The Hazlehurst signal., 1885-11-19
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
"ouR FRITZ"
A Trus story of Ono Of the rruest and
-. Faithful Of frisnds.

I dare say my young readers will
think I am going to tell them something
about tho Crown Prince OF Germany.
whom all the people Of the German
Empire love familiarly to call "Unsor
Fritz"-Our Fritz.
But the Fritz I'm about TO speak Of
was a Crown Prince among dogs He
was q st. Bernard OF the most magnifi-
cent proportions, with q strain of the
bloodhound. which made people at
times little afraid of him. But he
never troubled them unless there was
something susplcious.looking about
them. Of which he took 1t upon himself
to be the Judge. He was as black rs a
coal from head to foot with the cScep-
ton of n whito star upon his breast
He was most superb watchdog; no
regiment of the old Kaiser's grcnadiors
could have guarded our premises more
vigilantly than did he, and II the Ger.
man Fritz looks after the affairs Of his
Empire, when he comes to govern 1t, as
well rs our Fritz did after his charge.
his subjects will be admirably taken
care of.
Fritz was 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.
ne.scs of dog-hood; he was never
known to take anything he was forbid
den to touch, for his obedience was alb.
solutc.
Ihavc. from my friend Rose Kings
Icy, an anecdotc Of dog belonging to
her father. Charles Kingsley, who once
SO far forgot his principles (though
reared in the Eversley Rectory) as 10
steal n bcefs,cak while the family was
at church. Mr.. Kingsley called up the
dog. and in grave manner reproached
him with what he had done. From
that day forth, till the day OF his death,
the word "bcc'steak" was never ut.
tered in tho dogs presence without his
dropping his head and skulking away,
with his tail between his legs. Our
Fritz was higher bred, and had moro
honorable principles than Mr. Kings
ley's dog; he never stole beefsteak!
His devotion to his master was cxclu.
sivc and extreme. l believe he would
have let his cars be cut of II his master
had wished TO do II. and would have
made no fuss about It. He went with
his master everywhere except to church;
and rs 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 motion of the finger was then
sufficient to beckon him in or to order
him out. Yot he would lilo with his
mizzlc OH the rug, at the bibrary door,
with mathematical precision. bringing
II to a line with the door holdings, but
not intruding haIf.inch bcyond-so
strict was he to the letter In his obe-
diencc. lie would bound to the cham
Der and bring down his masters slip
pcrs when he saw his master come in.
and II he heard an order given for tho
riding horse to bc got out, he just rs
eagerly hunted up and brought the
riding.boOts
His devotion to his master was OF
such n watchful character that II any
stranger approached him, he always
managed to stand between his master
and the newcomer, keeping n steady
eye On the latter
The way ho would kiss and carcss his
master, and the horse his master rode.
was pathetic to SEQ; he never seemed
perfectly happy unless ho had in sight
the face and form that were dearer to
him than his own life.
shall never forget touching scene
that occurred last October Of our poor
Fritz's life Our Virginia gentlemen
have every autumn what they call the
fall hunt; when about twenty OF them
form an cncampmont in the mountains,
some twenty or thirty miles distant,
where they remain fortnight for deer
shooting. They carry several tents
with them, beds and bedding. cooking
stove, colorcd man.cook, and all the
utensils and arrangements for fort
nights comfortable living. All the
packs of hounds In the ncighborhood
are gathered together in leash.
On the morning Of which l speak, the
whole cavalcade, hunters, horses, bag.
gage-wagons, servants and many packs
of hounds, were gathered together In
our stablo-yard, awaiting tho signal for
starting. Horns were sounding. dogs
were baying, guns were Gathering.
eager hunters were laughing and talk.
ing. and general excitement was over
all the establishment
Friz's spirits were extremely high.
He sprang up dozen times and kissed
his masters riding.horsN brought his
master his whip and boots. and seemed
fairly beside himself with Joy.
But Fritz was not to be Of the hunt
ing-party. On the mountains he was
out of his element, and only marred
the sport; so he was 70 bc left at home.
But his master could not bear to tell
him this, and determined not to start