The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1909-05-07
DOG IS A TRACK
WALKER.
Appears Each Day for Duty
and Wont Quit.
Unsalaried Employ Of Railroad
Does the Work Of Dead
Owner.

Forming a touching Illustration OF
a dogs devotion 70 a dead master is
Bob. TIE unsalaried trackwalker" OF
the Northern Pacific Railroad in Ia
coma.
Following in the tTacks Of his dead
&, master. who walked tracks and tended
switch lights for TIE Northern Pacific
in the local yards, ard WHO was run
down and intsantiy killed by switch
engine in the passenger yards more
than a month ago. Bob, the pet dog
of the family OF William H. Gehring'
2SO1 South J street continues to patrol
the tracks and gu@rd the lamps, al
though his master has answered the
call to the Great Beyond.
No amount OF CJaXirg, bride offers
Of meat, or even a collar and c1ain
can prevent this little faithful brown
shaggy dog from going to work each
day and returning home with tire
setting sun on TIE same hours of his
dead masters arrivals and departures.
Curses, kicks and stones win not drive
Bob from the tracks and he appears
for duty every day, bringing tears to
toe eyes Of these wfo krew hiSmls-
ter during his II years of railroad ser
vice.
Bob the Trackwalker," as Ne has
been nicknBmed by the railroad men,
is not q dog with blood or pedigree,
but just a plain dog with a few fleas
thrown in ito keep him from worryin'
bout bein' a dog" His ears are scar
red from many battles and his stub
OF a tail wngs pattetically when he
is petted He come into the possession
Of the Gehring family about four year
ego waen ne was an uugainly little
puppy being given TO one of the Chill
dHen because fis owner could not see
anything in the pup but just plain
dog. TSeow ner ed MT look beyond
the skin and he missed the big CRATE
full heart.
It is Bob's daily habit to leave HON
at 1880 O'Clock in the morning and re-
turn shortly after 4 p. m. Between
the time he leaves home and neturus
he is on the job every minute. He
covers the same ground covered by
his dead mcster, and VIXEN tired lies
in front Of the stanty tat was used by
the trsckwalkers. BY growing and
showing vicious rows Of testh ire dog
guards tais shanty during tire noon
hour. II the warning is not heeded
Bob snaps viCiouziy and rarely fails
to take awey j piece Of cloth.
Ate: ais masters death Bob was
lo;t. He would roam about toe house
At night ocd run from one member Of
the Family TO crother with . mute ap-
peal IL a.s eyes. TIE second DAY Bob
huEteaed Ctf 10 TIVE raiTo0d yards and
res made lis appearance there every
GIy since. For sevHcl n!gnts the dog
would not sleep. There seemed to be
Something missing about the Gouse
and Il WIS MT until le was given oze
q MS masters oi1 ccats as @ Jug on
tie back porch tc-t re w.u.i settle
down 20 rest a-ter his we1yirg days
work. TIE. .f.!-t. sniT CT tie coat
seemed 10 fill tie dog vita great de-
light. He jumped about, wagged his
tsfl and when # H2s I'D down curled
hemseif upon Cre ga-me2t after ven
ting @ s.g1 oc peaceful content
Bob lhs found warm spot IN tie
hs1et Of eve-y emqioye Of tte Ngta-
ern PaCiilc with WON lie has come
in couuct e-oh Gay re worked. TIE
sight C.. Jae staggy, dirty Ntt-e ami
mI tactJ-rg up aud down tie tr2clls
each dcy blngs Tears 10 to mems
eyes aEd,a1 mr1l b .urs swito. mon and
flagmen vie vita e-cl ot4et in .5ok-
ing a1tv. is We.f-re.
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