The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-29

tend their rough but kind sympathy, and
TO await the results of the hunting party
Of men. All night long up and down both
sides of the river, as far south as Gre'f-
fenstein's park and north TO the bridge
this side of Coles addition in kechl
township. the anxious and exhausted par
ties hunted. Lanterns were swung in the
gale, strong voices cried out in warning
of their nearness and she's were fired as
signals. All this time through he long
weary hours the crazed mother surround
ed by plying friends moanei ami wept in
her covered wagon. Returning parties
would reluctantly report no trace, and
then go out again to renew the now ap-
parently hopeless search. From the start
some one had noticed the absence from
the camp of an immense masuff dog D.
longing to the mover whose little child
was somewhere out in the binding and
death-dealing night. No signal calls serv-
ed To bring in the animal and no search
revealed either his whereabouts or those
OF the little girl. About daybreak the
next morning all the searching party save
TWO were in, bsfled and discouraged with
their night of futile toll. Just as the last
they turned out OF a ravine north Of the
Thompson homestead on Twenty-frst
street. and started down the lonely road
for camp. From under the cliffs they
heard a low moan between the screaming
blasts OF the storms wild bowling. and
pell neil the five men tumbled over the
bank to the narrow bed below. There. by
the help of pickering lanterns. they found
the still slightly warm big shaggy body
Of the faithful dog lying under the lea
of a fallen oak tree in pile of protect
ing brush. Safely and warmly covsrtd
from the wind and SHOWS of the wild and
cruel night was the sounGly sleeping
baby girl her face tear-stsIn-i and
scratched with the brush and dried vines.
but warm and safe from the cold and
the storm. She was found in hollow of
the brush. the lighter limb. and twigs
pulled over her by thhe dog. ard also
protected by the underside Of the t:g fall
len tree. Over the only open side to the
windward OF the storm the faithful and
sagacious dog had thrown his great s,,ag-
gy form, and there laid down the best ne
could TO protect his little mistress and
to walt for help TO come. His warm body
and the covering brush mad served we'll
the purpose. and the now sleeping child
was calmly and unconsciously dreaming
blissfully away the torturing hours, while
her noble protector and savior was slow
ly dying from cold and exhaustion. The
baby was hurried to her hysterical moth
er; the almost human guardian watcher
was tenderly picked up by the rough but
feeling men and gently carried to camp.
No amount of rubbing and warm brush
fire served to revive him. For hours ne
piteously and painfully whined and
moaned, seeming fearful he may not fully
have done his duty or successfully per-
formed his last service on earth. While
the leaden skies were yet hazy with the
driving snow. he weakly moaned out his
life, but he had saved a human life and
what mattered it to all the world If he
died, for he was only a dog, a dumb
beast without soul! And yet perhaps
the Master Of the World saw and under
stood, for more noble was he IN his self
sacrifice than many of the sO-cslled
eleventh hour blood saved wretches who
never in all long life Of hypocrisy and
bigOtry did near the like of this noble
and ennobling act. They buried his body
in a hollow near where he had enacted
the last tragic scene Of his commonplace
life, and this mound still is visible known
to a few of the remaining residents who
years ago witnessed something OF his
eventful history. and kept as hallowsd
ground the ridge of earth which even to-
day marks the spot where his bones lie.
fit testimonial TO the enduring Trinc,ple
of fidelity and brute affection.