The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-13
TOLD OYER 4 WIYSIDE CRAVE
The Story of Dog and Lost Baby In the
WIids of Western New MexIco.

| The Story of n Dog and "a Lost baby in the
| "Iids Of Western New Mexico.
LOWER PLAZA. N. NJ. Aug. 1.-The tourist
| who visits this region will see. among other
| things. as he drives along the trail from the
railroad. grave with a thick headboard ON
! which is painted the one word Phantom"
Its only dogs grave" the guide will ex-
plain. but reckon he'd more sense than
| some men,"
Phantom was the property OF Bernard Wis
ner. cowboy living near the Datil Mountains
some years ago. but he was buried near the
home OF Daniel Chapman. whose wife was the
sister OF Wisner. Mrs. Chapman when her
brother first got the dog. had a hearty dislike
for it. 1t was n big mongrel with hound blood
predominating, and like all mongrel hounds.
1t had an enormous appetite that was
never 50 well satisfied as. with food stolen
| from somebody's kitchen. For many offences
OF this kind Mrs Chapman had good reason
to complain. and she would have taken tho
Winchester and shot the hateful brute ON
more than one occasion but for two reasons.
1t was Il very good hunt ing dog. and it would
now and then play with the baby when she
wanted to do housework- come over from her
brothers house mile away as il for the eX-
press purpose of having romp with tho little
However. the dogs manners kept growing
worse and one day when she saw It come
gun. but stopped half way because s she he, was
reminded by the sight of the dog that tho lit
tie one had not been about til. house for an
hour or two perhaps more, 80 far AS she could
remember. SO she ran out OF the house
quickly Wv without ,t tie gun and called aloud:
Then She listened and grew faint for she
heard no Ienly; anu iainter still when she re-
q pnnthers track down in the holl near by.
70 think of this was to send her flying toward
found. although she looked behind every one
q the SSattered pines and cedars growing
house @ n" her lands and cans :N Baby
distraetedly. She found the dog standing
right beside the door. but she would not have
noticed him. she WAS SO near wild about the
baby. only for the fact that he stood looking
intenty at her. instead Of taking to his heels
as It was she paid little attention to the dog;
corral and horse shed. crying and calling the
child, until at last she saw the dog come square
start running around the house with his nose
to the ground. She remembered afterward
times time and thon Unsupported but by that tine
her fears had 80 overcome her that she isll
lay nobody knows how long.
When she. came to her senses the dog was
licking her face, and at once began to caper
about and bark In extraordinary fashion when
she opened her eyes and sat up. Then he ran
out the door and st9ppeI and looked back.
Of her dress. which he pulled SO hard that he
tore i. Then she picked ~ clrt and drove
ITO Jog out tHe nDubt. ana Wntn neT buTbt Oh
anger was over inted again at the thought of
was too weak to get up but she saw the dog
was still acting in tho same unusual fashion
she had noticed before. A little later the ,
sound OF horses hoois Gladdened her ears.
and with last effort sho got up. staggered out
the door. saw her hus band as he jumped from
his horse. and. gnsping out the words that
" Baby is lost" tainted for the third time.
Chapman carried the woman to the bed. took .
himself that he had rightly understood what
she had said and then grabbing the Winches-
ter said to tho dog:
Hi. Phantom where's Baby2"
Wow !" replied the dog and started away
on a lopc that kent Dan humping himself to
equal. The trail zigzagged about for nearly
hair mile then crossed II broken lava bed
and ran or down a draw to the creek valley:
trail Dan would not have believed the child
could have gone that way. but he banked on
and kept trotting along until mt last
n thicket was reached lust two miles and
half from home. Into tho thickot the dog
plunged by what was really sort Of tunnel
through the brush. and Chapman had to get
down on his hands and knees to follow Two
rods in he came to an opening, and there on
tho dry sod lay the baby fast asleep. TWAS
As Dan picked up tho child the growl Of the
dog made him look around: Phantom was
standing over tho dead body OF recently
killed coyote.
Phantom died OF old age last spring. and was
buried with many tears near the public high
way. where all who pass Gan see IT, IL was
only dog that was buried there but then. as
the cowboys say u reckon he'd more sense
than some men"