Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1876 — Rob. [ARTICLE]

Rob.

He was a magnificent Scotch dog of great size, braver than a lion. He liad< but one bad habit when I had him—to see a cat was to fly at it. This ended in his worrying to death a favorite grimalkin belonging to a neighbor, and tliq catastrophe raised a fearful commotion. So, with many regrets, I sent him to Brechin, fifteen miles oft. There, early on the following Sunday morning, Bob was observed with head and tail erect, and a resolute purpose in every look and movement, "taking his way toward home. Whether he had kept the road, or come by some path across the country, I know not; but when I was leaving the church, about one o’clock,*-1 was met by the beadle, with his old face lighted up with an unusual expression of glee, and exclaiming—for my dog and Johnny had always been fast friends—“ You mauna put him awa’, minister, though lie should worry a’ the cats in the parish.” On going to the manse 1 found Bob outside the gate as fiat and motionless as if he had been stone dead. It was plain he knew as well as 1 did that he had been banished and had returned without leave, and was liable to be hanged, drowned, shot or otherwise punished at my will. I went up to him and stood over him for awhile in sitenee. He lay as if he -tiad been killed and flattened by a heavy roller,* only that, with his large, beautiful eyes half-shut, he kept winking and looking up iff my face with a most pitiful and pleading expression- Though I might not go the length ol old Johnny in making free of all the cats in the parish, there was no resisting the dumb but eloquent appeal. I gave way, and exclaimed in cheerful tones: “Is this you, Bob?” In an instant, knowing that lie was forgiven, he rose at one bound into the air, circling round and round me, and, in his joy, leaping nearly over my head.— Remarkable Animals.