The morning call., 1894-12-10
HE REACHED HOME.
Long Swim of an Alameda
Mans Dog
After Falling From the Oakland
Ferry-Boat-He Was Given Up
For Lost by His Master.

When Fred Miller of this city. who is
residing temporarily over in Alameda,
went on board the ferry-boat Oakland yes
terday afternoon he was accompanied by a
medi1m-sized setter dog, a handsome ami
NAL which Mr.. Miller has raised from a
pup and which he cherishes as faithful
companion. When Mr.. Miller left the boat
at the Oakland mole he did not have the
dog with him and there was an anxious,
worried look on his countenance. Thereby
hangs tale which is decidedly interesting.
When the ferry-boat had just pass ed
Goat Island Mr.. Miller was Oh the lower
deck at the stern Of the vessel talking and
Joking with some friends, while the Cog
was gam boiling about in a risky manner
natural to young CANNES Of cheerful tenn
permanent. One of the party was amusing
himself by thro wing some crackers to the
animal out of bag which he carried. He
would throw them up in the air and the
dog would leap up anu catch Them in his
mouth.
In some way the dog missed one, and
1t rolled toward the edge of the deck. In
tent upon his frolc the dog dashed after
it. The rush carried him 100 far. Over
the open end of the boat rolled the
cracker into the bay, ana into the bay
after it went the dog, although he tried
| nara TO QOlu UlulSoll DaCks AS he pumped
| into the foaming wake OF the boat the I'M
| fortunate animal seemed to realize his
| danger and gave vent TO cry of terror
that was almost human in its plteous in
| tenslty.
When Mr.. Miller and his friends, as
| we'll as the other passengers who saw the
accident, ran to the end of the boat they
saw the dog swimming madly after the
| steamer, an appealing look upon its eX-
pressive face. Mr.. Miller wanted to run
up to the wheelhouse and try and induce
the captain to stop the boat in order to
have the canine picked up. but one of the
attaches of the boat told him that it was
not likely that STOP would be made.
| His friends, too, got the excited man
somewhat Gained down by telling him
thai 1t was not very far from shore aud
| that the dog would probably swim TO terra
| firma all right.
But all this time the big ferry-boat was
! forging ahead and widening the distance
between it and the dog. The latter was
getting to be speck in the yeasty waters
that trailed after the boat. 1t struggled
| bravsly in the waters and the last descern-
| IDLE features about IL were its two bright
eyes, which were fairly bullying out of its
head in its efforts, as il the poor canine
was trying to impress those with whom he
had been playing with the seriousness of
his predicament and was wondering W by
they should desert him in such dire ex-
tremity. Until the boat reached the mole
| Mr.. Miller stood gazing at the waters
where be had last seen his favorite.
There were tears in his eyes. After land
ing he stood on the wharf for three hours
waiting to see If the dog would reach the
mole.
But no dog came, and finally he sadly
took the train for Alameda firmly con-
WINGED that his pet canine had found a
watery grave.
Mr.. Miller though. in the excited
state Of his feelings, overlooked the fact
that dog values his life as much as
human being, and will struggle to pre-
serve il just as long. He also forgot that
if cats have nine lives dogs might possibly
have few extra eXistences.
At any rate as Mr.. Miller approached his
residence near Bay-street station in sad
frame of mind he received quite shock
of surprise when the very animal which he
was grieving over dashed out at him as
large as life, and began to jump up and
paw" him over in very friendly manner
The dog had been there nearly half an
| hour, and those tho informed MI Miller
Of the fact said that the animal had been
seen running up the railroad track from
the direction of the creek. AS the dog did
not land at the mole he, in all probability,
swan up the creek and made his way home
by the shortest route. To accomplish this
he swan four or five miles in unusually
good time.