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A Faithful Dog

A Faithful Dog image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
February
Year
1885
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Some tiftoen years since averysingiilar and interesting occurrence was brought to light in the Burrh Court, Kdinboro, by the hearing of a siinimons in regard to a dog tax. Kight and a half years previously t seems a man nanied Gray, of whom nothing was known exceptthat he waspoor.aod lived in a quiet way in gome obscura partof the town.wasburied inOld Grayfriars' Churoh yard. His grave, levelèd by the hand of time and nnmarked by any stono, is now searcely disc-ernable; but, although uo human interest would seem to attach to it, the sacred spot had not been wholly disregarded aud forgotten. üurinsr all these years the dead raan's faithful dog had kept constant watch and guard over the grave; and it was this animal for which the collectors sought to recover the tax. James Brown, tho old curator of tho burial ground, so the story goes, romembored Gray's funeral, and the dog, i Scotch terrier, was, he said, one of the most conspicuous of the mpurners. The grave was closed in as usual, and next morning "Bobby." as the dog wm called, was found iying on the newmadc mound. ïhis was an innovation which old James could not permit; for there was an order at the gate stating in tho most intelligible characters that dogs were not admitted. "Bobby" was accordingly driven out; but next morning he was there again, and for the seeond time was discharged. The third morning was cold and wet, and when the old man sit'.v the faithful animal, in spite of 3-11 chastisment, Iying shiverin on the gravo, he took pity oa him and gave him some food. This recognition of his devotion gafre "Bobby'' the right to make the church-yard his home; and from that time on he never spent a night a way from his master's tomb. Often in bad weather attempts wero made to keep him within doors, but by dismal howls he sncceeded in making it known that this interference was iiot auroeablo to him, and latterly he was allowod his own way. At almost any time during the day he might be seen in or about the church yard; and no matter how rough the night was, nothing eould induce him to forsake the hallowed spot, whose identity, despite tho irresistible obliteration, he so faithfully preserved. Bobby had many friends, and the tax-gatherers by no means proved to to be his enemies. A weekly treat of steaks was long allowed him by Sergeant Scott, of the Engineers, and for more than six years he was regularly fed by Mr. Traill, of the restaurant, 6 Grayfriars' Place. He was constant and Dunctual ia his calU. beitur wh!J.m1 , hi hiM mdday visita 1.' "' ' I thotimn gnn. Om the gronnd o hari borin" thedog, proo Hogs ware takon ftfr.iin"t Mr. fraül tor paymant of the tax Tlin (l.'fcmliuit espressed nis williurneM, could he oWa the dog, to ba reiponslble for the tax tal o lonsr u the doK refused to attaeh hinaelf la ono Itwas ttapossiblfl to flx the ównorship: and Uw ooart, seeing the peenliftr oiroumsUnoe o tlm caso, dmmisaed the gummona Bobby as long " objaot ol ourioity to ail wlio had become aoqnslated w'ith bis hi-aorv. His OOMtaot :ippoaranco in the grave-yard had ouMd mauv Inqoiries to be made regarding him, and efforta without numberwere made to gel poBsatiioB of him. 'I'he old curator, o( course, atood op as the next olainmnt to Mr. Traill, and iiniilly ollered to pay the Ux liimsolf rather thanto bave Bobby- Gtayfriara' Hobby, to allow him his full namo-pnt out of tho way. Four years longer tho faithful little dog kopt his Loving watoh, and at Ia3t died, to tha rogretof allwho knew him, never having been out of roauh of hi.s inastcr's grave, thotigh in his later raan the intirmities of dogjyish aga forced hira to acoopt a paríial hospitality of llie ourator. Durin; the many years wbioh elapsad hetween the denth of hla tnaster and his wn departara the lowly grave wM ioijpjtten by all bat the aog. No stone guarded il, and not even a'monnd niarked it. The grasa and woodi grw luxurianüy over it as over the lovel soil around. Thcre had boen for years notidog tliat could mark out the grave from Uw. mrroanding s,)il, hut the little dor tin' sacred spot nnder whiob lay his master'sremains, and for ho'irs used to stand apon it. keeping his guard. A little way from the grave is an altar-torub, ander whioh Bobby aae to shelter him¦elf in bad weather, and to wbioh he ahvays was wout to tako the bonos and othor food provided for hira by the gotierous persons whoe naraes havo been mentionad. LadyBordatt-Conttsglftddened tho hcarts of maayloversoi nimals, whan she perpetuated his roeinory by a latin monument of granite anil bron.e. The nionnnient is adïinkinpr fountain made of Psterhead granito, and surmoiinted bv a lifo-size statue of

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Courier
Old News