Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-07-30
HE WAS SAVED BY A DOG.

narrator uscd to know, and sometimes
trapped with, once had very narrow cs.
cape from dreadful death. The unusual In
telligcnce OF dog. that was not considered
very sagacious animal, saved him.
Young Martin was trapping otter on
large brook, known as the bog stream, a
name given Il because the strerin flowed
through large bog that used to be the bed
of pond. The pond had been, In the course
OF time, filled up except Mt the southern end,
where there was still shallow piece Of
water, called Mud pond.
No trees or shrubs had as yet taken root
on the bog. save few scattered clumps OF
chokeberry bushes. The whole surface was
covered with spongy moss, which trembled
and shook beneath ones weight. A pole
could be run down ten or dozen feet below
the surface. Yet there was not much dan
ger in crossing the bog, so long Us the person
doing 20 kept on the moss and avoided
the open patch Of black mud. which was
as soft as treacle.
The brook was we'll stocked with suck.
ers," clubs, and very thick.bodied kind OF
trout, and afforded good trapping.
Edwin set his otter traps along the banks
and beneath the ricks Of wood where the
animals burrowcd.
One morning he set of from home with
his dog Frisk to visit his traps on the bog.
The distance from home was nearly four
miles. The dog was one he had bought Of
IN Indian two years before. II was Of com.
mon breed, yellow and white. short-lcggcd.
with thick neck and head.
As the boy came through the woods upon
the bog his dog suddenly started some ami
NAL from its burrow.
The canine pursued his game closely, and
after running 10 or 20 rods the otter, as 1t
proved 10 he, took refuge in one of the ricks
Of wood few yards from the creek.
The boy had given every rick on the hog
thorough examination, and he knew there
was no burrow beneath this one, but directly
across the stream, under the opposite bank,
was fine, deep burrow, to which the otter
often rctrcated.
Frsk was barking furiously at the rick.
and the boy feared the otter would dart out
and get under the opposite bank. So he ran
down the banL to intercept and shoot il be-
fore it could take to the water.
lie had 40 or 80 rods to 90. and between
beds of which have spoken.
1t did not look very yielding, and he deter
mined to cross IL. 1t was not more than
10 or 30 feet wide, while to 20 round il
would take so much time that he was likely
to lose his game.
II is said that by putting the feet close
together and taking very short steps of not
more than three or four inches with great
uuickness and dextcrity man can cross
very soft surface without sinking. have
often "forded" soft snowlanks in this way.
Young Martin knew of this mode Of pass
ing over dangerous hogs, and had often
tested il, and he tried it now. For the frs,
20 or 30 feet lie succeeded very well, but
near the middle the mud Was softer than
he expected, and he sank almost TO hia
knees.
Expecting nothing worse than to be thor.
ough'y covered with mud. he flung his gun
10 the hank. and using his hands 10 support
himself he struggled to get through to the
pile Of driftwood. But he sank into tht
slough at an alarming raie. When lac pulled
one foot up the other went still deeper.
Collecting all his strength, he now made
desperate struggle for life. But the unrc'
sisting muck held him as in wise. llis|
utmost cxcrtions only served TO draw him
deeper into the miro. Then lie shouted and
called "llelp!" again and again, though he
knew there was very little chance OF making
any person hearing his outcries, for there
was not house within three miles.
II thought could hold myself" he said,
with both arms thrown out straight, for ]
seemed to support myself by bearing on my
hands. then called Frisk, but he was 60
excited by the game under the rick that he
would not come. After time, however, he
run back to the edge Of the slough and
whined. Then tried te make him brinR
my gun to me, but all he did was whine and
roll over. l couldn't make the dog under
stand what l wanted him to do. Yet he
knew was in trouble, for he would sit OF
the bank and whine. Sill, lie wanted TO go
back to the otter, and would start for the
rick; hut. il I called, ". I'D turn back to
me. At last / lei him do as he wished"
The upward pressure under the boys arms
at length grew SO intolerable that he had 10
raise them higher, though every inch thus
yielded LET him down deeper into the mud
nearer to death.
Edwin thinks that as much as an hour
passed in this way, during which he was
sinking slowly but surely. Frisk now came
back to the slough of his own accord and
sat down on the bank, wagging his tail and
whining
II took my cap of with one hand" said
Edwin, ''and flung it at him. had never
tried 10 teach him to carry things, but now
told him to carry home At first all he
would do was to play with the cap and roll
over it. Then he picked it up and carried it
q few steps, and then came back to the edge
Of the bank. talked to him, but got dis.
couraged ut last. lie didn't seem to know
what wanted him to do. Yet, awhile after
] stopped talking altogether, he took the cap
and ran of 20 or 80 yards. There he left it
aud went to the rick. heard him barking
again, but he soon stopped"
The poor boy had now sunk over his
though his arms were raised as
high as his head. The cold, black ooze was
closing around his neck.
by tits time the mud had 30 compressed
his chest that he could not speak loud