The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-28
OUR TIGER.

Right Tram
Now. dear children. do not expect
terrible story of wild animal, for our
TIGER was only dog.
When Jennie and [ were little, we
leased our papa for a dog to play with,
and one night our hearts were made
glad by his bringing one home to us. 1t
had been living in one of the large
freight depots in Boston. and had been
so leased by little urchins, that often
lounge about such places, that he was
fast getting to be very cross and snap
pish, SO it was thought best to get rid
of him,
He never outgrew his dislike for
boys and would not allow them to
touch him at all, but would often chase
them, and sometimes bite them if they
camo on the premises. This hatred
extended even to the youngest chill
dren. and from little boy baby he
would walk away in disgust, while he
would allow little girl to pull him
about without word of complaint.
At one time we had an old cat which
kittens in the closet of mammals room.
The kittens were repeatedly carried
back TO the cellar, and as often Mistress
Puss would find some way to take her
family back to the closet. Tiger had
evidently been watching the whole
operation, and decided to take affairs
into his own hands, as you will see
when l tell you what happened.
One day, Bridget, the cook, saw him
go through the Xxi chen with something
in his mouth. She followed carefully
after him, and what do you think she
found? You can not guess, l know, so
l viii tell you. Tiger had brought
down the kittens, one by one, in his
mouth, and carried them into the back
yard, where having dug hole for
each, they had been placed, and care
fully covered with dirt. Bridget rush
ed into the house, and said TO us: "Oh!
do come out in the yard, Tiger has
made cats cemetery" We hurried
out to see what she could mean. and
found her words were true. There
stood Tiger looking at his work, SEEM
ing to feel very proud to think he had
found such an effectual way of keeping
the kittens out of mammals closet
Tiger was not always so cruel as
this, but sometimes showed great fond
ness for other animals My papa
kept many sheep, and one spring there
were two little lambs born that were
disowned by the mother sheep. Of
course it would not do to let the little
things die for want of care, so they
were brought to the woodshed, and put
under my mammals protection. They
were soon named Dicky and Biddy,
and being fed often with warm milk
from bottle, they grew rapidly. From
the first Tiger showed a great liking
for the pet lambs, and would stretch
himself out on the floor by tine side of
the basket, where he would remain for
hours ut Il time.
One day after Dicky and Biddy had
grown quite strong he got them out of
the basket or to the floor How this
was accomplished we could never quite
tell, but | am quite sure they had some
way of making each other understand
80 that he coaXcd, persuaded and en-
couragcd them to go beyond the mar
row limits Of the basket, and see more
of the world. After while shey were
not contentcd to roam absut the shed,
but extended their journeys to the
yard. and sometimes away down the
street.
This last habit would have proved
very troublesome one to US. if it had
not been for Tigers assistance in
bringing them back. We had but to
say: "Iigcr! Dicky and Biddy have
run away. Go find them" and
away he would dash down the street
after them. When he overlook them
they would all stand for few minutes
as though there were an explanation of
the case being given, and then he
would turn around and run home with
both lambs mcekly following him. l
have watched him many times, and l
never knew him fail to bring them
back.
My papa used to go to Boston every
day and return at evening on the horse
cars and Tiger could usually be found
at the gate to meet him. Although
these cars were constantly passing the
house, Tiger never made the mistake
of going TO meet an earlier or Il later
train, but few minutes before the Gus
tomary timo for my papa's arrival, Ii
ger could be seen going leisurely down
the walk to be in readiness for the ex-
pected greeting.
At last Tiger commenced to get old.
and did not like the active sports of
his youthful days, but much preferred
To stay in the house and lie by the fire.
i ing fond of the company of the fam
H. he would often creep into the sit
ting-room. and quietly settle himself
on the hoarth-rug, when mamma would
sometimes say: There is some one
hero whose room is better than his