The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-02-01
ABOUT DOGS AND MEN
CBy Thomas Settle. Asheviile. N. c.

( exhibits the most complete and the
most useful conquest that man has
made. Each individual is entirely
manners, distinguishes and defends
his property, and remains attached
| tc him even unto death; and all this
| springs not from mere necessity nor
from constraint, but simply from
gratitude and true friendship.
He is doing his part and earning
| more than the value of his food in
| this war. He is an aid to the Red
Cross workers in the war zone, in
helping them find and bring succor
to the wounded soldier. The boys
in the trenches use him as an alert
vigilaat, untiring, sleepless watch
man, on whom they rely TO give
warning Of the stealthy approach Of
the foe; he is given an advanced
post on the firing line to give notice
Of the approach or the poisonous
dcrous instincts have discovered
and turned loose to the glory and
Joy Of the devil and the wrath of
God. He IS used as n courier on the
field of battle to convey messages
End carry orders from commanders
We lately read of one such "a fe-
male Of the species" entrusted with
an order which had to be carried
across No Mans Land while the
battle was raging. She must have
been of black Saint IIubert's breed
spoken of by Sir Walter Scott in the
Lady of the Lake. Unmatched for
courage. breath and speed" With
q wac Of the tail, head erect. heed
less Of the roaring artillery she
sprang to her task, soon
shot struck her and she fell
wounded; undaunted she strained
forward with increased speed; again
q shot struck her and she fell, but
her courage and sense of duty un-
cowed, bleeding but grim of deter
mination on she went. Just before
reaching the commander whom she
sought, she was again hit With her
life's blood trickling from her
wounds she struggled to him and
delivered the order which was tied
to her body, then died She was
buried on the field OF battle with
military honors. Now, / ask you if |
she had not honorably and fairly
won that tribute on the field of car
mage? Others of her race "oveI
there" have been decorated with |
symbols of honor and affection, 70, |
their courage, bravery and fidelity |
by the officers and soldiers who !
knew them and loved them.
Their attachment to man has in.
spired the poet, the painter. tho |
sculptor and formed the subject OF |
many notable books; in Daniels |
Rural Sports" is related a story O, |
a dog dying in the fuilness of JOY |
caused by the return of his master
after two years absence from |
home. Instances of dogs having |
saved the lives of their owners by |
that strange intuition of approach
ing danger which they appear to
possess, or by their protection, are
innumerable.
The man who has not read and re-
read Robert Burns poem "The Twa
Dogs" has something delightful
coming to him when he turns TO it.
Goldsmith's "Elegy on the Death OF
a Mad Dog" should be memorized |
and taken to heart. Shakespeare,
Scott, Burns, Campbell, Byron and |
Others without number / could men
ton, all loved dogs and wrote some |
beautiful things about them. Much |
of the best of modern literature, a |
list of which l could easily cite you,
deals truly and beautifully with the
dog.
There is, believe, stronger
love, sympathy and understanding
between the man who has little ma
terial wealth-the poor man, as he
is sometimes called, as if we were
not all poor men. in one way or an
other-and his dog, than between
the socalled rich man and his dog
each seems to feel and understand
the need of the other.