The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-15
John Ruskin's Dog Wisie
From Praeteritd.


And my dog Wisie was he dead too ? Ii
seems wholly wonderful to me at this moment
that he should ever have died. He was a white
Spitz. exactly like Carpaccio's dog in the pict-
| ure of st. Jerome, and he came to me from a
young Austrian officer. who had got tired of
him-the Count Thun, who fell afterwards at
Solferino. Before the dog was used enough to
u.s. George and took him to Lido TO give him q
little sea bath. George was holding him by his
forepaws upright among the little crisp break.
ers. Wise snatched them out of his hands and
ran at full speed-into Fairyaud like Frederick
the Great at Mollwtz lie was lost on Lido for
three days and nights, living by petty larceny,
the fishermen and cottagers doing all they could
to catch him; but they told me he ran like a
hare and leaped like a horse"
At last, either overcome by hunger or having
made up his mind than even my service was
preferable to Liberty on Lido, he took the deep
water in broad daylight and swan straight for
Venice. a fisherman saw him from distance,
rowed after him, tooS him, tired am ng the
weeds, and brought him to me-the Madonna
della Salute having been proprious to his re-
pentant striving with the sea.
From that time he became an obedent and
affectionate dog. though OF extremely Self
willed and self possessed character. | was then
living on the north side of st. Marks place and
he used to sit outside the window on the ledge
at the base of its pillars the greater part of the
day, observant of the manners and customs OF
Venice. Returning TO England, | took him over
the St. Gothard. but found him entirely unap-
palled by any of the work of Devils on it--big
about in precpices, il they were wide enough
to put his paws on, and the dog who had fed
madly from crisp sea wave trotted beside the
fall of Reuss, Just as If it had been another
white dog, little bigger, Great I'd out of foam.
Reaching Paris he considered 1t incumbent
upon him toappear unconscious of the existence
of that city, or of the Tuicries gardens and Rue
Rvoli, since they were not st. Marks place; but
half asleep one evening on sofa in the entresol
at Meurice's. and hearing bark i'm the street
which sounded venetian, sprang through the
window in expectation of finding himself on the
usual ledge, ard fell is feet to the pavement.
AS ran down, i met him rushing up the hotel
stairs the ha gathered himself from the stones
10 an instant) bleeding and gddy; he staggered
helpless to the floor. / don't know If young
ladies' dogs faint, really, when they are hurt.
He, wise, did not faint, nor even moan, but he
could not stir, except in cramped starts and
shivers | sent for what veterinary help was
within reach and heard that the dog might re-
cover IL he could be kept quiet for day or two
in dog hospital. But my omnibus was at the
door for the London train. In the very turn
and niche of time heard that Macdonald, of
st. Martins, was in the hotel, and would take
charge of Whsle for the time necessary. The
poor little, speeches., wistfully-gazing doggie
was tenderly put in a pretty basket going 70 be
taken where? thinks the beating heart), looks
at his master to read what he can IN the sad
face, can make out nothing is hurried out of
the memorable door downstairs, finds himself
more nearly dead next day and among
strangers. CTwo miles away from Meurice' s
along the boulevard IL was.)
He takes and keeps counsel with himself on
that matter; drinks and eats what he is given
gratefully; swallows his medicine obediently;
stretches his limbs from time TO time. There
was only wicket gate he saw, between tue
boulevard and him. Silently, In the early dawn
OF the fourth or fifth day, think, he leaped IL,
and along two miles of Partisan boulevard came
back to Meurices.
/ do not believe there was ever q more won
derful piece of instinct certified For Macdon-
ahttea ant nd