The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-19
THE TRAINED DOG,


 was practicing down south in small town of about q couple of thousand in- habitants. and friend of mg own age were fond q. going to pool in the creek near by carly In the morning to have swim. One day just about daybreak we were strolling along the side of the creek when there was stir In the brush, and the next mOment big black dog sprang out, crossed our path and plunged Into the water. \ In less than half q minute q tall. gaunt man came crashing through the scrub, with a gun In his hand and blood In his eye. He halted on the edge of the creek. raised his gun and fired at the dog, which had almost reached the other side. The shot was a failure, for the dog bounded up the bank. shook him self and disappeared.
 "The gol darned thingV' cried the man, resting his gun on the ground and shak' ing his fist toward the spot where the dog had vanished. Then he turned his eyes toward us and took stock of us.
 "For a month," he said. i've been missin, most of mornin, one plump chicken after another md couldn't for the life of me make it out Ye sec, jest about daylight turn the chickens out to feed around. Well, in a month six of 'em have gone-that's at the rate of chicken and a half a week-and always the plumpest of the lot. At last deter mined to keep good watch. So this mornin, soon's let 'cm out. l watched. with a gun, and caught that dog runnin off with chicken in his jaws. Now. I'm goln right away to see Squire Rigney. He's been a-losin his chickens the same way. but he would have 1t it was hawks"
 Tho man disappeared In the bush. We lounged along by the creek, laughlne over the incident. When we reached the pool. we found the water low, so we went on little farther toward the river We came to q ford. the cart ruts disclos Ing the fact. Glancing along the road way through the brush on the other side, we saw the dog come sneaking out Of cover. We lay low. and the beast coolly crossed the ford. A negro came out oi the scrub and joined the dog. The negro carried a canvas sack. at which the dog every once aud again sniffed. We struck into the brush and intercepted the negro, The dog shrunk into hiding place.
 "Mawnin. sah," the negro said, taking off his cap and making a humble gri mace.
 "what have you In that bag?" I asked in a severe tone.
 Bag. sahT" he said. "0h. sah. on'y a little O sumfn for nah missus. sah."
 "There's little something alive inSde, for see 1t moving" l said.
 With that the man dropped tho bag IA. al.. Nalt fA1 the hound. In the bag we found fine fat chicken, with the slayer of the dos on It's back, where the beast had grabbed it. After our swim VIC returned, and when we reached the spot where the dos first apperred we entered the scrub and pushed forward. expecting 10 find the house of the owner of the chicken at nc great distance We hadn't gone more than 300 yards when we came upon the man. lying on his back. bleeding in the breast and unconscious. We hurried away and in a few minutes reached q well kept homestead, with evidences Of thrift and prosperity around it. Te shorten the story, this was the mans home, and we got door. returned to tho wounded man and bore him to the houi His wife and children were distracte as the doctor who was summoned so that the man couldn't live.
 At the Inquest and my friend we present and told all you have heard, though we recountcd the facts with mors detail and circumstance.
 It was clear that the man had not ac' cldentally shot himself. for his was a single barreled shotgun, whereas the wound in the mans breast was made by q leaden bullet of large calibcr, as was shown when it was extracted. The nc- gro was easily traced. He lived with hls wife in hut near the bank of the river. Tt was not known that he owned a dog, but it was found that the dog which fig ured as the chicken thief was owned by the man for whom the negro worked an0 that it was always with the negro exccp' when hc 'rove it away. There was | doubt that tue man hnd trained the beast to steal chickens and to bring them aliyt to him. There was nothing whatever {, connect the negro with the killing oi James Hinnpy-that. l remember. wa Ghc mans name and the mystery of h. taxing on was undiscovered for som, years.
 Che day l received message Iron Squire Rigncy's wife saying that he wa dying and wanted 10 make a will. went to his home and drew up the nstru' ment. by which he left one-half of hi property to ihe widow of James Finney
 finished writing the will. and just ai the time the doctor and a nephew of his drove to the house. lt was very oppor' tune. for was thus enabled to see that the will was duly executed. was abou, to leave when the squire motioned ne tC stay. After the doctor and his nephew left the squire bcckoned me close to him and said:
 'I killed Finncy. was looliin out fo' chicken thieves. l thought it was birds ye know. and. seein somethin move in the thick bush. let Ny. l was too big . coward to go forward and tell the truth Hut now I've done all can to make ul Cor what l did by accident and squared things Brooklyn Citizen.
 Valuable Indian fottery.