Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1874 — A Little Fun With a Dog. [ARTICLE]

A Little Fun With a Dog.

Wayne Hovey, editor of Mr. Bergh’s paper, relates how he had a little fun with a dog, which first led him to consider the subject of cruelty to animals. “It was on a Fourth of July, several years ago,” says Hovey; “ and the dog’s name was Spring. He was about the meanest specimen of a cur I ever knew — mangey, bow-legged, and yellow at that. But he had a pair of eyes like black beads, and what he lacked in natural talent he made up in practical experience. My father liked the dog because he was useful. He drove the cows up in the morning, kept the boys out of the watermelon patch, and was a terror to tramps. But the dog we celebrate brought a disaster to our house, or rather barn, which I shall never forget. We boys had a grudge against Spring for rousing the family when we came home late nights, and boy-like we proposed to pay him off. Mv eldest brother had bought a bunch or the largest-sized firecrackers —a kind that I do not see nowadays—and Spring had* been induced by many fair promises of meat tb accompany us up the road, about a quarter of a mile from the house. Here he was ruthlessly seized, and before he could turn to bite he was pinned to the earth by at least a dozen hands. The next thing he knew he had not less than a hundred fire crackers fastened to his tail, which were lighted, and he was released. Never did a dog make better 'time for home. Every time he jumped he yelped, and every time be yelped a fire-cracker exploded. He reached the house some time before we did, and in the excitement of the day was soon forgotten. It was not long, however, that we were permitted to forget him. In less than half an hour the old gentleman’s barn was discovered to be on fire, and when the flames had reached a point at which we gave up all hope of saving the building the dog crawled out from beneath the under-pinning. In his fright he had carried the fire-crackers With him into the hay and set fire to the bam. He came off with a singed tail, and father lost $3,000 by the fire. I looked upon it as a sort of judgment, and have ever since been more careful in my treatment of animals.” ■- _