Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-11-20
~ HECTOR"
BY 'cEL1E GAINES.

laeS, oAO 3AoolIJ UoioV0O Dy one
u woman. A magnificent mastiff is
tor, as brave and bold, not to say as
ant and noble, as many hero with
legs less. As for dogs not being able
link, any one who can entertain such
lea deserves to live in a 'schill condi-
Of doglessness" to the end of his
Twill tell you about Hector, and
may judge for yourself.
svins beensuddenly thrown upon nv
resources, Us 50 often bofalls q girl
psht up in luxury in this swiftly
ring maelstro,n of our American life.
etermined to cultivate the only decided
bn. possessed, that for painting.
Esden was recommended to me IA n
&c both cheap to live in and Offering
Esual facilities for art study. lao
lingly went there. Without g.
peronc? Certainly. I was to be o
svn of affairs, and what was q business
nan to do with SO costly, not to say in
yenient, anappendage us u chaperone?
winter studied and copied in the
cry, and when summer came / took
little steamboat which runs DIP and
n the Elbe, bowling its smoke-stack SO
1entially to all the bridges, and
ted up picturesque castles to sketch.
Lieben-felsen" was the beautiful old
oss | fell specially in love with; SO
ply persuaded On old couple who lived
+ ii to take me into board for lew
ks. They had rather Il nice little
Sc, and garden that sloped down to
waters edge. There, under the
hanging trees, used to sit for hours
Fug up at the massive towers just on
ether side of the castle wall. Now
then u feeling Of loneliness swept
'me, and my heart yearned tor some
he pleasures of the joyous past. One
ming | asked my landlady il any Of
numerous German laws would be in
yel if l should 80 in swimming. At
tshe declared would drown immedi-
\? but when [ assured her that | had
sn how to swim since q child, she
Ny consented with protest as to the
sral unusualness Of American be-
or
Tow refreshing it was! What happi-
sto plunge fearlessly into the cool,
II water! Not living soul was to
zen; not sound to be heard. Sud-
dy a great splash startled me. l felt
bathing dress seized between the
alders and myself dragged vigorously
of the water upon the bank. 1 was
(oughly terrified, but fortunately
seno resistance. As l looked up On
'mous headappeared, and q large pair
yes gazed inquiringly into mine. 1
always loved dogs, but this monstrous
nrber Of my peace was SO formidable
dared not move. He, too, was
aonless; and / read on his collar the
le Hector" At last 1 raised my
very gently and patted him on the
D. and to my infinite relief l per-
ned a slight vibration in the tip end
bis tail. Just as Twas wondering
tar l dared presume upon that
Eatly symptom, he Tapped his rough
Sae all over my face. Then sat up
laughed, and he jumped and
Mckee, ,l as large as young lion, as
Pde as kitten.
,'esently 1 tried to 60 back into the
?e1r' but to this he forcibfy objected,
was obliged to submit. When |
'tned to the house he accompanied
10 the terror Of my hostess. che
:ags up at the sohloss," she ex-
saed; 'the young graf is away tray
and almost all the servants are
ald of him."
'9or fellow, 1 thought; he has been
wy too; that is what we read in each
sf:seycs. After that Hector and
sinsepurable. He came every day
We explored all the surrounding
aHy together. 1 am sure he thought
u.s. :. thought, just as much as you or
sllnk-that he saved my life and
.sequently ought to appoint himself
suardlan. To me he seemed like
as link to the beautiful old castle, 6
sctor and faithful friend.
~e morning as we wero returning
a long walk, I saw advancing tho
w. novel sight to American eyes, {
s ,s; and a dog harnessed together
ss'ng cart. In this instance tn
W. was full Of vegetables. It was evi
N ~ a market fruu taking produce Z
NOW Hector was q true knight, val
>tIyal and gentle, but no possessed
'uat other characteristic Of knight
II" De brooked no intruders; and ~