Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-10-22
L" HECTOR"
BY CELIE GAINES.


Not that son of Priam, the beloved of
Andromache, but still real prince of
his race, and greatly beloved by one
small woman. A magnificent mastitf is
Hector, as brave and bold, not to say as
gallant and noble, as many hero with
two legs less. As for dogs not being able
to think, any one who can entertain such
an idea deserves to live in ''chill condi-
tion of doglessness" to the end of his
days. Twill tell you about Hector, and
you may judge for yourself.
Having been suddenly thrown upon my
own resources, as so often befalls a girl
brought up in luxury in this swiftly
whirling maelstrom of our American life,
determined to cultivate the only decided
talent l possessed, that for painting.
Dresden was recommended to me as a
place both cheap to live in and offering
unusual facilities for art study. ac-
cordingly went there. Without
chaperone? Certainly. | was to be
person of affairs and what was business
convenient, an anappendage as a chaperone?
All winter | studied and copied in the
gallery, and when summer came | took
the little steamboat which runs up and
down the Elbe, bowing its smoke-stack so
deferentially to all the bridges, and
hunted up picturesque castles to sketch.
"Lieben- -felsen" was the beautiful old
schloss | fell specially in love with: SO |
finally persuaded an old couple who lived
near ii TO take me into board for a lew
weeks. They had rather nice little
house, and q garden that sloped down to
the waters edge. There, under the
overhanging trees, used to sit for hours
gazing up at the massive towers lust on
the other side of the castle wall. Now
and then a feeling of loneliness swept
over me, and my heart yearned tor some
of the pleasures of the ioyous past. One
morning | asked nv landIady if anv of
the numerous German laws would be in
fringed if should 90 in swimming. AT
first she declared | would drown immedi-
ately, but when assured her that had
known how to swim since a child, she
finally consented with a protest as to the
general unusualness of American he.
6avior.
How refreshing it was! What happi-
ness TO plunge fearlesslv into the cool
clear waterl Not n living souI was to
be seen; not a sound to be heard. Sud.
denly great splash startled me. felt
my bathing dress seized between the
shoulders and myself dragged vigorously
out of tbe water unon the hank was
thoroughly terrified, but fortunately
made no resistance As looked nm an
enormous head onneared and Ioroe hair
of ewes gazed induiringIv into mina
had always loved docs RI tb;s monstrors
ils,urber Of NV neace was So formidable
that | dared not move He foo was
motionless; and read on his collar tbe
name, "Hector." At last I raised nv
hand yery gently and patted him on th9o
neck, and to nv infinite relief I nnr
ceived a slight vibration in the tin end
of his tail. Just as was WONDERING
how far dared presume upon that
friendly symptom, he lapped his rouoh
tongue all over nv face. Then | sat nm
and laugbed, and he iumned and
frolicked as large as n vouna lion as
gentle as n kitten
Presently I tried IN oo booL into tho
water bnt In this be forc;bI,, ob;ootod
and I was obliped IN spbn,;t Wbon I
returned to the bonse be accomnoniod
ne. to the terror of NV bostoos p""III' a.Ho
belonps mn at tho scblosS " Sho ax NV
nlained. "fbe vonna graf 10 owou +ro"
cling, and almost all the sorynnts aro
afraid Of him" ~ ' "'''' .
Poor fellow. thoupbt. be bo. hoon
lonely, too; that is what we read in oach
others ewes. After that Hector and /
were inscparable. He came every d,y
and VIC explored all the surro1ndine
country together. | am sure he tbougbi
yes. thoIght. lust as mucb os Won or
can tbink-tb.t he saved INV life anf
conseaueutl, ought TO anpoint himself
nv Guardian To mo be seor,od i;Lo a
rsinp link to tbe beautiful old cos,Io q
protector md faithful friend
One NOR, inm as we were rotrrriro