The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-07-04
TOMS DOG.
A Singular Companionship. and How It
Was Formed.

A Singular Companionship. and How It
Was Formed.
II you werc to meet my dog Tom by
night. as no paced to and fro about the
house, keeping guard over the Sleep
Ing family. you would perhaps be
alarmed. His head is enormous, and
his expression is fierce. His eyes are
red; his large mouth is usually half
open, showing his long. stout teeth;
his coat is rough and shaggy; his tail
is formidable, and his footsteps leave
in the dust Of summer or kthe snow OF
winter marks as big as the palm of
,nau's hand.
And yet he is most peaceable ami
NAL. The children ride him bareback.
Tho babies clinch their pretty fists in
his hair and hang on to his tail and
pull his ears. and he bears it all with
unfailing amiability. Moreover, ii you
como suddenly upon him, as he lies in
the path, and by accident tread upon
his tail. he will perhaps make Dig
niiied protest, but he will bear no NAL
ice. There is one thing, however. that
Tom will not permit. and that is, any
sort of interference with his dog.
What! Toms dog? Yes. he has had a
dog Of his own for two years. will
tell you how it happened.
One day, as / sat on the veranda
smoking cigar, saw Tom come to
the usual place for his dinner. The
cook had put out a big dish OF meat
and potato for him, which he speedily
devoured, md then he turned to q
generous heap Of chicken bones, which
seemed to serve him in some manner
as side dish or possibly as dessert
just at that moment 4 doleful- looking
object crawled out from under the
hedge. It was a wretched little ami
NAL. yellow in color, its hide bare in
spots, long-nosed, gaunt, its ribs show
ing like the hoops on q powder-keg.
md bedaubed with dirt. There it
crouched, with its tail between its
legs, its muzzle thrust forward. its
ears dropping. smiling the aroma of
the feast-the very picture Of half
starved, ill-used, friendless canine. It
was, indeed, one Of the most wretched
Of all living beings, dog without a
master, dog that gets kicks instead
Of caresses. q dog that is never fed, q
dog that wandors from place to place,
sleeping under barns or warming him
self under haystacks-a poor, de-
spondent suffering animal that ought
to arouse the pity Of every kind heart.
Well, this little wretch was attract
ed by Toms dinner. and watched to
see what he would do. He looked at
the bones, and then at Tom with sup
plicating eyes. He crept slowly toward
the spot, and then skunk back, whin-
ing and trembling. He was SO hungry.
and yet what would become Of him if
that great, fierce beast were to become
angry and turn upon him? One stroke
from Toms big paw would end his
misery forever.
But nothing OF the sort. Tom
showed no sign OF wrath. On the
contrary he looked at the newcomer
with an induleent air, as If he were
saying: Poor chap, he must be very
huLgry!" The yellow dog felt encour-
aged. and drew little nearer, goaded
by hunger, held back by fear. He
arose. crept along few steps. then
crouched down again. Tom became
more and moro friendly. He looked
at the stranger. then ut the bones.
Then he moved yard Or SO, in order
that his immediate presence might not
be source Of alarm.
Tho yellow dog took the hint and
sprang upon the heap OF bones. There
was crunching sound, few gulps,
and the bones had disappeared. Tom 8
dessert was the strangers chief dish.
When he had eaten the whole and
licked his chops, he began to be con-
scious OF . sensation OF gratitude. He
then walked toward Tom, wagging his
tail, and finally paced slowly clear
around his benefactor, watching him
with eyes which seemed to say: ''Are
you willing ] should stay with you?'
Thcn he lay down in tho sun near the
kitchen-door step, put his head on his
forepaws, and went to sleep.
From that day my dog had q dog, not
Z companion or friend, because that
implies equality, but a servant. Tom
is the master, the yellow dog is the
humble, devoted attendant When
food is brought Tom eats first Then
he says: '.Waw" In tone Of grufl
but kindly command. and the other
comes up and takes what is left. II
the new arrival does any thing foolish,
such as barking at the heels OF a friend
Of the family, Tom growls in q way
that soon brings him repentant to the
kennel. 1t is useless for me or for any
one else to try to call the whelp. HI
will not answer to any human voice
nor will no lie down when he is told Il
do so. He is simply Indifferent.
What does that person want?" VI
can imagine him saying. What right
has he to give me ordersp ! am no
his dog"
So / have not even given him ,
name Il would be utterly useless