The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-10-14
1'ERMN-BY NAIL,
ALONE WITH A MAD DOG.
The Rabid Beast Licks his WOuid-bs
MurSlerer's Face i'm the Dark.
St. James Gazette,

St. James Gazette.
Last week I received orders to go to the
Britannia public house in Soho, and poison
large retriever belonging to the landlord.
My master had seen the dog during his
rounds, and found it in dangerously rabid
state. l filled small bottle with hy-
drocyanic acid, and, taking syringe, went
off. There being no yard to the house,
they had chained the dog down in the cellar
to a staple in the wall. 'E's very bad,
bad case, SIR" said my guide, "an' 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-fying ut us.
All day long e owls like that"
Descending some steps we passed through
a room in the basement that was dimly lit
by a small and grimy window. Opening a
door we passed into another room. This
was lighted only by the small window in
the room we had just left, as it shone
through the now open door. Hes in
there, said the potboy, pointing to another
ioor in the wall opposite.
Thinking there was a window in the room
| pushed the door open, and Immediately
heard the rattle of chain and the hoarse
half howl OF the poor beast, whose eyes l
could see against the far wall cleaning
through the dark. Window there was
none.
| had no matches, SO I sent him up
stairs to get some, and, awaiting his return,
sat down on an empty beer keg near the
door.
The dog seemed uneasy, and, fancying the
light through the doorway annoyed and
distressed him, l pushed it shut with my
hand. The air OF the cellar was close, and
the smell OF the wet sawdust on the floor
most unpleasant. Clank went the dogs
chain against the wall or the floor as he
moved uneasily about, wondering, dare
say, what was my errand there. Then the
movement ceased for time. The next
minute l started, feeling something rub
against my leg. Looking down l saw two
glaring eyes just at my knee. The dog was
loose, the staple having worked it's way
out OF the damp and yielding mortar.
For second or two l nearly lost con-
seriousness. My heart seemed to stand
still but by an effort kept from going off
into a faint. 1 shall never forget the next
few minutes as long as live. was alone
in the dark, with this rabid beast rubbing
about my legs. Then he rested his nose on
my knees and looked straight up into my
face. l sat like a statue. Presently the
dog put first one paw, then the other, on
my knee, and, standing on His hind legs,
gently rubbed his head against my breast,
then over my arms, and then commenced
to explore my face. shut my eyes, and
felt his nose pass several times across my
face. covering it with saliva. Yet l dared
not move. l expected every instant he
would seize me; the very beating OF my
heart might disturb and annoy him; and |
felt that, come what ,~iaht. Imust 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 descending the
ladder. also could hear it. The dog now
dropped down to my knees again, still lis
tening, and as the light of candle streamed
through the crevices OF the badly fitting door
he crept into the far corner of the cellar,
evidently dreading being put upon the chain
again.
Then l made a dash at the door, swung
it open, and banging it to behind me, sank,
more dead than alive, on IL case near the
wall.
Seeing my state the man brought me
quickly a nip of brandy, and pulled my
self 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. Stealing myself as well
as could placed the light on pile OF
cases, and filling my syringe with acid
opened the door about two inches. As ex
pected, the infuriated beast rushed at the
opening, and as he did SO l discharged the
contents OF the syringe into his open mouth.
Iu few seconds all was over. When / went
up stairs found my trousers, vest, coat,
hands and face covered with the saliva.