Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-04-29
DUTCH NECK'S GOAT SAlI.
4 Billy Full OF Guile ard Nero
Substantial Things.

Sun. The goats name is Sam, ard his
stomach has had in ii about everything
that in the ordinary run of life is lett
living about loose. Sans courage is
about us great as his appetite, and lie
Coes into any kind Of row unhesitat-
ingly if he sees anything to eat at The
other end Of it.
Sam is II years old. lie first came
into rotoricty eight years ago, when he
corncred a burglar, and kept him cor
nc7ed until uillhouse and Eirad man
tool: the manin. This happened one sum-
mcr night. IiilIhouse had lived On TIE
farm that lie OWLS good many years,
and never had been troubled with mid
night providers. When he retired on
this particular night he left the window
Of Il second-story room open. Near thc
window grew a tree, and up the tree Il
chief climbed in the night, made his way
through the window, ransackcd the
house, and got safely back to the
ground. But the end was not yet. SAM,
who was shopping around the yard
seeking something that would stop the
gnawing in his stomach, cspied The
burglar as he was coming down and
started for him.
The first knowledge that the man bad
OF Sans presence vas when the goats
head hit him with the force Of L batter
:ag ram frcm the rear. Tie fellow was
knocked to his knees, but he was quc!:-
" on his feet and sprintirG for the gate
Sam went after him and got between
him and the gate. Seeing that escape
in that direction was impossible, the
man turned and ran toward the barn.
Adjoining the barn was wagon house,
and into the angle formed by these
buildings the goat drove the bu2lar AID
butted him up against the side OF the
barn with force that made the man
howl like an Indian. Now and then Inc
man tried to sneak around the goat ard
get away, but Sam was on the alert AID
stopped him. The goat pounded away
until the burglar ached in every joint,
and, concluding that he might letter
go to Jail than face the animal any
longer, began to howl at the top CT his
voice. The noise woke EIiilhousc, and,
with his hired man, he went out to see
what was up. He found the thief and
handed him over to the constable.
From that time Sans career has been
eventful and brilliant. One of his most
remarkable exploits was the saving Of
Air. uillhousc's little daughter from
drowning. Three years ago Carrie Fill
house, then four years old, started out
ore afternoon TO join her father and his
men, who were working in field about
Il quarter CT q mile from the house. On
the Way she YES obliged 10 cross a
bridge over Sutphn's creek, sluggish
stream lkat runs between high, steep
banks. Sam went with the girl. She
stopped on the Bridge to look down into
The water, lost hcl balance, and fell in.
Hillhorsc. Who WIS I'll load of hay,
headed for tie tain, saw his daughter
fall, ard, sliding tc the ground he ran as
fast rs he could toward the bridge. The
goat, without hes:tating an instant,
eapcd into the water and hooking his
horns into Carries clothes held her
head above the surface.
Sam struggled heroically with his
burden, and managed TO get to the bank
lust as Hillhouse reached the spot. The
goat and the child were lifted out, and
more delicacics found their way into
Sans stomach that week than he ever
had seen before. Everybody in the
neighborhood showed the goat some
mark of esteem, and when Sunday came
the preacher in the local church paid
him q high tribute in his sermon, and
in his prayer invoked a blessing on the
head of the faithful animal who, he de-
clarcd, WAS more courageous and more
intelligent than many men," Sam is
probably the only goat that ever re-
ceiyed special prayer in pulpit.
Suns appetite frequently has got him
int" trouble and at the same time has
increased his value in the eyes of his
owner. who knows that some day, when
the goats thread of life is broken, he
will yield up some of the valuables that
he has swallowed. Years ago Mrs. Hill
house discovered that on wash day the
safety of the clothes she hung out to
~-t1 ~ a
dry depended upon their hanging high
when Sam was in the neighborhoctl.
She didn't learn this until the goat had
almost completely devoured i wash left
within his reach. On that occasion he
consumed two sheets, calico dress and
a flannel shirt, a table cloth, half a
dozen napkins, pair of boys trousers,
and three cotton stockings. lie M
doubtedly would have cleaned the line
and devoured the rope had he not been
discovered by Mrs. Hillhouse before he
had reached next to the last garment,
for he made brave fight against the
Eroomsticb that was brought into requi-
tition and tried to get at bosom shirt
and sun bonnet that were still On tie
line. Thereafter the clothes were hung
SO high that Mrs. Hillhouse was obliged
TO use a stepladded to reach them, and
Sam satisfied himself with walking
around, now and then up on his hind
legs and smiling wistfully.
The wide scope of the goats appetite
was not understood even then, but it
was revealed TO Mrs. Hilhouse one day
when she hung a hall mat over the
porch rail to let the wind blow the dust
out of it. The mat never was seen again,
but Sam was found lying on the porch,
near the spot where it had been hung,
with look of supreme contentment on