The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-17
DID THE DOG UNDERSrAND2
Whether ITe Did or Not, He Did Not Wait
to Have His Head Shot on

SCRANTON, May 16-"I have owned good
many hunting dogs" said F. H. Jermyn, a we'll
known Scranton sportsman. the other evening,
but the greatest one l ever had was spaniel
and my last experience with him was peculiar
I got the spaniel when he was a few months
old, and he soon became much attached to
me that he wouldn't follow any other member
Of the family anywhere. But before 1 got
through with him he provoked me more than
all the dogs ever had put together. | owned
two more spaniels that we're excellent partridge
or rabbit hunters, and when the young dog was
a little moro than u year old began to try to
teach him to hunt with them. He was better
bred than they were, but l couldn't got him to
run with them for a rod He kept close to my
heels from the time started for the field till
got back. l let him smell Of dead birds and
rabbits. and did everything could think of to
teach him how to range. but 1t was useless. l
took him alied every time did the others. and
l exhausted all Of my tact and patience to make
something Of him: never abused him. always
couldn't drive him. He obeyed me everywhere
except in the fields and woods. and toward the
end Of the hunting season made uD MY mind
II was out shooting for the last time over in
Benton township. Tho dog had behaved in
the same provoking way all day. and as / sat
resting on a log called him to me- looked him
in the eye. and said to him in an ordinary tone
1
head OIL when get you up in the woods! /
intended to shoot him TO death lust as much
as intended to 20 to bed that night. and when
got to an out Of the-way place In the woods |
cooked my gun without looking around and
said: Come on, old fellow. I'll put an end 10
you right here eupposing that the dog was Mt
my heels as usual. He didn't bound forward
as expected him to- and looked behind me-
The dog wasn't there, and haven't seen him
from that day to this. My name was on his
collar. and knew that somebody in the coun-
try would run across him, but l didn't care
whether they did or not.
THE strangest thing about tho dog came
later. More than three months after that a
Benton farmer called ut my house and wanted
to know II had lost dog. | told him the
queer circumstances. and lie went on TO say
that after dark. on the same day that / had
come SO near xii ing the spaniel. no heard
something scratching on his kitchen door. fol-
lowed by faint whine. He opened the door,
and in came my dog. Tho man lived ionr
miles from where ! had missed the SPANIEL
fectly at home from the moment lie entered
the house. and took to every mem Der OF the
family right along. He said that he had hunted
with the spaniel n number Of times and that
he had never seen q better bird dog of that
breed. | told him he was welcome TO the
spaniel. and suppose he has him yet.
Now. what puzzled me was; did that dog
know what said 10 him when toll him that
/ was going to blow the top OF his head or
whom ! got him up IN the woods? Or did lie
Judge from my countenance or the manner in
which spoke to him that meant to XIII him -?
He had ever left my heels before, ard his seek
ing protection among total strangers four
miles from the spot showed that he knew
good zeal more than supposed ho did"