Milford chronicle., 1888-05-11
A CASTAWAY DOG.
LUCK or : Gun WHILE DRIFTING
IN LAKE MICHIGAN.

hcscueu Dy Aug-An Unfortunate
Predieament.
"Come, Towser, my boy, and tell me how
you feel" and Mr.. Gross snapped his fingers
at a shaggy dog of the Russian setter variety
that was blinking owlishly before a CRATE
FIRE The dog jumped to his feet, ran up to
the gentleman, and laid his head ON his lap
with plaintive whine Then he raised his
big brown eyes and looked into Mr.. Gross
face and placed one paw on his shoulder and
the other on his knee. sfI'm blessed if don't
think dog is nearly human, after all,n ex-
claimed Mr.. Gross, throwing his head back
trife TO escape the affectionate attentions Of
the brute ''Towser has acted this way ever
since / got him of that cake of ice in the
lake. Pm glad he can't talk, for he is 50
grateful that I know he'd bore me with his
expressions of gratitude but he is evidently
sorry that he is dumb, and is trying to make
up for the shortcoming by caressing me-"
The dog did not remove his brown eyes from
those of his master once during the little
speech, but at the conclusion of it he straight
ened out his ears and gave vent to a short
bark as if be understood every word.
Towser is the castaway that was ahoat on
a cake of ice half a mile from shore one win
try forenoon when S. E. Gross, the real
estate man, was making his daily observation
OF the lake through pair Of marine glasses
The dog was seated on his launches, and his
eyes were fastened on the receding shore in a
helpless fashion. Mr. Gross took a long look
at him to satisfy himself that he was not
dead, and then he called his hostler and or
dered him to get boat and go TO the rescue
Of the castaway.
Bring the boat up here, John, and III go
with you,n said the real estate man. 1--WE
IausJ do something for that poor creature, or
it will perish in this slyT-, before long if
somebody does not go after it.
Mr.. Gross put on his coat and hat and went
outside to take a closer observation Of the
dog, and found at least 100 other persons on
the shore driveway intently watching the
object Of his solicitations Some Of them
joined the hostler in his search for boat,
and others gathered around Mr. Gross to
discuss the dog chances Of staying ON the
cake Of ice, but none Of them seemed to care
particularly whether the castaway was
swept safely through the grinding, pitching
ice or went to the bottom Presently the
hOstler came back all out Of breath from run
ming, with the information that there was
not boat to be found anywhere on the
shore.
"But we've got to save that dog" declared
Mr.. Gross.
"Wen, there amt no boat here, was tue
answer Of the man.
"But there's a tugboat in the river" was
the quick retort, and the next instant the real
estate man was hurrying toward his stable
The hcstler trotted close behind him and the
crowd simply stared 1t took Mr.. Gross and
his man just five minutes to hitch his fastest
horse to his lightest buggy and perhaps an
other minute more 10 swing out on the drive
and start south at a terrific clip When the
horse reached the Chicago Tug company's
Office he was painting and steaming, but Mr..
Gross did not stop to attend to him. He ran
up to Manager Crawford's Office and de
manded that a tug be placed at his disposal
at once.
'sWhere do you want to gol' the tugman
ashod
"Out in the lake, was the reply.
"It will cost you S90n
"Hear's your money" and the real estate
man threw a glittering gold eagle down on
the managers desk He was sent aboard Of
the tug Haczley, which happened to be lying |
near the Office, and within twenty minutes |
after he left his house be was plowing through |
the muddy river. A stop was made at the I
life saving station to take aboard small 1
boat and then the tug was headed out into the 4
snow covered ice fields, which were grinding /
and roaring like a cataract under the infu- 4
enco of the wind and sea- The run through |
the ice was a series Of collisions with big .
ragged cakes, and as the boat was going wide
open it seemed as if her timbers would
be crushed in. Instead however her
iron stem shattered the cakes and
sent the remnants flying in every direction.
1Tl,or~ 1,or-o IN, efvhf of tho Too- L.
was seated bolt upright in the center Of
cake about six feet square, that was widely
from the main body Of ice, and SO
far as the watchers aboard Of the tug Could
discover to the contrary through pair Of
marine glasses, he was dead As they ap-
preached nearer, however, the fireman de-
clared that he could see his ears wagging,
and Mr.. Gross afterward confirmed this re-
port and volunteered the additional informa-
tion that he was sure the dog had winked
twice
"Come, old doggy" said the captain, ex-
lending his arm toward the castaway in
reassuring way, while the fireman busted
himself to find spot to fix his boat hook
Contrary to his expectations, the dog did not
move when the captain spoke, but merely
turned his brown eyes around in a helpless
fashion.
'What's the suatter with himY' the fire.
man asked 'Wtdl, I'll be hanged if his tail
amt frozen in the iceln was the engineers
answer after long observation from the
midship thwart
The fireman was equal to the emergency.
his boat hook, he sprang upon the
cake of ice with it, cautiously made his way
over to the dog, and dug the imprisoned tail
put Of its cold bed The moment he was free
the dog leaped into the boat and the fireman
followed him and then the rescuers and
rescued started for the tug As soon as the
dog got aboard he skunk around to the engine
room and curled up on the engineers seat,
paying no attention whatever to the joyful
antics Of his rescuers. He was too nearly
frozen to do anything else, and the crew had
too much sympathy for him to to disturb his
warm rest After the tug landed at Wells
street the dog was wrapped up in a blanket
and carried ashore by Mr.. Gross man, and
hen cab was summoned and the two got
INTO it and were taken to Mr. Gross home,
On Division street. He is not a handsome
log nor does he belong to any valuable
breed but Mr.. Gross is satisfied from what
be has seen of him that he got him dirt cheap.
'Tm satisfied with my bargain if Towser
s,n he said. "Hes so gratified, you know,
that it's a pleasure to get near him How did
come to take so much trouble to keep him
from drowning or freezingl Well, Icouldnt
zee either fate befall him while there was
chance to save him. No sir, it's not my
nature When couldn't get a boat on tho
beach just hired a tug, but I think it's the
best money / ever spent. Don't your
Chicago Herald
A Sound Opinion.
Wife-What do you think about this little