Iron County register., 1888-05-31
DON, THE SPANIEL.
He Kept q Bank and Drew on It When
Wanted Buns and Meat.

He Kept q Bank and Drew on It When He
Wanted Buns and Meat.
The following account has recently
been given me by j. G. Sprague,
owner of Don. the water spaniel, hero
of the story. writes an Ogdensburgh
correspondent. The dog was brought
to O,dens burgh from Syracuse, N. Y.
by Mr.. Sprague some thirty years ago.
While in Syracuse Don had been
taught or had self-acquired Git is un-
certain which). the practice of taking
penny from his master and exchang-
ing it at bake-shop tor bun. After
coming TO Ogdensburgh the dog i'm
proved on this experience. He began
to beg pennies from acquaintances of
his master and himself. some of whom
are still living and can substantiate
the fact He had certain friends to
whose offices or stores he specially
resorted. His method of begging was
to seat himself by his friend. and.
If no attention was paid to
him, to tap the man on the
knee sharply with his paw, and to con-
tinue this until the penny was forth
coming or his appeal was clearly una
vailing. Don was often known to visit
several friends. one after the other,
bringing tho proceeds back to Mr..
Sprague's drug store, where he stored
them behind counter In this way
the dog sometimes accumulated a
stock of pennies for future use-or, to
interpret the actions of the dog into
terms of human activity, Don, the
or inv I. u
he drew as his appetite inclined him.
usually going to the bake-shop of one
Mrs. Martin. who. knowing his ways,
gave Don bun in exchange for the
penny which Don would drop. Other
times Don patronized his butcher, and,
as his owner relates. lived almost en-
tirely on the proceeds of his own beg.
ging.
But the crowning feat of Don's life
was the following which is thoroughly
attested and is the most remarkable
dog story that has ever come to my
notice: Don came one day rushing in
to Mr. Sprague's store with piece of
meat and hurried into the back part
His curious actions attracted the at
tention of those present and were
soon explained by the appearance of
the butcher. who asked where that
dog was. The butcher then told his
story. He had been accustomed to
Don's appearance at his shop with a
penny to exchange for meat, had been
used to cut a piece. hand it to the dog.
and have the penny dropped into his
hand in exchange. This day Don
rushed in, got his meat. and darted
out OF the shop. having. as usual,
dropped something into the
butchers hand. But this some
thing on this occasion proved
to be pebble, which the dog
passed off for a cent Can any reader
produce another authenticated in
stance, as this is, of an animals be.
coming a counterfeiterP It is believed
that Don's stock of pennies being ex-
hausted. and he being unable to get O
penny from his friends. resorted to this
expedient to obtain the meat. At any
rate. the fact is be yond doubt.
Don died Of poison. His owner
buried him. properly boxed, in a lot
near Green and State streets. and then
he was taken by night. in a wagon for
hearse, attended by due mourners
with dirge and torches. to Pigeon
point, in the upper part Of the then
village. Where he was laid to his last
rest by che st. Lawrence river. IN Y
1~ibune.