The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-15
DENNIS

Dennis was a pig, but not by any
mean, an ord nary, common porker.
ASK any of the sailors who were &C
huainted with him en- the L. S. S.
Vanderbilt, and they would indig-
bantly rcpel that idea When you
have finished the story OF his lite,
rerlaps YOU will agree with them in
thiuking him Il rather remarkable
|pig.
Dennis was a very little fellow
when he was first taken aboard his
Ffoating home. with a number of his
COMPANIONS, to serve as fresh meat
for the officers and crew. One by
one the members of the pOrcine tribe
we're slain and eaten: but EenniS,
because of his diminutive size, was
reserved until the last. and then miss
ING his mates and not being confined
10 a stv. he began to hang about the
men and to seek their acquaintance
in rs dumb fashion.
The sailors, having had their fiji
| Of fresh meat, were gratitied by these
marks Of friendly feeling in an ami
nal usually considered to be some
what obtusc in such ways, and con-
| cluded that they would rather have
| the pig as Il pet than as pork. So a
petition was sent to the captain to
that effect. and vas readily granted.
Now Dennis became a privileged
| character on board ship. lie took
his meals with the crew, trOtting
from one MAJ to another to get his
portion Of the viandS, and you may
be sure he was always generously
served. What games Of rOmps the
tars used to have with him on the
gun,deck in loating hours.
The pig would find a hiding place
behind n of the guns and ensconce
himself there, his little eyes fairly
twinkling with the fun Of the pro-
cecding, while the men pretended to
hunt for him, carefully avoiding his
place Of concealment until at last, as
they passed that particular gun. Den
MS would rush out on them with a
squeal of delight, and away they
would all go in a race for the other
end Of the deck, the pig generally
contrirlng to trip up n or two OF
his p!aymates on the way.
Another Of his tricks was to secure
a piece Of rope and go about with it in
his mouth, grunting, until SJmG one
was obliging enough to take hold of
the other end, when he would enjoy
a pulling match with his opponent
quite as much as a dog ever dOeS..A -
rs the ship drew near the tropics
Dennis, having grown decidedly fat
with his good living, felt the heat
very much, and his one sOlace was to
climb into the water trough and lie
down under the spout Of the pump,
making known his whereabouts with
loud grunts, until u OF the old cap
talns of the forecastle, hearing him,
would call out to the younger sailors:
''Thele. two Of you lazy lubbers,
why don't YOU go and pump on Den
MS: Don't YOU hear him calling
you?"
Dennis was accordingly pumped on
until he signided he had had enough
of it by rising and waddling off.
ne snip touched az dlpdTdISO, u
few sheep were taken on board, deS'
tined to the same end that Dennis
had escaped. The pig had rare fun
with these timid creatures, chasing
them all about the deck, and delight
Ing in seeing them fly before him.
He persisted in these tactics until
but n lamb was left, and the sailors
predicted that Dennis would save the
butcher the trouble Of killing that
one by worrying it to death, since ne
was now fir e to Concentrate all his
energies upon it. Therefore. what
was there surprise on turning out one
morning to find the lamb and Dennis
sleeping close together, the lamDs
head plllOwed on the pigs fat side.
Who can say that Dennis did not re-
member. his W former loneliness,
and therefore took compassion on the
lorlorn little creature who was lett
IN the anne condition? >,
His actions afterward certainly
seemed to point to that conclusion,
Tor losing his character OF prosecutor,
3e e;eane Billy's protector aa'