The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-07

a chain and the hoarse, haIf-howl,
half-growl of the poor beast, whose
eyes 1 could see against the far wall
cleaning through the dark. Window
there was none.
"'Why on earth didn't you bring
a light p 1 asked, angrily, you don't
suppose l can poison him in the
dark p
"'Thought 1 lad a match said
the boy, fumbling in his pockets !;
there's a gas jet just inside the
door,
~ had no matches, so l sent him
up stairs to get some, and. awaiting
his return, sat down on AN empty
key near the door.
"Thc dog seemed uneasy, and, fam
cying the light through the doorway
annoyed and distressed him, | push
ed it to with my hand. The boy
WAS some time gone { found after
ward he had been to ask his mistress
if she would like to have a last look
at the old dog, and sat there think
ing oyer the job. The air of the cell
lar was close, and the smell of the
wet sawduSt on the floor was most
unpleasant. CIank went the dogs
chain against the wall or on the floor
AS he moved uueasily about, WONDER
ing, l dare say. what was my errand
( her.s.,, %, III t- o. ...5.., : 80. 81,
1.-THE. -;1creII the movement ceased
for time. or, partly absorbed in my
thoughts. | failed to notice it. The
next minute | started, feeling some.
thing rub against my leg. Looking
down, saw two glaring eyes just at
my knee. The dog was loose, the
staple having worked its way out of
the damp and yielding mortar.
"For a second or two l nearly lost
consciousness. My heart seemed to
stand still; but by an effort / kept
from going off into faint. l shall
never forgot the next few minutes as
long as / live. l was alone in the
dark with this rabid beast rubbing
my legs-first one and then the other,
as if he were trying to find out who
l was. Then he rested his nose on
my knees and looked straight up in
to my face. l sat like statue, know
ing that at the slightest movement he
would probably seize me, and know
ing (who better p that such bite in
his advanced state of disease was al
most certain death, and horrible
death too. Nerying myself, l sat
perfectly still, calculating as well as
| could my chances of escape. Pres
emily 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 then commenced to eX-
plore my face. | shut my eyes, and
/ felt his nose pass several times
across my face, covering it with
saliva. Yet 1 dared not move. l
every instant he would seize
me; the very beating of my heart
might disturb and annoy him and l
felt that, come what might, l must
fling him off and make dash for the
door.
Suddenly he ceased rubbing against
me, and appeared to be listening. He
could hear the steps of the pot-boy
the ladder. l also could
hear II, and knew not whether to call
to him or keep silent. The dog now
dropped down to my knees again,
still listening and as the light of the
candle streamed through the crevices
of the badly fitting door, he creDt in
to the far corner of the cellar, evi.
IDENTIFY dreading being put upon the
chain again. Then | made dash at
the door, swung it open, and banging
it to behind me, sank, more dead
than alive, on case near the wall.
Seeing my state, the man brought
me quickly stimulant, and l pulled
myself together. All this time the
dog was growing furiously on the
other side of the door, and tearing at
it in his mad endeavor to get at us.
Steadying myself as we'll as l could,
l placed the light on pile of cases.
and filling my syringe with acid,
opened the door about two inches.
AS 1 expected, the Infatuated beast
rushed at the opening, and as he did
so, discharged the contents of the
syringe into his open mouth. In
few seconds all was over. When l
went up stairs found my trousers.
vest. coat, hands. and face covered
.al Al 1. 7