Year: 1862

has lived to be my best friend; and, /
thank heaven he has escaped tho deadly
viper which ruined his home and murder.
ed his parents.


A Strange and Thrilling Adventure


A young gentleman of this city was
last week spending day and night in
New Britain, and improved the fine moon
light evening by a sleigh-ride with a
young lady acquaintance. In a single
sleigh they drove down through Berlin
street, and, turning into the road running
southwest continued the ride for mile
or more. Tho sleighing was excellent,
the night was very light, and the horse
went down the road at killing pace.
While dashing rapidly along, perhaps a
mile below Berlin, with no houses in
sight, large black Newfoundland dog
suddenly sprang at the horses head
He seemed to have leaped from the
ground, SO unexpected was his appear
ence. No man was in sight, no habta-
ton, when, without warning, this huge,
savage animal made a vigorous dash at
the nose of the horse. Fortunately he
missed his aim, but in an instant he was
on his legs again pursuing the sleigh, and
though the gait of the horse was quicken
ed into the most rapid speed, the dog
reached the side of the sleigh and sprang,
open-mouthed, at the genteman's throat.


That he missed, but he caught his over
coat and tore large piece from the skirt.
With that effort the dog subsided, and
they soon left him out of sight. The
whole scene, so sudden and noiseless, was
like the apparition of n demon dog out Of
the ground. The gentleman states that
he never saw so large dog. He seemed
fully two and half feet high, and of the
most powerful build.


The sleigh-riders drove on perhaps n
mile further, and sought to return by n
different road. But they found that was
impossible without diverging many miles
from their course. They therefore resol-
we'd to run the risk, and the gentleman,
going TO a wood-pilc, selected two or three
suitable sticks, which he placed in the bot
tom Of the sleigh, when they turned back.


They drove rapidly, and as they APP
preached within about half mile of the
scene of the late attack, they saw the
great cog quietly standing in the moon
light, alone, by the roadside, waiting for
them. Urging the horse to the top of
his speed, the gentleman gave the reins
to the lady, and, seizing one of the clubs,
prepared for the black enemy. AS soon
as the sleigh was abreast of him he dash
ed at it. Tho gentleman raised the club,
intending to strike his head, but the dog
was too quick for him, and the blow de-
scended on his back. With growl, the
fierce brute fell to the ground, but only
for an instant, when he was again in pur-
suit, more rabid than before.


Unfortunately, in striking the blow, the
club being icy, slipped from the gentle
mans hands, and before he could reach
another, the dog was again near him, and
he felt himself defenceless. The horse
TO be sure, was fairly flying, but the dog
was just gathering for spring, which
must have landed him in the sleigh, when
long, shrill whistle was heard, and the
dog instantly stopped and turned away.
Looking back, the two who had so mar
rowly escaped from most unaccounta-
bic attack, saw u man come into the road
from behind fence, pick up the club and
carefully examine il, and then walk away
with his big dog.


We have given the statement of this
singular adventure without exaggeration.
1t is literally true. If it was an attempt
at highway robbery, it was certainly a
most curious Hartford { Conn.,
Press.


RoAsTIHG BoMBsHELL.-The Charles
ton Courier has the following incident
"A few days since shell from one of our
guns 10 n battery, not a hundred miles
from this city, fell without explosion. 1t
was found by group Of little Africans,
who, supposing it TO contain something
good, put it into fire and gave il a roast
| ino Eortunately the eynlosion which en-