The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-12-25
NERO,

This is not the only dog have had in my family,
but it is the only pedgreed dog ever raised, ana
think the last. We had had number OF common
dogs of obscure BIRTH pebian so to speak and they
all came TO some bad end. My family became en-
Unused with the idea OF possessing pSu
igreed dog-one whose progenitors had mingled
with nobility. hunted up dog advertisement
and sent for catalogue. In due time 1t arrived and
we went to work making selection, which we
found rather a difficult task, there were so many
different nationaities to select from, and IT seemed
to me the Igier the dog the higher the Rface arsy
because he was the cheapest, and then we Thought
he would be guardian to our children IN thelr
walks and would make watch dog that WonIa
keep tramps and pedlers off our premises. l found
out to my sorrow that he was most too watchfu for
$500 He was to be light brindle, and an infant
dog SO that we could raise him to suit our own
tastes. In due time the express wagon Grove up 70
my door, and brought in a small box and an enor-
nous roll of paper. / knew at sight that the box
contained the dog. but did not know what the
bundle of paper was unless it was wall paper that
NV wife had ordered She came in, and was as
much surprised as l. An examination showed the
bundle to be the pedigree OF our treasnre ~ COM s-
dog dating back to the 18th century. did not read
it all because considered life too short to waste on
it. unlocked the dog, and he walked out among
us as though he was glad to see us. We christened
him Nero. / do not Know why we called him Nero.
ions Which read feed this dog some milk as soon
as he arrives and after he has become reconciled 10
the surroundings amputate his tail. It doesn't mat
ter how much you take off but take OFF some OF IT.
as it is the height of fashion to remove part OF the
dogs tail; the amount is left to the tastes OF the
owner there being no restriction as 70 tne
to do by setting before him half gallon pan OF fresh
milk. He acted hungry and went for 1t without
saving grace and never stopped until ne nad Gotten
on the outside of the whole of it, and, believe me or
not, he would not more than fill the pan himself
after drinking the milk After drinking the milk
he seemed tired and we fixed him bed by the
stove, thinking he wanted to retire gazed down
on him and began to meditate HOW ite frS I'M
bosom of his parents. and had been cast among
Strangers in his infancy. But found before morn
ing that he seemed to realize fully his condition. as
he SET IN yelling and bowling about the time the
household had settled down to solid snoring that
woke the whole house, except the red headed COOK;
who slept in the basement. / got up and walked
the floor with him for three hours trying to soothe
him. but failed. At one time his life hung in a bal
ance as was on the point OF holstlng me wlhuoM
and dashng him to the pavement. when happened
to think of the children and pause i'll my madness
He howed all that night and the next but the next
he howled in the basement, and ! hoped he might
disturb the slumbers OF the red-headed COOK, for
knew if he did there would be no mercy for him.
fter the third night he became more reconclled to
his fate and from that on behaved admirably.
After week concluded would amputate his tan.
There were no instructions about now II was 10 De
done so | acted as surgeon myself l did not sup
pose il made any particular difference how it was
done so it was taken off. l got the Ratchet and
backed the pup up against stick of wood, and let
the Ratchet fall about two-thirds of the way from
his body to the end of the TAIL and of dropped about
IL inches o the caudIe appendage OF our pup. he
did not seem to approve of It, from the way ne
yelped but it late to kick after the returns
were all in, found out afterwards that made a
mistake when cut off his tail in throwing away the
wrong end. l know it was not amputated right, for
il never haired over and it always seemed ike n e
wanted to grow through i. The stump end got kind
He grew on, and at four months of age his appe-
tite developed, and he seemed to cultivate fond
ness for lace curtains chair tides and sofa cushions
made of silk and of lazy work design He eat up a
crazy work cushion that my wife had spent two
years in making At this stage Of his existence ne
him from the time he first came We taught him,
among other things, to hold fast to everything he
his teeth on taught him to abhor everything not
saw him through youth and into doghood, At this
stage of his existence he became terror to the
neighborhood, as there was not whole dog or cat
in the entire country round. Some with tails bite
off some with an ear demoralized, others lame and
with bare patches on their person and 1t was all
traced to one dog, We were not bothered by tramps
The yard was 3. regular rag patch. there were
scattered over remnants of coat tails seats OF trou
sers and other wearing apparel: If Nero was IN the
back yard, and pedler or book-agent entered the
front gate he knew it, and at the front door by
the time the fellow was ready to ring, and would
commence gorgng himself on said peddler or BOOK
agent and the air would be full of dog and peddler
until they reached the front gate.
An untmely death awaited our treasure but we
never dreamed that his watchfulness and tenacity
would be the cause OF it. One day late IN inc IalI
purchased new overcoat fur cap and fur collar
and gloves, and thought | would surprise my wife
by Wearing the whole outfit home. .earrs inS the
other garments IN s Panale on the front steps went
IN looked at me Sarcastcally, at the same time
showing his wealth of teeth, accompanied by a
growl, | said Nero, don't you know me ~ but he
didn't bulge, but sat there If one of the stone
steps had slid his tail. and he could not get up.
concluded there was no necessity for me entering
Hhe house by the front dooE so went around the
SsSk fNrfHnrs=6hfN nero had reached Il before me.
The cook seeing whom she took to be a peder,
encouraged Nero to feast himself on me- which he
proceeded to do. ! came to the conclusion that
there was nothing in the house that cared about
lust then and, seeing the woodhouse door open,
thought there was no place like good quiet wood
house for thought and proceeak q 1entered
the woodhouse about thress ssS4.ic &c of Nero.
Seeing the stairway thatec upper story, which
was used as c workshop by the boys, and as place
to store fishing tackle. &C. assembled ii in an aim
reached the top Nero and 1 clinched, not that |
favored clinching but it dawned upon me that
had no voice IN the convention and there being
no referee in the matter, had TO submit We gam
boiled around over the shop floor. Part of the time
Nero was on top, and then again u seemed al times
that the delegates we're oil on my side. was eagerly
graspng for some weapon Of defense, and finally got
hold of Ratchet, and victory perched upon my
banner as the Ratchet crashed through Neros skull
and he fell Ills ruling passion was strong in death,
as had to pry his jaws loose before could release
myself wrapped myself up in an old fish net, and
went to the house the sorriest looking specimen OF
humanity that any one ever saw. had the doctor
called in to examine my wounds. He said, as they
were dog bites they be cauerized but as there
were so many of them, he would reduce the caustic
to liouid form and put IL on with a whltewash
brush TO save time for if he undertook to cauterize
in the usual way II woud take him at leasttwo days
to do it. was laid up two weeks and wore my old
clothes all winter. No more pedigreed dogs for me-