Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1892 — A MASTIFF STORY. [ARTICLE]

A MASTIFF STORY.

An Intelligent Dog Who Saves the Live* of Two Traveler* Over Writing in the Fanciers’ Gazette, the Rev. H. K. E. Van Doorne tells the,following story: Yon must remember that fearful and almost unprecedented snowstorm of 1881. Business riiatteip had called me over to Belgium. It had snowed there for some days. I was staying at a friends house in the, country between Bruges and Ghent. On Jan. 16 we arranged to start on a sledging expedition to some friends at a distance. We arrived at DeynZe on the morning of the 18th, and were to proceed homeward in the afternoon. As the frost was so intense and the wind so high, with a thick unceasing fall of drifting snow, my friend’s kindest of partners bad considerately and thoughtfully dispatched ered wagonette to meet us. We took our seat in the trap and moved On. It was then about 4 o'clock p. in. At a small village called Vynekt about four miles from home,* and ?[uite in sight of our village steeple, riends ran up and begged us not to attempt crossing the stream and lowlands down the hollow, which separated us from our home. But we preserved in our obstinate resolve, and fullof foolish bravado we proceeded on our way. It did not take long before we.found out our mistake. A mile or so further the road began to hollow between two banks, tod we stood blocked. The horse had no firm hold under him, add the carriage had for several yards simply been dragged snowplow like ihrough the snow. We quitely jumped out, sent our man for help and rescue, dug horse and traps out of their embedded position landed them safely at a neighboring farm, and, leaving baggage behind with the coachman to look after it all, my friends, I, and Vera set out to reach home on foot.

We were perfectly acquainted with the ground; it was my friend’s shooting preserve, and though most perilous to a stranger, we had no nesitition in undertaking the task. We left the road altogeter and took the crest of the fields. It, however,soon became patent that knowing a country in spring, summer, and autumn is not exactly knowing it in winter like this, when exceptionally covered in by some eighteen inches of snow. The fields looked as level as a sheet, it was utterly impossible to discover any trace of holes, drains, or ditches any where. We knew that the land was crossed and recrossed by deep ditches about five or six feet wide, but we could discover no sign of them. Wo must come to them a wonder we had not passed any yet. The frost had only set in since and with the snow, so that the ice could not be more than a quarter of an inch thick, and if we trod on it it must give way and swallow us. One chance was left open to us, viz., retrace our steps. Now that we came to realize our position we stood to deliberate. Vera was a couple of yards ahead, making her way as best she could. Studying the ground we thought we might try an old bridge which could not be far off; but just as we set out, changing our direction. Vera stood still in front of us, a little sharp bark of uneasiness alarmed us; she would not advance, and yet we saw no obstacle. It struck my friend that we had better puch our sticks down to feel. It was fortunate we did. Had we moved one single step more forward we must have met certain death. We stood on the very brink of the decent. the border of the largest drain in the whole place. How we had got here we could not say, for to have realized it we must have crossed at. least half a dozen minor ditches. ceded, and providentially, for on two other occasions her instinct made her leap without any apparent reason, and thus pointed to us where the hidden peril awaited us.