Year: 1875




SOME years ago lived in the West.
was in the habit of going quite frequently
to a town some miles away from my home.
The way was across tract of woods. a bit
of prairie, and part of the journey on
well-trayeled highway. About midway
between the two points was large stock
farm, presided over, in the masters alb.
sence, by an enormous dog of the pointer
species. This dog never made the ac-
quaintance of strangers. When any
passed, the greeting of a low growl await
ed them-and the growl was not changed
even toward the neighboring farmers My
passings to and fro had frequently been in
the night, and to miss the growl would
have surprised me. Master Bruno was al
ways at his post, in that portion of the
farmhouse whose outlook was toward the
stables. One night in June, returning
from my distant journey, instead of
growl was surprised to find the great
brute coming toward me. He was re
garded as ferocious dog, and 1 confess
to feeling of nervousness when heard
him leap the fence and saw his huge form
approaching in the darkness. He
came up quietly and followed. /
thought it good plan TO make
friends. put out my hand and patted
him. He accepted the courtesy and we
logged along. A few minutes later and
we had come to that portion of my journey
where l was in the habit of leaving the
high road and striking across the prairie
until should come to the woods and
hills, thence to the head of the lake,
where | would again come upon the path.
JUS before entering the woods | stopped
TO get my direction by the stars, and al.
most unconsciously sat down on a little
knoll, then lay down and fell asleep. To
man born and brought up in the West
this is not in the least unusual; / have
slept many and many night with only
the beautiful sky above and my dog and
gun beside me- On the night in question
/ had no gun and my dog was an unin-
vited stranger. But I fell asleep, and the
last feeling Of consciousness | had was
that the great pointer had settled down
beside me with his nose resting on my
arm. My next consciousness was, after
some unknown interval, decided tug at
my ear. l sprang to my feet and the
great brute bounded away with an excited
bark. He had bitten me. He dashed off
in the darkness, then back, with low,
quick barks He came close to me and,
striking an attitude in true pointer style,
gave long, deep bay at the sky. 1t
was all explained. A black cloud
was rising rapidly from the west and cov-
ering its whole horizon; the mutterings of
thunder were growing in volume, and to
tarry where was would be to be over
whelmed by the tempest ran for the
woods; the dog was before me, leading me
with certain instinct directly to the head
of the lake. He leaped upon the little
bridge of poles that spanned the inlet, all
the while barking in the most excited
manner He ran in front, then came be-
hind, then on in front again, until l
reached my own door. The great drops
had already begun to fall, and huge pine
near the lake was shivered with the light
ming, binding me as l crossed my thresh-
old. l spoke to the dog to come in with
me, but he declined. One paw rested on
the doorstep, the other was raised as |
stopped down and patted his head
"Good fellow, come in" He barked a
quick No." turned and disappeared in
the storm. was safe, for not a dozen
drops had touched me. A tiny trickle OF
blood was on my necktie, but liked that
for it told of my strange adventure. The
dog was shot, not long after, by burglars
Charles ROHin Brainard, IN Our Duml
! AniDldLS