Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-18
A CASTAWAY DOG.
LUCK OF A CUR WHILE DRIFTING
IN LAKE MICHIGAN.

l
Rescued by a TuS-An Unfortunate
Predicament.
"Come, Towser, my boy, and tell me how
you feel" and Nj Gross snapped his fingers
ct 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. ''I'n blessed if don't
think dog is nearly human, after all" ex-
claimed Mr.. Gross, throwing his head back a
trife to escape the aGectioaate attentions Of
the brute. ''Towser has acted this way ever
| since l got him off that cake of ice in the
lake. Pm glad he can't talk, for he is so
grateful that 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 short
bark as if he understood every word
Towser is the castaway that was afloat On
! 3 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
| helpless fashion. Mr. Gross took 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 60 to the rescue
Of the castaway.
| Bring the boat up here, John, and I'll go
with you" said the real estate man. I'VE
must do something for that poor creature, or
it will perish in this storm 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 st least zoe 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 dogs chances of staying on tho
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 tbs
hostler came back all out of breath from run
ming, with the information that there was
not a 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 a tugboat in the river" was
the quick retort, and the next instant the real
estate man was t.u1rying toward his stable.
The hostler trotted close behind him and the
crowd simply stared It 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 steamng, but Mr..
Gross did not stop to attend to him. He ran
up to Manager Crawfords Office and de-
Inanded that a tug be placed at his disposal
at once.
Where do you want to gog' the tugman
asked.
''Out in the lake" was the reply.
at viii cost you $50"
CLEARS 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 blowing through
the muddy river. A stop was made at the
life saving station to take aboard small
boat and then the tug was headed out into the
snow covered ice fields, which were grinding
and roaring like cataract under the infiu-
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
oman IL Searoed If ber ti1nberS would
be crushed in Instead, however, her
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
cake about six feet square, that was widely
separated 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-
ton that be was sure the dog had winked
twice.
Come, old doggy" said the captain, ex-
tending his arm toward the castaway in a
reassuring way, while the fireman busted
himself to find a spot to fix his boat hook.
Contrary to MS expectations, the dog did no:
move when the captain spoke, but merely
turned his brown eyes around in helpless
fashion.
whats the matter with hinr the fire.
man asked. well I'll be hanged if his tail
amt frozen in the icer' was the engineers
answer after long observation from the
midshIp thwaTt.
The fireman was equal to the emergency.
Releasing his boat hook, be sprang upon the
cake of ice with it, cautiously made his way
over to the dog. and dug the imprisoned tail
out 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 curied up on the engineers seat,
paying no attention whatever to the JOYFUL
antics of his rescuers. De 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 st Wells
street the dog was wrapped up IN blanket
and carried ashore by Mr.. Gross man, and
then cab was summoned and the two got
into it and were taken TO Mr.. Gross home,
on Division street. He is not handsome
deg, nor does he belong 10 any valuable
breed. but Mr. Gross IS satisfied from what
he has seen of him tina. hs got him dirt cheap.
I'm satisfied with my bargain If Towser
is" he said Hes SO gratihed, you know.
that it's pleasure TO get near him How did
l come to take SO much trouble to keep him
from drowning or freezingi Well, couldn't
see either fate betall him while there was
chance to save him. No, sir, It's not my
nsture When eoa1Iint get boat on tie