The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-06-27
Strange Freaks Of
a Dog.
Constant Watchfulness of Lone
ly Spot in the Woods.
Was His Missing Master Muir
dered and Concealed There?
Your Correspondent
Visited the Place.
Special to the CHRONICLE.

Much exciting inquiry has been &C.
casirned, Of late, by the incidental
discovery Of a strange dog in deeply
wooded dell, down by the run, north
from King Knob, in Richie County,
w. Va.
Some two or three weeks ago,
gentleman well known IN that locality
bad occasion to visit this isolated
spot, and ran upon Il well worn path
about a foot wide and supposing it to
be path made by some wild animal
burrowing near by, he undertook to
follow the path, hoping to trace the
creature to its lair He had not pro-
ceeded far until he discovered lying
in the path, just before him, a large
dog, somewhat resembling a shepherd.
The dog upon being approached
uttered, in fierce growls, his emphatic
protest against any intrusion upon his
seclusion, and manifested decided
indisposition to yield possession. The
hostile attitude of the brute so fright
ened the gentlemen that he ran from
the scene to the home of Mr.. John
Snider near Indian creek; told his
story and insisted upon some one &C,
companying him to the place. Ac-
cordlngly, Joseph Suider, son of John
Snider, went with him, and .ogeth er
they found his dogship true to dis
cription; but instead of the animal
contesting right ofpossession as before,
he soon disappeared as if by magic.
This strange disappearance of the
dog was very pulling to the gentle
men, who at once turned their atten-
ton to an Investigation of their imme-
date surroundings, and found that
the dog had made we'll defined path
in semi-circle, enclosing about a
quarter of an acre of ground; the con-
dition of the path Indicating that for
many months the poor creature had
walked round and round until he had
worn steps in the ground on the hill
side to depth of from two to four
inches. These steps are eight to
twelve inches apart. This pathway,
forming, as it does, an almost. com.
plete semi-circle, follows the run 90
ing down N, N. W., and extends to
the first bench on l.. side, and it
plainly indicates that the dog has
walked in this ring from left to right
for many months. Only a part of
this path is now visible, for the great
er part fit is now worn away by
human feet, the locality being visited
by many persons every day in the
week, curious to ascertain, if possible,
the promptings that have led the dog
to guard this locality with such con.
slant vatchfulness.
There are several theories regarding
the matter. We will mention the
first and most generally accepted one
here: a certain man, a resident of
Rltchie county, ssaid to have sold
some horses at or near Grantsville and
on his way back can be traced to
SmithviIIe and beyond to the neigh
borhood Of King Knob, and the re-
port is that he has not been seen or
heard of since; (This was soon after
the Grantsville fair,) and the suppose.
ton is that he wa killed
and hidden away in this dark and
wooded dell, and that this dog, the
one he had with him at the time IF his
disappearance, is here guarding his
untimeIy resting place.
Other theories are extant and your
correspondent will make another trip
to the place and report ifanything OF
interest or suggestive Of foul play is
ascerlained.