Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-08-22
A True Story of a Dog.

III luO yCdl 1917 iilO obSoihohip
Swallow left the Cape of Good Hope,
bound for England-"for home," the
passengers, all English, called it.
Among them was lady with child
of two years and nurse. The lady
had also brought with her huge,
handsome Newfoundland dog.
The voyage had lasted about six
days. No land was visible, and the
island of st. Helena would be the
nearest point. The day was a beau
tiful one, with soft breeze blowing,
and the sun shining down brightly
on the sparkling waters. A large
and gay company of the passengers
was assembled on deck; merry
groups of young men and girls had
clustered together; now and then
laugh rang out, or some one sang a
gay little snatch Of song, when sud-
denly the mirth of all was silenced
by the loud and piercing scream of
woman. A nurse who had been
holding a child in her arms at the
side of the vessel had lost her hold
of the leaping, restless little one, and
it had fallen overheard into the sea-
into the great, wide Atlantic Ocean.
The poor woman, in her despair,
would have flung herself after her
charge had not strong arms held her
back. But sooner than it can be
written down, something rushed
swiftly past her; there was leap
over the vessels side, a splash into
the waters, and then Nero's black
head appeared above the waves,
holding the child in his mouth.
The engines were stopped as soon
as possible, but by that time the dog
was far behind in the wake of the
vessel. A boat was quickly lowered,
and the ships surgeon taking his
place in it, ordered the sailors to pull
for their lives. One could just make
out on the leaping, dancing waves the
dogs black head, holding something
scarlet in his mouth. The child had
on a little jacket of scarlet cloth, and
it cleaned like spark of fire on the
dark blue waves.
The mother of the child stands on
the deck, her eyes straining anxious
ly after the boat, and the black spot
upon the waves still holding firmly
to the tiny scarlet point. How long
the time seems The boat seems
fairly to creep, though it speeds over
the waves as it never sped before.
Sometimes a billow higher than its
fellows hides for a moment dog and
child from the anxious, straining
eyes. One can almost hear the
watchers hearts then throb with fear
lest the waters may have swallowed
| them up. But the boat comes nearer
and nearer, near enough at last to al
low of the surgeons reaching over
and lifting the child out of the dogs
mouth, then sailors strong arm
pulls Nero into the boat, and the
men row swiftly back to the ship,
"Alive ?" is shouted from every
lip as the boat comes within hail Of
the steamer; and as the answer comes
back, "AliveW a "Thank God u
breaks from every heart. Then the
boat comes up to the ships side. A
hundred hands are stretched out tC
help the brave dog on board, and
"Good Nero" "Brave dog" "Good
fellow" resounds on every side
But Nero ignores the praise shower,
ed so profusely on him; he trots Sc
dately up to the child's mother, anC
with wag Of his dripping tail, look'
up into her face with his big, faith
full brown eyes. 1t was as if he said
az It's all right; l have brought he
back quite safe" The mother drop
on her kness on the deck, and tax
ing his shaggy head in both hands