Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-07-04
citation as matters of course which
he had every right to expect. Soon
[ undcrstnnd what Il oil mnant

citation as matters of course which
he had every right to expect. Soon
| understood what it all meant.
Romeo belonged to Mrs. G. f.
krcss, Of Washington street, Johns
town. Last Friday, the day the
food gates of the South Fork re-
servoir brook loose, that lady went
to tho house of her sister, Mrs. A.
G. Krcss, on Main street, taking the
dog with her. While there the aw-
full disastrous waters came sweeping
down upon them from Concmaugh
so that all the people in the house
were compelled to get on the roof.
There were seven in the party and
Romeo made a good eighth.
But soon the terrible waves and
floating debris raised horrible havoc
with the buildings. Mrs. G. F..
krcss was knocked off her place of
refuge and rapidly tloatcd along
with the wild stream. No human
being attempted to jump after her
or make any effort for her rescue,
because the surging flood had already
dragged her beyond all human
reach. But Romeo, the lady's dog,
forgctful of his own danger, had ap-
parently been expecting what was
coming.
The water had no more than
closed above the sinking lady when
the dog jumped after her, and when
her dress appeared again above the
surface he immediately graspcd it
between his teeth. 1t was a heavy
burden, but the animal seemed to
make a double effort. Holding the
dress in his mouth he gently but
firmly pushed her forward through
the waters toward n frame house,
which was still dcfying the waves.
Romeo's noble efforts proved sue
ccssful, and in few moments Mrs
Kress was able to lay hold of one of
the spars on the frame house and
drag herself into comparative safety.
But alas! it was only temporary
safety. Even before the woman had
realized her escape the dcvasting
waves came mountain high, rushing
against the frame house. This time
the building could not withstand.
With a terrible crash the wooden
walls seemed to be bursting apart,
and once more the woman and her
dog were at the mercy of the flood.
The noble brute, however, was
not to be dauntcd. Again he clung
to his mistress very closely, not as if
he were to rescue her from watcry
grave, but as if his whole life depend
cd upon her safety. Constantly
swimming by her side while she was
borne upon the current, he contriycd
to keep her head above water so as
to prevent her drowning. For half
an hour the dog battlcd with the
waves for her preservation. His
noble, faithful endurance was at last
rewarded. He succeed in directing
his valued burden toward Alma
Hall, and here Mrs. Krcss was
pulled out Of the waters.
AS she reached the roof uncon-
sciousness overcamc her, and during
that time Romeo, who seemed to
think the woman dead, barkcd and
howlcd in the most frantic manner.
Only her returning breath paciticd
him, and then he quietly and con-
tentcdly lay down at her feet.
This was the story that was
CLEANED from the people surround
ing the dog, and when I called to
see Mrs. Krcss at her sisters home
she verified every particular of the
above.
Romeo comes from PHILADELPHIA,
where a brother Of Mrs. Krcss lives,
who is now the posscssor of twelve
water spanicls.