The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-11-25
Chased BY Mad Dogs.

T
I
No one had spoken at the club for
about an hour when a raeonteur rose 10
the occasion. Laying aside hispipe with
a look Of regret he began.
Its popular saying that barking
dogs don't bite. Like other popular say
ings this is a fallacy and misleading.
Barking dogs DO not bite while they are
barking. but there is only one species Of
cannie that sneAks up to you and takes
hold without saying word That is the
Scotch collie, which inherits its habit Of
silent biting from sheep nipping an
cestrv."
STORY, story - called out the presi-
dent.
story? God bless you have none
to tell, sir" quoted the raeonteur, re-
m.mbering his classics ''this is only
memory Of two dogs. accursed brutes that
lived with an unfriendly men on q bill, /
over which the postroad was laid This /
man. who was a Cain among his fellows, /
kent two savage mastilfs, who not only |
barked but bit whenever it wss possible. |
I was courting my frst wife up there in /
the Cumberland mountains in British
North America where this happened, /
and had to pass the house regularly ! I
drove a blooded mare that went ike 4
bird, and the dogs were no match for her
but it was very annoying TO have them
follow me down the hill for mile or
more barking and yelping like demons
They would bark at the stage coaches
and run long distances after them, but
the passengers we're safe inside and the
driver and those on the outside were too
high for them to reach. But heard ire-
ouent stories of their attacking men, and
being beaten off with sticks and stones.
I asked why they were not killed and
nv answer was always the same, shrug
of the shoulder and the remark 'fou
don't know the kind Of man their own
er is 1t seemed that he lived alone
with his dogs and people feared him so
much thay dare not 60 to him to com
plain or call in the provincial laws to
help him.
ATERRIBLE CHASE
a crisis came, when one day 7 took
my sweetheart out for sleigh ride in a
low pung belonging to her father, to
which was harnessed my Owl sure and
swift footed mare. 1t was q lovely day
and we expected TO make safe and
rapid descent Of the mountain, distance
often or twelve miles. The air was crisp
and cold, the sleighing fine, and We
skinned up the ascent and reached the
landing before we knew We had started.
There We were met by the dogs. / think
1t would have been less difficulty TO have /
gotten rid of pair Of wolves. dare not |
give my mare her head going down that |
long, steep declivity on frozen snow, and |
the dogs, emboldened BY the cold or
maddened by repeated las hings from my 4
whip. jumped at my companion and tore
her cloak and her dress in mouthsfuls. /
1 dubbed with my whip and beat them /
0lA lltN A4SAAl1 Jul AlaE1 AA4 Luz ChGAA oIIAl
to feel my blows. Their great black and 4
yellow frames quivered with ferocity. 1
The hair on their backs stood up ike 4
names; their eyeballs cleaned red and 4
angry, and the noise they made was deaf
ing and distracting.
~'Ohp ! exclaimed, why haven't I 4
pistoly'
"'Look in the box under the seat
cried my companion, whose face was
blanched.
4 looked quickly, and found a rusty |
double bsrreied horse pistol ola make Of |
forty years ago"
@'Is it loaded p Iasked."
Yes, but don't shoot. If you de THAI
nan viii kin youm
TWO SHOTS FINED THEN.
4 remember thinking how like wo-
man it vas TO tell me where to find the
pistol and then asked me not to shoot.
"I laid the reins loose on the mares
back and away she vent like the wind,
beyond my control now, and knew she
would never stop till she was a mile be-
yond the level ground at the foot of the
hill.
"If the pung held together; if nothing
made the mare swerve from the direct
line if, in fact-if Providence kept an
eye on Us, and the breeching didn't break
We might escape breaking our necks.
looked back and saw the dogs gaining on
US, even at that mad gsit-then / took
aim and fired. Bang Bang! There
were two dark objects lying prone
on the snowy road, and as quick as she
could gather her feet under her N, mare
stopped in her tracks. She was trained
70 the use Of gun.
bot my companion urged me to hur-
~ on, and We were soon down the in
cline and beyond the reach Of reoogni-
ton or pursuit, and strange to say no one
bat our two selves ever knew who killed
those dogs We heard the most marvel
Gus accounts Of The slaughter, the weapon
varying from Queen Anne musket to q
cannon, but dead they were as door nails
and their rein OF terror over. I imagine
their owner did not care to venture out
20 svenge their death. drove boldly
P&st the house every day, but was never
molested " even suspected. Bat / often
heard their unknown slayer praised and
applsuded for the deed which nd the
neighborhoOd of their hateful presence.
--Defrod Free Prex.
John A. I,onean. Jr. Is Of n,ed;un