The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-29
GAME FIGHT OF A SPANIEL.
Battle in the River With Wild Goose
With Broken Wing.

There is small spaniel near Lacrosse
Wis, on the upper Mississippi River thai
has made himself famous for sameness il
retrieving. He is the property of DIR. In
gulf Seehus, a devotee Of the shotgun, and
son. He never gets too tired to work and
enjoy it.
This dog, now five years old. stands lit.
tie more than n foot high at the shoulder
and does not weigh more than 20 pounds
| He is covered with the long, silky, liver
hued hair of his breed. and is strongly in
telligent. His name is plain, pleban Bill
a pretty good name for a dog. since it is
mOnOsyllable and carries far on a stormy
day. I ..ry
Last Fall the river was low; its numer-
Gus willow islands stood far above the
water, each with a. small lake in its cen
ter, and the wld-fowl shooting was of
phenomenal excellence. All forms of
American migratory fowls go down this
mighty stream in the Autumn. and larry
for days feeding upon its wild rice.
1t is little cshotaOver, considering its
great extent, and the sport is all the bet
ter He was apoor gunner last Fall who
could not have, killed from 80 to 100 NAL
lards on any day if inclined to butchcry.
and the aggregate slaughter was tremen-
| dous. There were many geese also, and
it was in connection with a goose that Bill
distinguished himself
His owner was shooting from point Of
land which ran out into part of the river
bare Of islands and more than a mile
across. He had taken that stand because
the birds in swinging up or down the
stream preferred to cross over it rather
than make wide detour and 20 around
it.
Within half an hour of sunset he held
20 feet in front of flock of geese 60 yards
over him, and the leader started down
ward. AS it started it swerved, and turn
ed its head outward and went down on a
long slant, striking the water fully half
a mile away. One wing and one leg were
broken, but its body and head were unin-
jured.
Seehus watched it go with no thought
of its capture, but Bill had plunged in as
soon as the slant began and was swim
ming desperately, his sturdy little chest
raising blunt wave in his front. The
current was swift, but he pointed up
stream and held straight course.
The goose was travelling in short circles
and trying to find out what was the mat
ter when it noticed the dog, who had ap-
preached within 20 yards. Then it made
dash for safety It's broken leg ham
pered its swimming, however and after a
chase of 100 yards Bill closed on his prey.
The goose was bigger than the dog and
nearly as heavy, as well as nearly as
strong in the water, and a great fight fol-
lowed. The dog grabbed at the neck, but
got hold of the breast and tore out
mouthful of feathers, then was beaten I'M
der by the sound wing He rose coughing
and returned to the charge, only again to
miss his hold and go under
On the third attempt he managed to get
hold of the broken wing and tugged at it
manfully. but the pinions came out All
of this while the fowl and spaniel had
been fioating down stream and Scehus was
running along the bank calling to Bill to
come in.
Undoubtedly Bill heard, but disdained
TO obey. He was pretty nearly played
out when he came up in front of the bird
and luckily fastened to its long neck. That
ended the fight. the bones cracking under
his strong teeth.
He was half mile from land iu the
twilight, in water of intense GOODNESS with
fine ice all through it, but it never oc-
CURED to him that he was to give up.
Slowly, pantingly, snuffing so loudly that
he could be heard across the smooth ex-
panse, he worked his way shOreward, |
dragging the big bird after him.
When near enough to see the dark form |
of his master, who was still believing. |
Come to heel, blankblank youv he was |
much encouraged. He reached the bank |
finally, but was unequal to the task of |
climbing it. In fact, he could not stand. |
and lay half in, half out Of the water. |
close 10 death, but Still with one ear lifted |
for praise.
Bill was wrapped in an OyercOat and |
lugged home three miles away, but he |
was all right long before he got there