The Van Buren press., 1893-08-26
A LIVELY DOG.
Story of . Pet Who Was Much Given to
Practical Jokes.

Story Of Pet Who Was Much Given to
Practical Jokes.
A certain big dog, whose acquaint-
ancc | made two or three years ago,
had very lively sense of humor, and
not only liked to play joke himself.
but could appreciate one that was
turned on him.
His mistress was of slight figure,
weighing less than hundred pounds.
In one of his clumsy rushes of delight
at being allowed to go to walk with
her, he bounced against her, and fairly
knocked her down. He seemed to con-
slider it charming joke, and had no
doubt that she enjoyed it as we'll as he
did, for from that day he was always
trying to repeat the performance. If
she started for walk, and wanted his
escort through the woods, he was more
than ready to 60 He came bounding
and frolicking about her as though he
were puppy, always plainly aiming to
dash against her. She had to dodge
him, and finally she did not dare to
leave the steps till he had calmed him
/
stand wagging his tail and looking at
her with most mischievous expression
in his eyes, knowing just as well as she
did that she was afraid of him.
When he saw that she would not go
while he behaved so, he quieted down,
and trotted gravely along beside her,
with all the dignity his position Of pro-
| oI Rrrt hn VT
time she made ready for walk the
same performance was repeated, and
more than year later the dog remem-
bered the joke and tried to play it up
on her again. On others of the family,
of whom he was equally fond, but who
happened to be of larger size, he never
tried this particular prank He would
bound and frisk about, to be sure, but
he did not throw himself against them,
as he did against his little mistress.
| Sometimes, however, the tables were
turned upon him in droll way. He
was very fond of hunting, and greatly
excited over every woodchuck hole he
found, always believing that some day
he should succeed in digging one out,
though he never accomplished that feat.
In his daily walks through the woods
with his mistress, there were certain
well-known retreats of the willy foe,
| that he never passed without call
One of these was at the farther side of
a pasture that bordered the woods,
where grazed herd of cows When
ever the walk led that way Balder
slipped under the fence, crossed the
field and made His visit to the wood
chuck, shifting eagerly at the hole,
and throwing out peck or SO of earth
every time.
There were forty or fifty cows in the
field, who evidently had their opinion
| of dogs, and one afternoon when he
passed through they all stopped graz
ing and fixed their eyes upon him He
spent his usual five minutes there and
started back. The cattle meanwhile
had plainly been considering his case,
and when he came along on his usual
trot, paying no attention to them, they
arrived at decision. One of them,
who had not yestige of a horn with
which to fight, took the lead lowered
| her head and started directly for him.
Instantly the whole drove, with one
accord, lowered their heads, and start
ed on a run in the same direction.
| The dog understood, though he did
not seem to look at them. He dis
dained to run, but he quickened his
trot little, and just little more, till
an instant before they were upon him
he slipped under the fence where he
had gone in. Once outside, he stopped
and looked back at them in silence.
then glanced at his mistress with an
expressive wag of the tail, which said
as plain as words: Wasn't that
| joke?"
This passion for hunting was such
that he would attack any animal he
met, from mouse to a grizzly bear,
and one unlucky day he found in the
edge of the woods porcupine, and
without hesitation flew at him. In a
few moments, the household, which
was not far off, was startled by fearful
cries, with barking and sounds OF war
fare, and man was dispatched to see
what was the matter He rescued the
wild beast (whom he had sense enough
to know was friend of the farmer),
and the dog came limping home, with
not only his forepaws, but his mouth.
full of sharp quilts. His tongue and
the roof of his mouth were completely
covered, and they hung from his lips
like fringe. OF course he was nearly
Wild paving his mouth and rolling on
| the Ground i'm his pain.
His distressed young mistress seated
herself on the ground, took his head
| in her lap, and with the help OF two
men, tried to pull the barbed quills
out. Naturally this hurt. and the suf.
fering animal snapped at the men, who
were afraid-with reason-of his for
midable teeth. 1t looked for awhile
MS if bullet through the brain would
he the only way to end the matter. as
has often happened TO dog who will
neddle with this well-armed beast.
In this dilemma visitor suggested
chloroform, and supply was hastily
brought. His heroic mistress saturated
her handkerchief and held it to his
nose, and then sat there holding his
head and administering the drug as
needed, until the two men had pulled
out every quill. 1t was tedious opera
ton, but it was thoroughly done, and
when the patient came to consciousness
he was entirely relieved. and more than
hundred porcupine quilts strewed the
Grass around. His mouth and jaws
were little sore for few days, but
that was the only result of an indiscre-