Smyrna times., 1888-06-06


Estate Man-Afloat on an Ice Cake.
Rescued by Tug-An Unfortunate
Predicament.
Come, TOwser, my boy, and tell me how
you feel, and Mr.. Gross snapped his fingers
at 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 lao
with a 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. I'm blessed if don't
think dog is nearly human, after all" ex-
claimed Mr.. Gross, throwing his head back a
trlhe to escape the affectionate attentions of
the brute. 'Towser has acted this way ever
since l got him off that cake of ice in the
lake. I'm glad he can't talk, for he is so
grateful that l 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 he understood every word.
TOwser is the castaway that was afoat on
cake of ice half 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 I'll 90
with YOU said the real estate man. I'VE
must do something for that poor creature. or
1t will perish in this storm before long if
somebody does not 20 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 a boat.
and others gathered around Mr.. Gross to
discuss the dogs 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
well, there amt no boat here" was the
answer of the man
But there's tugboat in the river was
the quick retort, and the next instant the real
estate man was hurrying toward his stable.
| The hostler 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 to swing out on the drive
and start south at a terrific clip. When the
horse reached the Chicago Tug company's
office be was painting and steanling, but Mr..
| Gross did not stop to attend to him He ran
! up to Manager Crawford's office and de-
manded that tug be placed at his disposal
! at once.
Where do you want to gor the tugman
asked
'Out in the lake" was the reply.
1T will cost you $50"
Hears your money" and the real estate
man threw a glittering gold eagle down on
| the managers desk He was sent aboard of
! the tug Hackley, which happened to be lying
near the office, and within twenty minutes
after he left his house he was plowing through
! the muddy river. A stop was made at the
life saving station to take aboard a small
boat and then the tug was headed out into the
snow covered ice fields, which were grinding
and roaring like cataract under the inhu.
ence 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, heI
iron stem shattered the cakes and
sent the remnants flying in every direction
They hove in sight of the dog at last. He
was seated bolt upright in the center of g
cake about six feet square, that was widely
separated from the main body of ice, and Sc
far as the watchers aboard of the tug coult
discover to the contrary through pair Oi
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
ton that he was sure the dog had winkeC
twice.
"Come, old doggy" said the captain, ex
tending his arm toward the castaway in
reassuring way, while the fireman busieC
himself to find spot to fix his boat hook
Contrary to his expectations, the dog did no
move when the captain spoke, but merely
turned his brown eyes around in a helpIeS
fashion.
"What's the matter with himr' the fire
man asked "Well, I'll be hanged if his tai
amt frozen in the ice!" was the engineer
answer after a long observation from tn,
midship thwart.
The fireman was equal to the emergency
Releasing his boat hook, he sprang upon tn,
cake of ice with it, cautiously made his way
over to the dog, and dug the imprisoned tai
out of its cold bed. The moment he was FIRE,
the dog leaped into the boat and the fireman
followed him and then the rescuers anC
rescued started for the tug. As soon as tn,
dog got aboard he skunk around to the engin
room and curled up ON the engineers seat
paying no attention whatever to the joyfu
antics Of his rescuers. He was too nearly
frozen to do anything else, and the crew haC
too much sympathy for him to to disturb hi
warm rest. After the tug landed at Well
street the dog was wrapped up in blanke
and carried ashore by Mr.. Gross man, anC
then a cab was summoned and the two go
into it and were taken to Mr.. Gross home
on Division street. He is not a handsome
dog, nor does he belong to any valuable
breed, but Mr.. Gross is satisfied from wha
he has seen of him that he got him dirt cheap
"rm satisfied with my bargain if Towse
is" he said. Hes SO gratified, you know
that it's a pleasure to get near him. How die
1 come to take so much trouble to keep hin
from drowning or freezingl Well, LcOuldn'
see either fate befall him while there was
chance to save him. No, sir, it's not M
nature. When l couldn't get a boat on tn
beach just hired tug, but l think it's tn
best money ever spent Don't youF-
Chicago Herald