Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-31
"GREYFRIAR,s BOBBY"

That's splendid book" exclaimed
my nephew Phil as he closed the last
volume of Scott Heart of Midlothian. ;
I wish 1 could go to Edinburgh
myself and see all those places.
Won't you tell us about it, Aunt
Madge?"
.Oh do" joined in Helen and Beth.
and, as smilingly assented, they all
drew up to the great wood fire, which
was the more cheerful for the chilly
November storm which was bowling
outside.
well, Phil" l began, 81 saw the
very Heart itself in the pavement near
the old church of St Giles. but within
stones throw there was something
which interested me so much more
even than that, that tonight I think
will tell You about 'Greyfriar's Bobby
instead.
mot far from st. Giles is another
open square facing the old church and
graveyard of Grey riar' $. In font
of the church l saw a fountain. at
which many tired and thirsty men and
horses stopped to drink even while l
stood near it, looking at the marble
statue of a shaggy, homely, insignifi-
cant little dog. which surmounted the
fountain.
Il felt sure that thereby hung a
tale"
"Oh!' groaned Phil. ''waat punr'
'And you may know that my Curl
osity was well gratified when the old
sexton inside the graveyard told me
that the statue was of none other than
'Greyfriar's Bobby the most famous
dog on record for his extraordinary
fidelity to his masters memory.
From the sexton and other sources.
I finally obtained this true story of
Bobby's life:
'.In the year 1858 there came one day
to Greyfriar's churchyari an humble.
Scotch funeral. A poor man named
Gray was buried in corner by the
church. and only few poorly clad
mourners watched the sexton as he
shoveled in the last spadeful of earth
upon the newly-made grave. As they
slowly left the spot no one noticed a
little Scotch terrier, which crept pitt
fully back and moaning sadly lay down
upon his masters grave Not until
the next morning when the sexton-or
curator as the Scotch call him
passed that way did he see the poor
little dog keeping guard over the newly
made mound, lying on the damp, cold
earth, as if to keep as close to his mas
ter as possible Outside the gate of
the churchyard, in big black letters.
was posted an order: No dogs al
lowed Within So the curator drove
poor Bobby away, and put him outside
the gate
1.-The next morning he was again
found there and was driven away in
the same manner. The third morning
was cold and rainy. and when the
curator found the faithful dog still ly-
ing shivering on the grave his heart
was touched He gave him a little
food and Left him to his trust in peace.
From that day, way back in 1858,
until the day of his death in 1871, for
tUelve gears and q half Bobby ueuer
spent single might array from his
masters grace! Did you ever hear of
such devotion as that in a poor dumb
creature, a little insignificant dog like
BobbyP
when the cold storms of winter set
in. and the nights were often bitterly
raw and cold, the old curator used to
try to keep Bobby inside the house,
where he could have q warm and COM
Portable shelter from the wet and chill.
but Bobby always howled dismally
whenever such attempts were made.
and no matter how rough the night
persisted in clinging to the spot, dearer
to him than any other-his master
grave.
LAS the months and years passed by.
the mound where poor Gray was buried
became leveled little by little till ut last
there was almost nothing to distinguish
it from the surrounding ground, for the
man had been too poor to have even a
small footstone to mark it; but Bobby
newer forgot the spot, and his devotion
to his masters memory attracted more
attention than any costly monument.
People who came from far and near to
see the famous Covenanter's stone near
by, where, two hundred years ago. the
old Covenanters signed their names in
blood. often took still more interest in
the little terrier which was now known
for miles around as Greyfriar's
Bobby
For a long time weekly treat of
steaks was furnished him by a certain
kindly Sergeant Scott, Of the city en-
gineers. Then for many years a warm
hearted restaurant keeper near by.
named Trail. fed him regularly. Bobby
used to go to his house. near the
churchyard, every day. punctually at
twelve. being guided by the sound OF
the Edinburgh time-gun, which is fired
every day at noon. For six years he
was fed in this way, till one day the
kind restaurant keeper was summoned
to court for not paying the dog-tax de-
manded of every man who owned a
dog. When Bobby's interesting story
was rehearsed in court, and the judge
was told how Bobby refused to attach
himself to any owner. and spent nearly
all his time by his masters grave. Mr..
Trail was dismissed. though he ex-