Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-12-11
MAN AND BEAST
By JAMES J. MONTAGUE

/ stood perfectly sill and put my
hands across my chest, as 1 had been
told to do. The dog took a few steps
nearer, and gazed at me intently with
a slight sneer on my face There was
a fence just behind me, a fence which
no ordinary dog could scale The
temptation to put myself on the
neutral side Of it was exceedingly great,
hcs 1 resisted it. Now or never 1
would fight this thing out, and find
if l was to be the sport of vicious
CANNES for the rest of my life.
For what seemed an hour the dog
came nearer, a step at time, while 1
stood there and Wrestled with my ter
ror. Then ne suddenly le3ped into the
air, barked three OF four times and
then capered up to me and licked my
hand. had, I decided, mastered him
after this no dog would have power
to frighten me- 1 boldly walked down
toward the office, never crossing the
street when saw dog ahead, as had
been my custom
Two Cr three blocks away from home
a fairly largish bull terrier walked
majestically out of a gate and stood
directly in my path, AS I approached
him there came a low mumbhng sound
from somewhere in his interior. Cold
at heart I continued my progress. The
dog, observing that his growl had gone
fer nothing, began walking toward me.
His lip was curled up in menacing
grin-revealing the very long white
teeth on either side of his jaws, with
a row of little sharp white teeth be-
tween. He continued to rumble.
There seemed to be no reason to
keep on walking toward him, in fact
I had been enjoined against this course
by the man at the radio. So I stood
still, and for the second time that
crossed my hands over my
breast.
The bull terrier observed this ges-
ture with surprise. He kept on walk
ing toward me- In the street just be-
side the pavement was large stick
and a couple of stones I noted the
position of these carefully SO that I
might stoop down and reach them
quickly in an emergency. Flight was
out of the question. There were no
trees to climb, and the fence on the
inside of the walk was so low that a
dachshund could have leaped over It'll
without any trouble whatever.
The dog was now standing still,
looking at my speculatively, and ap-
parently making up his mind whether
to jump directly at my throat or seize
me by a leg and throw me to the
ground, where he could tear me to!
pieces at leisure.
l. too, stood STILL I probably could
not have moved if / had tried. II
waited So did the dog. BY and by he|
came to the conclusion that it would
be better to take the offensive than
wait for me to pick up club. He
came forward, walking on tip toe, and
muttering threats under his breath.
One, two, three, seven steps he took
in my direction. He was now within
two yards of me- could see the red
in the corners of his eyes, and could
have counted his fangs. I still fol-
lowed instructions, remaining motion
less, and trying to cow him with the
gaze of aSuperior a race.
Then gradually he crouched down
for a spring Lower and lower hel
went, coiling his powerful legs under
him, and manifestly measuring in his
mind the exact distance between his
stance and my throat. I could stand
it no longer. With a loud yell stopped
and seized the. club and brought it
across his tender nose just as he
sprang. Then, having checked the on
slaught I jumped over the fence and
took to tree.
An hour or so later the dogs vigil
was interrupted by his owner, and I
was released. The owner was trifle
scornful of me.
eff you'd just stood still and looked