Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-06
Five Minutes with a Mad Doc.
From the 81. james Gazette.


Last week / received OrGers to go to the
Britannia public house, IN Soho, and poison q
large retriever belonging to the landlord. My
master had seen the dog during his rounds,
and found 1t in a dangerously rabid state.
filled a small bottle with hydrocyanic acid,
and, taking syringe, went OF at once to see
about it. Arriving at the house. stated my
business, and was handed over to the pot boy
10 be conducted to the dog, which ! could
hear bowling every few seconds. There
being no yard to tine house, they had chained
the dog down in the cellar to staple In the
wall "'E's very bad case, sir" said my
guide, San I'll be glad when IT'S all over; for,
although he was great pet with us all, an
that fond of the kids you never see, it's awful
to see i'm not know any of us, but when we
goes near i'm to have i'm come a-hying at us.
Think Ell suffer much? There e goes! ear
i'm. All day long e owls like that"
! assured h'm that it would soon be over
without much pain. and descending some
steps We passed through a room in the base
ment that was dimly lit by small and grlmy
window. Cases of wines and spirits were
ranged against the walls, and we could hear
the tramp of the thickly -shod customers in the
bar or taprQOm just above our heads. Open
ing a door we passed into another room; this
was lighted only by the small window IN the
room we had just left, as 1t snOne through the
now Open door. Hes in UheEe,'' said the pot
boy, pointing to another door in the wall OPP
posite.
Thinking there was a window In the room,
pushed the door open. and Immediately
heard the rattle of a chain and the hoarse
half howl of the poor beast, whose
ewes could see against the far wall cleaning
through the dark. Window there was none.
"WhY ON earth didn't yOH bring light"
! | asked angrily; lyon don't suppose l can
poison him IN the darkP
Thought | 'ad a match" said the boy,
/ fumbing in his pockets; there's d gas jet
| Just inside the door"
I had no matches, so / sent Nun upstairs to
get some, and awaiting his return. sat down
| on an empty key near the door.
The dog seemed uneasy, and. fancying the
light through the doorway annoyed and dis
tressed him, pushed 1t to with my hand. The
! hoy was sometime gone II found afJerwatd
he had been to ask his mistress IL she would
! like to have last look at the old dog, and /
I sat there thinking over the JOB. The air Of
1 the cellar was close, and the smell Of the wet
| sawdust ON the floor was most unpleasant.
| Ctank went the dogs chain against the wall
! or be floor, as he moved uneasily about, Won
! dering, dare say, what was my errand
| there. Then the movement ceased for time,
| or, partly absorbed in my thoughts. / failed
! 70 notice it. The next minute started, feel
/ ing something rub against my leg. Looking
| down, / saw two glazing eyes Just az my knee.
| The dog WAS loose, the staple having worked
| its way ont OF the damp and Welding mortar.
For a second or two nearly lost conscious
ness. My heart seemed to stand still; but by
an effort kept from going of into faint.
shall never forget the next few minutes as
| long as | live. / was alone in the dark, with
| this rabld beast rubbing about my legs -flrst
one and then the other, as II he. we're trying
| TO find out who l was. Then ne rested his
! nose on my knees and looked straight up into
| my face. ! sat like statue, knowing that at
| the slightest movement he would probably
| seize me. and knowing (whO bettGrf) that such
| % bite in his advanced state OF disease was
almost certain ueath. and horrible
death, too. Nerying myself, / sat perfectly
still. calculating as wen as could my chances
Of escape, Presently the dog put first one
paw. then the other. on my knee and. stand
| ing on his hind legs. gently rubbed his head
against my breast, then over my arms, and
"a. a1ss
my eyes and felt his n0re pass several times
across my face, covering it with saliva. Yet
/ dared not move. l expected every instant
he would seize me; the very beating OF m
heart might disturb and annoy him; and
| felt that. come what might. must fling him
| on and make dash for the floor.
Suddenly he ceased rubbing against me,
! and appeared to be listening. lie could hear
| the steps Of the pot-boy descending the lad
! der | also could hear it, and knew not
whether 10 call 20 him or keep silent. The
dog now dropped down 10 my knees again.
still listening; ana rs the light OF candle
stroamed through the crevices OF the badly
/ httiug door he crupt into the fHr corner OF the
| cellar. evidently dreading being put upon the
! chain again. Then ! made a dash al the
/ door. swung 10 open. and. banging 10 to be-
/ hind me. sank. more dead than alive. on
a casp near the wall. Seeing my state.
/ the man brought me quickly NIP Of
I brandy, and / pulled myself together
| An this time the dog was growing
/ furlously on the other side Of the
door, and tearing a. Y in his mad en-.
/ deayor 70 get at Va. Steadying myself ~ well
az could, placed the light ON pile Of cases.
and, hlling my syringe With acid, opened the
! door about two inches. As expected, the in-
/ fuFiatcd beast rushed at the opening; and aH
/ he did 80, discharged the contents OF the syr-
ing into mis- open mouth. In n few seconds all
was over. When went up stairs found my
trousers vest, coat. hands, and face covered
| with the saliva from HE mouth. 1 felt sick
and faint, and lOoked--eO the people said
white as ghost, In fact, ! could hardly
stand.
4 dog had killed was bitten by the mad
| dog that ran down piccadilly some ihree
| weeks since, and had only showed symptoms Of
madness during the last few days.
W. poCHLfNGrON.
A GORGEOUS GAMBLER has pumped himself
right into the midst ~ the arist0crats o.