Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-10
THE LIFE OF PRINCE.
SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTIC
or THIS REMARKABLE DOG.
PLAYED The ROLE or NURSE.
How He Helped to Protect and En-
terrain u Family of Little Girls
His Devotion to Those Who Loved
Him-The Hereafter of Dogs.


were very little and when they all went
out for an evening stroll. with a baby
carriage and two nurses. they made a
lively party.
Prince was always on the lookout for
them, and as soon as he heard their
merry voices would leap the fence and
join the procession, adding his deep bass
10 their infant treble. Nurses and chill
dren alike were devoted to him, and
he was dubbed by both families 'the
third nurse"-the two human attendants
depending no little upop his aid in pro-
tecting and amusing their little charges.
One OF their favorite walks was through
the woods TO a wide, deep pool in a
little stream, which the children named
princes pond" where they spent many
a happy hour together, they throwing
stones into the water, he leaping in and
barking at the splash.
One OF the most notable features about
this intimacy was that, after we re-
turned to the city in the fall, every now
and then through the winter, Prince
would trot up through the country
some eight Or nine miles, to Bon Air,
friends-who were always overjoyed 10
see him-maklng the return trip, when
he had finished his visit, by the morn
ing train to Richmond.
He also took great interest in two
young ladies, who successfully filled the
position of stenographer and typewriter,
in Stiles & Holidays law Office. To one
of these ladies' he became strongly at
tached, and his habit was, II In the
office when she left IL In the evening.
TO "see her home" turning first to me.
with a look, which plainly said: Il am
going home now with Miss, but III
be at the house by the time you get
there" The friendship between this
Young lady and this noble. affectionate
creature was really beautiful. She her
self has told me that, coming to the
city. as she did from a country home,
| Prince was one of the first and best
| friends she made, and that the dogs
| faithful affection and companionship
| were for a long time among the brightest
| features Of her life.
trust she will pardon this recital and
| the further statement that she made seve-
! raj visits to Prince after he became 100
weak to go down to the office. l am told
| by members of my family that the last
| visit she paid him was one or the most
touching scenes they ever witnessed-the
tender feeling of the gentle girl and the
| appreciation and pleasure of her almost
| diving dumb friend being equally marked.
| So much for what l may term the gen.
! tIer side Of Princes nature. His az
fections were always quick and tender
| but by no means lacked the heroic ele-
ment. A lady with whom he had some
| LITTLE acquaintance came to my house one
! evening from the country for the purpose
1 of undergoing a slight surgical operation.
| AS was his wont with our guests; Prince
| met her at the door, rendered her the
| freedom of the house. and showed her up
| 10 her ROOM In the morning two doctors
were in attendance, administered cnloro, y,
| form, and had completed the nrst part Vi
| their work when the patient uttered an
| unconscious scream. At the moment
| Prince was down stairs. buts QUICKER
than / can tell 1t. he was IN me lnlru
| story, and rushing through the opeu
| door to the defence of one whom ne re-
| earded as under his protection. Fortu-
| nately, lady was in the room 20 "n1Ii
the dog was devotedly attached, and VINO
| had entire control over him. ODedlen'
to her voice and gesture, he did not az
| tack the doctors. but sprang upon the
bed. and. lying down by the side OF tnei,
unconscious patient, licked her race anu an
| hands whining and moaning piteousy
At the command OF MS nisttsss, nv a. ",
ever. he got OF the bed and laid by ~ on
| the floor The doctors. who by TINS the
he had come to understand INTENDED no
harm. found II necessary to admlnls'es
choloroform a second time ana as oiie 81 81
them told me, Prince took the greatest
| interest In the operation, sitting close ny
gazing intently on the patient. his ears
| cooked forward. and his tail moving neI s
yously being, as my informant auuSu,
did not shrink from the pungent odor oil
| chlOrOfOrm.
one Of the physicians suggesting Una.
the dog might attack them IN case tns
patient should again give any snsn ,hs s
iIneasiness he was made to leave the
room bur- would not go far, lying ooWil
I'm the htl Just outside the door. Ai'e 81
the doctors went away ne was alloMeu ~
return to the room, and there ne reihaiileu
all day long. not leaving IL even ~, ,yb bo'
or water until late in the evening, WIFI,
being down stairs at supper. ana neaIlns
what he took TO be note OF ul9tiSss
from above. he dashed upstairs dsalii,
with the clatter and rush OF coii Ipla
Of cavalry. and. the door being closeu,
threw himself against 1t until the very
partition trembled s,ur
When let In. the lady, who was SUI
reclining on the bed, but quite hersell
held out her hand TO MN, when ne ha.
Cd fondly. laying his paw In 1t, ana, De.
ing thus assured that all was wen, VEN
dovn stairs again, finished his supper
and retired 10 his kennel on the Dach
porch. -. ,.,o,,,, ,c
staal However hungry, he would no'
touch food which was upon table or "
anv nosition indicating that II was loi
human use. Well knowing this was sur
prised beyond measure one evening I,
see him enter the dining-room from "a, ~,
nantrv vfth a wisole chicken in MS
roouth Going to him. and seeing he Ole
not at once surrender II, as L had SUP
posed he would. for the nfst ana ons
time in all our intercourse, slapped mn
and violently took the eniekeh IRON IN ni dil
moi growl but looked. as he felt and ~
~ ,Vae outrgged-and that by his pes
friend Turning from me, he walked de
| iiherately back into the pantry, i FOLLOW
ing. No sooner had ! entered tne uoo 10,
thsn the truth flashed upon me, not les'
from the bearing of the dog than from th'
| anuearance OF the pantry and the carcass
~ the chicken, which the cat had eVi
IDENTIFY taken from the sate ana mou nrn,,
uicEed mn and intended TO appropriate
aSter exhibiting TO me, 2ussy's abandon
Gu nave seldom Eel, keener regret for ,
nasty act, and never apologize more
h,,milv of course, l gave him the
n nuIy which he kindly accepted. bu
aarnhad ont with the air of a gentleman
nho mad cleared himself from an unjus
,mnutation and administered fitting re
buke to a friend for nar5oring a s t,;ps
lie many another noble gentleman
prince had his weak points, one OF which
was abiect fear OF thunder and lightning
II was pitiful to note how the poor Eel
low shifted the storm from afar ana nov
~ messed close to the feet OF his human
trsends until IL was over. Another weak
ness was that, every now and then NJ
would get on a spree ana stay out al
night, or even severai DAYS and nights