The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-09-22
Saved by his Dog.


you see in alleys and waste lots feeding
ON garbage. wag did not feed on gar
bage. The gatekeeper's wife at the pris-
on was kind-hearted Irish woman who
fed him well.
"Hes none of mine, eur" she said TO
the warden. "He come one day with the
wife of one of the prisoners, an crept In
with her, an saw his master just behind
the bars, an here he's stayed ever since.
She couldn't get him away, He knows
Johns here she says to me, AN he's
waitin' for him to come out"
"He's an Unconditional cur" said Mr..
Bolts, "Such dogs ought to be shot.
They're no good to anybody"
"But he plays with the children, eur"
She did not tell the warden that Wag
tried to get into the prison whenever the
doors were opened, and howled when
kicked out, But his faithful devotion to
the poor wretch who owned him touched
Mrs. Clancys warm irish heart.
"Twas God made thesbaste. He must
have use for him." she said as the war
den went on to the prison.,
Johns wife, ga weak little body, wild a
big sperrit in her. according to Mrs.
Clancy, came no more to the prison. She
sold the little house they owned in Ken
sington, and going to an obscure New
Jersey village, bought patch of ground,
cultivated it, and made home -6or her
husband when he should. come out.
"Nobody knows you here" she wrote.
"Nobody will know of,the slip you made.
You can begin life afresh. A good car
penter is much needed and | have all
your TOOLS"
1t seemed the best course to her, but it
would have been wiser if she had STAYED
in town and kept up her influence over
him. He was in the companionship of
thieves and drunkards, worse men than
hin self. 1t was easy for them to per.
sue Nm that the chance of decent
lf asover for him in the world Their
no included only guilt and misery
an was living in it with them.
'erm of Imprisonment was for three
yc bnt on account of his good conduct
h discharged a few months earlier
Nj his wife, did not know this. But
s mrades in the prison knew it. Two
of them, who were discharged week
earlier, arranged to meet him as soon as
he came out.
1t was in the evening when he laid of
his convict garb and resumed the clothes
he had worn outside. There was socie-
ty in the city for the care of discharged
prisoners. The agent spoke to him few
hopeful, kind words, and gave him tick
ct to carry him to the town where Mary
lived.
'You'll find your wife there, and a new
home," he said. 'Begin new live, with
Gods help"
John walked down the corridor and
across the prison yard with no hope in
his heart. 1t was long since he had seen
his wife. She could not love miserable
jail-bird He would not go to this place
where she was respected to disgrace her
He would not bring faint on his baby
girl.
The men were waiting for him across
the way. He had no mind to go to steal
ing, or to any kind of crime, but few
days hard drinking, or a plunge in the
river, would end it all, and take him out
of everybody's way
The gate Enclosed. He passed through
and was free man again. In stree
not far away was brightly-lighteC
drinking-shop. His comrades were there
He stopped, looked at the ticket in his
hand and then-crossed the street to joiI
them.
Just at this moment dog rushed on
of the jail gate, and jumped on him, bark
ing, licking his hand, fairly mad will
joy.
The poor prisoner stopped, trembling
from head to foot. "Why, it's Wag =
he said; otis poor old Wag !"
With the sight of the dog came bacl
recollections of his home that he had dis
graced and ruined; Mary, and the baby il
it's cradle. A sick longing filed his hear
to see them again.
s'Its my wife-it's my little girlN' hi
thought. He stood irresolute minute
and then walked hastily to the station.
"Come, Wag, we'll go home" he said.
This is true story. John Dash is liv
ing now, an honest citizen, and the ole
dog still sleeps on his hearth. The gate
keepers wife was not wrong when she
said that God has use for all things tina
He has made. Even poor cur may help
with it's faithful love, to save soul alive
Exchange.