The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-04-26
whistle. ! made my way directly to-
wards the sound.

~, and, believing n came from hear
the canal. dashed straight down To IL.
the hedge by the side OF the
path. and looked round for
my wife. IL was now so dark that ]
could not see very clearly; but ! no.
ticcd something white On the farther
bank Of the canal a little higher up.
] rushed up the towing path. and, now
thoroughly alarmed. called out,
Eleanor. are you there?" To my
great relief she answered, "Yes; here
I am, over on this side. Come over
here il you can. The canal il quite
shallow"
waded acrOss--the water coming
nearly up to my ~neck-and found my
wife lying on the canal bank, dripping
with water. In the water near by
floated the dead body Of Bruce.
Eleanor was terribly white and faint:
so, without further question. I picked
her up. Half carrying her. I assisted
her along the canal TO the nearest
bridge, and so we found our way
home.
We arrived about nine o'clock. and
I was relieved to find my wife not
much the worse after all. A hot bath
and a good dinner soon put us both
TO rights. 1t was only after dinner
that / asked her what had occurred
that caused her to be in the con-
diticn in which 1 discovered her on
the canal bank, and how Bruce had
been drowned.
The following is her startling ac-
count of what happened:
"When you had gone I found my
self pretty lonely: but ] managed to
amuse myself fairly well. pottering
about the garden in the morning and
in arranging flowers and 70 on after
lunch.
after tea I really needed some ex-
~ercise. Thinking a stroll along TIE
towing path of the canal would be
nice, as il would be sure to be dry
there, i set off. taking Bruce with me,
fancying he would like some exercise,
too. ! was not sure hat he would fol-
low me, but he did so, though in
rather a shrinking sort OF way, be-
ttuSt. as Il iIiuSIIitu, Il Ndo -
dog-whip, rs you advised. While GO
ing through the wood I kept a care
full eve on him. but though we dis
turbed two or three rabbits, he never
looked at them.
"We.were near the canal when the
idea struck me suddenly that Bruce
was eyeing me very curiously, so ]
stopped and looked Mt him, when he
glared and showed his teeth.
81 felt rather alarmed. but believing
IL wise not to show n sign of fear,
l walked on till / got to the towing
path. Just then l heard a savage
growl behind me. Turning round, I
saw Bruce, with all his hackles up.
coming at M. growing and showing
his teeth. / cracked the whip to ir-
timidate him, and said, Down. SIR
as sternly as l could; but he dashed
straight at me and snapped at my
legs. Fortunately he only caught
hold Of my skirt and tore it before l
beat him of.
II was terribly frightened by this
time, and screamed out, but nobody
was within sight or hearing. Bruce
attacked me again. and again l beat
him off with the whip; but I felt this
could not last long. Then it occurred
TO me that II I could get across the
canal he might not follow me. !
slipped quickly down the bank into
the water, which l knew was not very
deep. and started TO wade across ia
the other side. Bruce dashed in after
me, and again tried to bite me; bu.
he was at n disadvantage in the water,
and ! could now beat him off easily.
"Then he retired to the bank. and
stood there watching me md growl'
ing. / now tried to &c en- n the
canal. II was deeper than l expected
and / dared not go where the water
reached much above my waist. / was
feeling terribly cold and miserable
and was very much afraid l should
faint.
Bruce evidently thought / was es
Gaping. and came in after me again
Then a happy thought struck me
Why not try to drown him?' As n,
came at me this time. instead O
hitting him with the whip, 1 waites
till he was quite close, and ther
caught hold Of his collar md forced
his head under the water. The COLA
slipped round. and he struggled 81
much and scratched my arm so will
his claws that 1 had to let go. TheI
he scrambled ashore and again sa
watching me and growing.
81 could not stand in the canal 70
ever, SO ! summoned up my courag'
TO 60 on across. Bruce was up again
and dashed at me more ~furiousl,
than yer Again l caught him b.
the collar. but this time seized hol'
Of some of the skin on the back of hi
neck as well, and exerting all m.
strength. I forced his head under tn
water and held il there. He struggle,
so f~rantically that I was afraid
should never be able to hold him
but gradually his struggles becam
weaker, and | knew he was drowning
II was not going to run any nor
risks. so I held on until l was quit