WELL DONE LITTLE DOG.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1737, 15 May 1888, Page 3

WELL DONE LITTLE DOG.

A family in iSfelson, says the Mail of the sth instant, were saved early yesterday morning from a narrow, escape from being burned in their beds, and the New Zealand Insurance Company are to-day from £IOOO to £I6OO richer than they might have been, and all owing to the' sagacity of a little dog. It appears that in Mr Curtis' residence in Toi r J oi Valley a * log was left burning either inside, or on the top'of, a colonial oven in the kitchen when tbe family retired to rest. Between one and two in the: Morning ■, Miss Curtis, who sleeps upstairs, was aroused from her sleep by a pet'dog licking her face, and having succeeded in awakening her the animal left the room, and, it is presumed, went downstairs again, into the kitchen.. ,3be however, fell asleep again, and the dog after waiting a little time and finding that she was taking no-, notice of what it evidently intended, as appeared afterwards, as a friendly warning, went upstairs once more and adopted the same method of awaking the sleeper; and this time was not satisfied to leave her till she was thoroughly aroused, when she noticed a strong smell as of burning wood. Getting out of bed and going downstairs she found that the log bad fallen from the stove on to the floor, in which a large hole had been burned, while the fire was still - smouldering, only waiting for a slight draught to fan it into a fierce flame. Of course the household was aroused at once and the fire speedily extinguished, but there is no knowing what might have beentheconsequences it the little dog had not displayed so : large ap amount of sagacity or,; shall we, say reasoning power.