasps a kind of paddle, with
which she beats the linen, turning it
again and again, until with the beating
and the force of the running water il
becomes entirely clean and white.
One summer day, many years ago, a
washerwoman who was too fond moth
err to leave her baby in any one else
care, brought it with her, and while at
work, placed the child in the box where
she was half kneeling, half sitting at
her washing, and where she could oc-
casionally bend down to fondle her
darling baby. Suddenly, and without
any warning, the child sprang from the
mother lap and slipped over the side
of the Washington into the bubbling
river. The mothers shrek was echoed
by the startled cries of the other wash.
erwomen as the child was borne off by
the current; and the poor mother was
with difficulty restrained from leaping
in after her child. At that moment
some one watching the tiny form per
ceived a dark object making its way
from shore straight toward the drown
ing baby, still kept ahoat by its cloth
ing
"A dog! it is a dog! they cried
"See! he is swimming for the baby"
The few seconds of suspense that fol
lowed seemed almost like hours Ther
the watchers embraced the agonizeC
mother, with words of cheer.
HE has her by the frockn' they
cried. ''See how he keeps the darling
head above the water! She is saved
yes, nearly savedH'
For a moment the strong animal buf
feted with the strong current and thel
struck out bravely for the opposite
shore. Then a new fear assailed tn,
watchers, for that opposite shore wa
solitary and uninhabited; there wer
reports every season of providing wolve
that were seen there What if this grea
creature were no dog but a ferociou
wolf that had saved the child only t
devour it? And the dismayed womel
stepped before the weeping mother, S
that she might not see the other shore
The four-footed swimmer reache
the land; he laid the rescued child o
the ground, shook the water from hi
heavy coat and then-calmly stretche
himself painting and watchful by tn
silent form.
A cry of relief came from the watch
ers, and with swift feet they hurried
the ferryman's hut, not far up tn
stresm. They found the old ferryma
sitting in his boat, mending a row-lock
and chatting with his nine-year-ol
grandson, little Paul Dericker, who wa
on a visit to his grandfather from hi
home near Peaolo, on the Rhine. a
soon as he heard the story, the ferry
man united his boat and quickly lande
the excited washerwomen on the oppc
site bank. First to spring ashore, littl
Paul darted to the spot where the bah
lay, but was speedily back with the II
: formation that the child was alive. 10
: he had seen it move its arms and kic
up its little feet, but that the dog woul
: not let him come near.
Here was a dilemma. The do
guarded his prize determinedly, rollin
4 pair Of fiery eyeballs and snarlin
, sayagely at the intruders when they 4