Peter makes good, and stories of other dogs

Once when I was motoring through the middle states with my husband, who had dealings with the farmers of that part of the country, we drew up to the door of a German-American farmer, who, on seeing us, came out to ask what was our business. As he did so, out bounded the biggest piece of dog flesh I had ever seen. At first I thought it was a calf, but when a huge mouth opened and let out a “bow-wow,” I saw it was an immense Dane. On the dog came, ready, it seemed, to tear us to pieces; but the farmer caught him by the collar and, talking to him in German, led him back into the house.

As it was a cold, wintry day, the farmer asked me to go inside where it was warm. Wishing to do so, but still remembering that dog, I hesitated. The man insisted, saying his wife would take care of me. I went.

These people, like many of their kind, live most of their cold weather days in the kitchen, where they can cook and keep warm at the same time. Their cookstove was an old fashioned wood one. The oven, when not used for baking pies and bread, or thawing out the men’s feet, was piled full of wood to dry for fuel; I learned that it was Fritz who supplied the wood for the drying process.

I entered and was invited by the wife to take a seat near the stove. I did so, looking around to see where the Dane might be. I spied him behind the stove, pretending to sleep. Soon the stove needed more wood. The wife took some from the oven and replenished the fire. Fritz got up, came around and looked inside the oven to see how much was left. As he was quite near me at the time, I spoke to him and attempted to pet him. The look he gave me was discouraging, but he turned to his mistress, as though inquiring what was wanted of him. She spoke to him in German. Turning around, he wagged his tail, and gave me a genuine dog smile, before returning to his place behind the stove to finish his nap.

Presently the two men came in. The farmer took more wood from the oven. Fritz was watching the oven with evident concern; at last, when only a few sticks were left, he ran to the door, and with his paw unlatched and opened it. Soon he returned with a stick of wood in his jaws. He laid it down by the stove, and repeated the process until the little old oven was full again. This done, he went across to the cupboard, sat down, and barked until he was served with a lunch. His owners explained that they talked to him only in German, although they spoke very good English; and they added that no amount of money would induce them to part with him.

Ted the Water Spaniel

Next on the docket was Ted, the water spaniel. When Ted was called to jury duty, he gave his occupation as “mascot.” He had sailed the seas, having gone on a cruise around the world on a big battleship. When not on mascot duty, he was engaged in catching rats that infested the ship’s hold. He was an excellent sailor and loved the water. The crew, all of whom were fond of him, enjoyed teaching him many clever tricks.

He was a good sport and would allow the men to throw him into the water, which they did just for the fun of seeing him swim back to them. Also, he was a most comical looking animal when he was wet. He would dive for an egg in ten or twelve feet of water; and would pick a piece of money from a pail of water.

There was not a lazy bone in his body. He was always up to something. It was a laughable sight to see him, with his long ears and topknot, sitting up on his haunches to beg for what he wanted. When he was asked what he would do for his country, he would salute the flag and play dead. Many other interesting stunts he did to entertain the sailors and the officers of the big ship.

When the great guns boomed, he would hide and stay hidden until all the smoke had cleared away, when he would come cautiously out from his place of concealment, looking as if he were asking, “Is it all over?”

Of his ancestral history, he knew nothing whatever, as he was picked up from the street in Liverpool by a sailor. Ever since he had followed the sea; but now he was retired and living a quiet life. Though he missed the companionship of the sailors and the wide ocean, he was happy when he could be taken to the beaches. At other times, he bathed in the fountains, which he was doing on the day when Princess met him.

The next story, which he related, was one he had heard some one telling his mistress.

Blood Will Tell

My friends lived on a farm, which was situated in that part of the country where storms and floods were frequent. A stream, quite a small river, in fact, divided their land, the house being on one side of the stream and the pasture lands on the other. The connecting link was a bridge over the stream.

On one occasion, after a heavy storm, this stream was swollen beyond its banks. It became a seething, rushing torrent, carrying the bridge away, leaving no way, except to make a detour of five miles, by which the cows could come from the pasture to the barn. A council was held, and ways and means were discussed. The question was, how were they to get those milkers across to the other side? Everyone had some suggestion. Their little mongrel dog, within whose veins flowed a strain of water spaniel, sat blinking his eyes, and holding his own council.

When the family had given up in despair and returned to the house, the dog swam across to the pasture. He rounded up the herd and, driving them before him, swam the stream again, keeping the cows ahead of him until they were safe on the other side. Every day he repeated this performance until the bridge was built.

The water spaniel recollected another story about a dog named Prince. This one he had heard a gentleman telling his owner.

Prince Helps His Master to Get a Job

The actions of this smart little dog show that dogs often display a degree of reason.

A young man was searching for a position. He was unsuccessful in finding the one suited to his qualifications. He returned home, tired and discouraged, and threw himself on a couch to rest. His small dog Prince saw with an understanding eye that something was worrying his master. He went off to his own corner in the lower part of the house, where the telephone was located, but he did not go to sleep as did his master. He had to think things over as to the cause of his master’s troubles.

Presently the telephone rang. Prince bounded upstairs, two steps at a time, barking lustily all the way. He pulled at the young man’s coat to awaken him, and told him as best he could to answer the phone. His master did so, with the result that he learned that a good position was open to him—a place of trust with a good firm—which he readily accepted.