The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-24
SMisceIIa11entrs
HECTOR, THE GREYHOUND.

Hector was the favorite hound of my
brother Rufus. who was extremely fond
| of him, for he was one of the most
beautiful creatures ever seen, had an
amia1le disposition and was very in
| teliigent. You would scarcely believe
Inc should tell you all his accomplish
ments and cunning tricks. lfole gave
him a piece OF money, he would take
it in his mouth and run at once to the
baker or butcher fer his dinner. He
was evidently fond of music, and even
seemed to have an ear for it and he
would dance away Iuerrily whenever
he saw dancing. He was large and
strong, ard in the winter, l remember,
we useh 10 harnI SIS him to little
sleigh, Oh which he drew my youngest
brother to school, As Hector was as
fleet as the wind, this sort of riding
was rare sport. AT night we had out
to start him off and he would go direct
ly to the school. house for his little
master. All, Hector was a wonderful
dog,
A few miles from our house there
was q pond. or small lake, very Geep
and dark, and surrounded by a
swampy wood. Here my brothers
used to go understanding, though it
was rather dangerous sport, as most
of the shore of the pond was a soft
bog, but thinly grown over with grass
and weeds. 1t was said that cattle
had been known to sink in it, and dis
appear in short time.
One night during the hunting season
one of my elder brothers brought y
friend home with him, a fine, hand
some young fellow named Charles
Ashley. 1t was arranged that thew
should shoot ducks about the pond
the next day. So in the morning they
all set out in high spirits. 10 tine fore
noon they hod not much luck, as they
kept too much together; bu0 in the
afternoon thy separated, my brothers
giving their friend warning to beware
# getting into the boys. But Ashley
was wild inprudent young man, and
once, having shot a fine large duck,
which fell into the pond near the
shore, and Hector, who was with him,
refusing to go into the water for it, he
ran down himself. Before he reached
the edge of the water he was over his
ankles in mire; then, turning to go
back, he sunk to his knees, and in
another moment he was wa!st-high in
the bog and quite unable TO help him
Sell. 11O gun uOWh, anu
fortunately could rest one end of it on
little knoll of firmer earth; but he
still sank slowly till he as up to his
arm-pits. OF course he called aud
shouted for help as loud as possible,
but my brothers were at such dis
tance that they did not hear him so as
to know his Voice. But Hector, after
looking at him in his sad fix a moment,
started off on swift run, which soon
brought him to his master. My
brother said that the dog then began
to whine, and run back and forth in a
most extraordinary manner, until he
set out to follow him to the scene of
the accident. Hector dashed on
through the thick bushes, as though
he were half distracted, every few
moments turning back with wild cries
to hurry on his master. When my
brother came up to where his friend
was fixed in the mire, he could see
nothing of him at first. Then he
heard faint Voice calling him, and
looking down near the water he saw
pale face looking up at him from the
midst of the black bog. He has often
said that it was the strangest sight
that he ever saw. Poor Ashley's arms
| and the fowling-piece he held were
now beginning to disappear, and in Il
very short time he would have sunk
out of sight forever Oply to think of
such an awful death My brother,
who had always great presence of
mind, lost no time in bending down a
young tree from the bank where he
stood, so that Ashley could grasp it
aud in that way be drawn up, for as
you see it would not have been safe
for him to go down to where his friend
sunk. When Ashley had taken firm
hold of the sapling, my brother let go
of it and it sprung back, pulling up
the young man without much exertion
on his part. Ashley was, however,
greatly exhausted with fright and
stru Cling, and lay for some moments
on the bank, feeling quite unab t.
walk. AS soon rs .se was str Ing
enough he set out for home with my
brother, stopping very often to rest
and shake off the thick mud, which
actually weighed Il, avily upon him.
| never shall forget how he looked
when he came into the yard abouts san,
set o, what rueful and ridiculous
figure he cut! We could none of us
keep from laughing, though we were
frightened at first, and sorry for our
guests misfortune. But after he was