Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-07-16
A DOG HERO.
4 Canine Outcast that Saved Boys Life.


The writer ran across this dog one
rainy morning in Charleston, S. c., while
the poor fellow was wandering about, APP
parently in search of some one to take
charge Of him. Having always felt a
special sympathy with such canine out
casts, l Immediately adopted the crea-
ture, who by constantly licking my hand
and wagging his deligeted tail, manifest
ed his appreciation of the kindness.
What to call my new piece of live stock
somewhat puzzled me, and while think
ing aloud on the subject l happened to
pronounce the word Carlo, at which the
dog pricked up his ears and bounded
and pranced about in the most energetic
manner, as if to show me his happiness
because l had actually guessed his name.
l had secured very affectiOnate and, as
[ soon learned, courageous companion;
of no particular breed, he probably
weighed about eighty pounds. His dingy
black coat was extremely rough and
shaggy; his head and ears much too large
for the rest of him and what might once
have been very respectable tail had
lost about half of its original length, so
that the vigorous wagging of 1t which
he often INDUCED in seemed to destroy
a.
most comical fashion. Indeed it was an
actual example of the tail wagging the
dog.
a day or two after my find, when at the
railway station about to leave for florida,
l set my travelling bag down, and the in
slant my back was turned it disappeared.
Though no one was observed to go out or
in, careful search to reveal either the
bag or the culprit until Black Carlo, who
had been quietly smelling around, sud
denly pounced upon very solemn and
innocent-looking old negro, who was sit
ting on a large dry-goods box. This an
cient darby had excused himself for not
helping hunt for the bag because de
rheumatism froze up all my bones" But
the dog, without regard for the old fell
lows age or intirmity, grabbed him by
his coat-collar, and unceremOniously pull
ed him over backward, tipping up his
| seat, and exposing the stolen property
| which this expert thief had placed under
| the box when no one happened to be
| looking. The rapidity with which the
| dusky scamp left the depot proved the
falsehood of his talk about rheumatism;
and he would surely have made good his
escape if Carlo had not overtaken him
] Just dts ne was udIIlIlS tlIOuSl d NlOOI
way, and getting Il firm grip on his i'm
mense foot, held fast until policeman
came up.
| One evening, after Il long tramp
through the interior. we came out upon
| the sea-shOre, where the bottom, being
smooth and gently sloping, offered oppor
J tunities for a good swim, which some OF
the party improved, leaving their arms
J hoo h.
high ground. In these waters there is
always more or less danger from sharks
but as this particular locality gave nc
signs of the murderous creatures, oul
boys tumbled in without. fear, and Charlie
Butler, a mere lad, to show what he coulC
do, swan out to a coral reef, nearly mile
from land. Before he was ready to re
turn, l became tired of the sport anC
went to look after the preparation OF
supper. | had Just succeeded in making
the cook understand what sort of mea
we require, when sudden outcry tOlC
me something was going wrong on the
shore. Grabbing a rifle and fastening
back with Carlo at my heels, beheld But
| Ter some distance away, swimming with
all his might, and only few yards be
hind him the vertical fin of huge shark
| There seemed no possibility that the
| boys life could be saved; we were
without boats, and fish and man
were so nearly in line from US that | did
not dare to fire. In a second Black Carlo
compromising the situation, dashed
! through the surf and started to swim to
ward Charlie with a speed l have never
seen equaled by any land animal The
! boy having leisurely covered must of the
distance between the reef and shore when
| the man-eater started after him, was com
! paratively fresh and when he saw a noble
! dog Fastening to his help made final
| desperate effort to escape. In another
! instant Carlo was close to him. just
! then. however, the shark having come
near enough, turned so that we could see
his white belly glistening in the twilight,
and was all ready for the spring that
would surely have ended Charles life.
when Carlo, leaping clean over Butler's
form, appeared to go straight into the
monsters mouth; and the latter, having
| got his supper, disappeared in deep water
while the lad in a few seconds was safe
on the shore. That night our Joy over
our comrades rescue was mingled with
sorrow for the life so gallently sacrificed
in his behalf. And to this day the mem
| DRY of that thrilling scene fills me with
sadness for the loss of Black Carlo, my
dog hero.