Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-08-03
COL. L. 4. FITzHuaHE's STORY.

WI BBIS6G f10U & OfOAA DV4 ~
the Colonel Had Promised to Sena-
tor Dortch, of North Carolina
That was One Smart Dog, Too
Any Governor Would Have Been jus
tfa6Ie in Stealing HIM.
WASHINGTON BUREAU
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER,
July 20, 1898
Col. Lafayette FL. Firzhugh, of
Texas, formerly Of Virginia, the
famous door keeper of the House of
Representatives who declared him
self to be a digger man than old
Grant," tells tn: following good
story, which | may mar in the repe-
tition. By the way, the colonel is a
fine noble~hearted old fellow. When
an officer of the Confederate Con-
gress, on his flight from Richmond
at "the fall" he stayed several
months at Thomasville, hunted with
Ped Thomas in the wilds of Ran,
dolph, and fished with G. c. Clark
IN the waters of Abbott's creek. But
that has nothing to do with the
present story. 1t only shows when
and under what circumstances [
came to know the genial Fitz. "That
dog reminds ME of a little one l
gave Senator Dortch, Of your State"
remarked he in front of the Met
ropolitan the other day, "Dortch
wanted a fine setter, and [ had one.
When he vas a bit of a puppy Gov.
Henry A. Wise, who was staying
at my house in Virginia, was out
one day with me in an old field.
We did not know or think anys
thing about birds that day until we
noticed the puppy crouching sud
denly. what does he see!' asked
Wise. l confessed l conld not tell,
for the dog was utterly unframed
and so very young [ did not realize
his abilities. But crawling along on
the ground he soon sprang a covey
of larks, much to the delight of the
sportsman-like Wise. "Fltzhugh, l
must have that dog" "But Gov-
ernor, you can't have this one
I'll get you another" [ said. "Why
not this?' he eagerly replied, strok~
ing the little dog on the head.
Because" l replied. u have
already given bin to Senator
Dortch, of North Carolina, and l
am a man of my word" Governor
Wise was not satisfied. "But l will
have this very dog. No id Tar
Heel shall get such a noble dog as
this out of the State Of Virginia.
He is mine. FItzhugh. Pm going to
take him home with me-" | knew
he would stand me out if | showed
the least sign of caving in. So |
stoutly declared that he could not
have the dog. Well, several days
passed. Il was time for the Gov
ernor to go home. 1t SO happening
l could not go with him myself, l
sent him in a buggy to the landing
where he was to take the boat. He
had not been gone from my house
long before a negro boy came to
me and said: "Mars Fayette, de
Gubner he got yo' i'll dog what
skeert up de larks in de ole fei';
tux him up in de buggy arter be
got out'n sight er de greet US"
The mischief you say, he'd! ,
and Jumped up and ordered him
to saddle my fastest horse, and l rode
for dear life to catch Wise before
the boat should take him eff. He
was the worst chagrined man l
ever saw and wanted to hold his
prize, but 1 got that dog away and
delivered him safe and sound to
Friend Dortch. They named him
Fitz, for me, al first, but Mrs.
Dortch said it shouldn't be named
for Col. Fitzhugh-it was not
showing him sufficient respect, and
they picked out, at her suggestion.
another name. The setter was
famous in North Carolina and
there are quite a number Of his
descendants down there"
The above article from the Wash
ington correspondent of the Chars
lotte Observer will be read with real
interest by u citizens, and espe~
cially by those whose memory runs
back to the "good old days. Of which
the above story is told, and who res
member the noted dog "Fitz-Lee,"
of which his owner, our distinguish
ed and lamented townsman, the late
Hon. W. I. Dortch, was so proud.
The dog was a prodigy of %intelliS-
gence III the "feld" and the home,
and was an object ofreal affection to
every member of the family. He
died at the home of our townsman
Mr.. III, P. Dortch, eldest son of Mr..
Dortcb, some years ago, at an ads
vanced age.
The late Capt. Jas. Henry's IA
nous dog"Dixon" vas "a son of "Fitz-
Lee" and the strain is still in the
kennel of Mr.. Fl. P. Dortch, whose
fine dogs are noted both throughout
this country and Europe.
The dog "Fitz" written of above,
and afterwards given the additional
name of "Lee, making "Fitz~Lee,"
was a pointer, however, and not a
"setter." which is doubtless a mis-
take of the correspondent in reports