The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-06-26
THE STORY OF THE DOG.

only the simple relallOn OF some IaCIS
about a dog that possibly may not be
without interest.
On the outskirts of the little city of
Buena Vista, Va, near the head of
the valley, lived farmer, with his
wife, two sons and one daughter.
This was in 1894. The farmers
name-I think do not incorrectly
recall-was Robinson, and his cottage
stood on a level bench of the hills,
near the Blue Ridge Mountains. His
land sloped back to the pines and sas-
safras bushes that covered the foot
hills. Robinson owned some cattle
that ranged on the Indifferent pasture
of his poorly.fenced farm, wandering
from field to field through gaps and
numerous breaks In the old fences,
made of rails and brush.
He owned large dog of uncertain
breed of black and reddish color,
but which seemed to possess some of
the instincts of the shepherd. This
dog was sent out in the morning and
in the evening at milking time to bring
In an old, spotted COW that belonged
to his master. This seemed to be his
sole occupation. At other times he
lay about the house or slept under the
stable shed in uninterrupted compo-
sure.
Through the lower part of these
pasture lands ran the track of mar
row. gauge railroad, built for the pur-
pose OF conveying ore from the red
hematite iron mines in the mountain
gorge mile away, to the iron furnace
operated In the industrial portion of
the town. One morning the engine
and loaded cars, coming down from
the mine above, and passing through
the Robinson farm, caught this old
spotted COW In short railroad cut
which was made in the grading of the
road through the pasture, where she
at the time was grazing with other
cattle, and striking her with great
violence, cast her dead and mangled
body upon the rocks on the righthand
side of the road. The sons of the
family related to me how the dog
showed signs of inconsolable distress
when the carcass of the dead animal
was taken away and rolled over the
cliffs below.
In few weeks Robinson got an
other COW, and the dog that was grow
ing rather old, renewed his occupa-
ton of driving in this second COW.
But he had learned a new lesson
and sad one. 1t was that his charge
was in danger from the railroad. This
faithful dog staid with that cow day
and night, following her from place
to place, lying in the pasture near by
when she was grazing, or standing
under the shade trees with other cat
tie. And when the engine and train
of cars would come laundering by the
dog would leap up and bark, and if
near the track would always drive the
COW further into the field away from
danger.
This continued for two years, the
dog being fed by his appreciative mas
ter as often as the cow was MIXED.
Often the days and nights were cold
and damp on the north side of the
mountain and the snow covered the
ground. But this made 10 change in
the dogs faithfu1ness. One evening
the dog lay down during the milking,
drowsy and complaining to himself in
sighs and little uneasy murmurings.
The cow was then kept in the stable
at night, the winter having set in.
But in the morning he followed his
charge back along the path that wound
to the upper field around the noun
tain spur, and came in again the next
evening as the sun lowered to the
western hills, yet with weak and
trembling step. The men thought
he had distemper and determined that
they would not let him lie on those
cold hills another day, even If he had
to be chained at home. But when the
morning came again they went out to
work and forgot him. Not so the
daughter of the household, a girl Of
seventeen, who saw and pitied his
feeble condition, and went early to the
shed where he slept, made an enclo-
sure of empty barrels that lay conve'
niently near, and placing them upright
all around him, thought he could
surely not get over them in his weak
ened condition. She then went about
her morning tasks.
That day had been ushered in with
rain and snow, and along the paths
In the field were little snow-drifts thai
the winds had swept down from the
exposed hilltops above. AT noon the
girl went again to the barn to see how
the dog Jared, but, to her surprise
found his bed empty. She knew wei
where to find him. There was nc
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