The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-07-08
STORY OF A M0NGREL.
BY Count Heinrich Won sohullern.

w AAAAS - nv gAl III Nciy VI NthN
enough to make him fly into a rage
n declare that as long an he had
his dog to wake him UP II burglars
should come, he was we'll able to de-
fend himself.
One day he came to my office in town
n said that HIS faithful dog had sud
denly died and that he must have un-
other. not to do uny lighting. as he
wouldattend to that himself. but to Il CT
as vtdette and notify him OF the APP
proach OF the enemy In time for him to
get out OF bed n grasp his rifle, which
he always kept loaded.
He told me that the dog had died
very suddenly, and l Immediately sus-
pected that 1t had been poisoned. I ad-
vised him to advertise for a new dog,
but this he did not care to do, saying
that a man with a large dog had al
ready been to see him and tried to
make him buy the animal.
And how long after the death of
your dog did this man come to you??"
l asked.
, The very next day he replied.
1T seems that the news must have
spread very fast. Did You know the
MANI"
No, L had never laid eyes on him
before"
Satisfied that something was wrong.
l said:
Now Captain, I should Just like to
nave a few days rest and 1T you do not
object. l will go home With you n stay
a week or so. just so that your old
servant won't be scared out of her wits
and that I may see that the owner OF
he dog does not get the best OF you"
The old soldier was delighted at this.
as he always was when any one was
found willing to accept his hospitality,
drink his old Burgundy. smoke his old
Havanas and listen to his stories of
IN thran NV NC liz 1,.hl,l la $50 ,,~.
himself With glory and won his Iron
Cross.
Having disposed of a good luncheon
In the "Posthof" we set out on foot for
the Captains bungalow. as 1 always
called 1t. which was about ten miles
distant.
My room was next to that of the old
warrior. 1t was a roomy den. with
massive furniture and walls covered
with all kinds of military trophies, and
the first night passed without anything
happening.
The next day the nan came around
with the dog. a great hairy, good nat
ured looking beast Of no particular
breed.
I must say that l liked the dog much
better than the man. who explained
that Its name was Wotan, and that 1t
had been especially trained to keep out
burglars. The price was so low that l
N0NAA " AASAp III AdQldlI u
buy the dog.
When the man had left we chained
the dog in the spacious hall, but it
kept on bowling so terribly that we
decided to a k a walk. hoping that it
would quiet down before we returned.
But When We came back Wotan was
still bowling. We went to sit down in
the room of the Captain by a dusty
bottle OF excellent vintage and COM
menced our memories, but all through
the night the dog kept on.
In the morning the old seryant told
US that it had refused to eat.
The Captain by this time began to
think of returning the dog. but did not
know where to look for the owner.
Two days passed and still the dog
had eaten nothing. In the morning
the Captain proposed that l take u
walk alone, as he had some writing to
DO. When l returned, he told me that
the former owner of the dog had been
In and told him how to treat the beast.
l did not like the looks Of things,
especially as I heard that the man had
been shown all over the house, which
ne declared interested him very much,
and had been alone in the rooms for
about ten minutes. While the Captain
went down in the cellar for a bottle of
wine.
I therefore carefully examined the
place, and to my surprise found that
ulS IlllS LduBlu near my OlO rrleDt'S
bed was not loaded.
showed 1t to him, and ne was evil
IDENTIFY even more surprised than | was,
and declared that he did not UNDER
standt this, as he had put in a new shell
the day before.
After that we were on guard every
night. and without my friend suspect
ing it l a two gendarmes patrol the
woods back OF the house.
For many nights nothing happened,
and l had just thought of returning
home. But the next night Wotan be-
gan barking f%uriously. was on guard
and saw him throwing down a human
form. called Rabensteiner and
through the window we saw the dog
standing over a mar who spoke friend
ly words to 1t.
The dog kept on wagging his tail
and licking the face of the man, but
every time he tried to move it began to
growl n show Its teeth. L recognized
the race Of the man who had sold us
Wotan.
The Captain rushed out rifle in hand.
DO not shoot; we viii capture the
scoundrel alive!" l shouted. but the
old soldier was furious and fired. The
while the mar started to run
"Blitzdonnerwetter.." the Captain
shouted; 1 have only shot the mongrel.'
Never mind Captain.." one of the
gendarmes, who had now come, shout
ed, I'VE will get him. He is severely
wounded and annot run far"
Wotan was lying near the revolver
Of his former master, dying. but in his
death struggles licking the handle
which his hand had touched.
This is not the first time that L
have seen the soul of a man in Il mon
grel. and that of a mongre in a nan"
the Captain said as he caressed the
head of the dying dog.
~ "a