SAGACITY OF A DOG.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2274, 19 April 1886, Page 2

SAGACITY OF A DOG.

A man with his wife and family had gone into the backwoods of America, far beyond the furthest settlement, and effected a small clearing ontho banks of a narrow creek. They took with them a strong and beautiful Newfoundland dog. The man built a small rude shanty in which to house thorn, and having felled a fow trees he managed to plough about a quarter of an aore of land close by. The autumn season had set in, and finding that he would require a store of provisions and seed for sowing against next sprinp, ho resolved to loso no time in going for it to the nearest settlements. This involved a three week's absence from home. One fine_ morning he started, leaving his family without any protector save the Newfoundland dog. When be had been absent about a fortnight, his wife, looking anxiously one day in the direction from which he would return, was startled and appalled by observing huge clouds of dark smoite (oiling cm the distant horizon. What did it mean} Alas, it could mean only one thing—tho prairie was on fire. This thought flashed on her, and for a moment she felt as if her senses had left her. On recovering herself a little she thought again, and the further thought occurred to her and well nigh froxe.the blood of her heart—the wind was blowing from the very quarter from which the smoke appeared., Dazed and staggering she rushed' into the log-

cabin,' and taking the little ones outside, sat down with them "in dumb horror, utterly unable to think of; any mode of escape. The v»lumes of smoke increased every moment, and the flames came rushing on with a speed outstripping that of the fleetest horse, and a deafening roar as of the hurricane, In tho agony of the moment the thought arose, will the creek stop the flames ? This was her last hope.' She huddlod her littlo ones closer, and with hands uplifted and breathing an anguished prayer to God, she could but wait the end. The Newfoundland stood beside.her with quivering limbs and eyes rivetted on .the apalling. Bceno. Tho smoke is already around them. " Oh, my God!" was hor" exclamation, for alas, tho flames had leaped up the orook. All hope now was gone. At this moment of supreme peril, the Newfoundland seized her, and, with a great, anguished, and almost human cry, dragged hor from wh'eroshe sat. Instinctively slie took hold of her ehildren, and.rushod along as fast as her sinking strength would carry her. In a few moments tho noble dog stood still, and, with gleaming eyes and wagging tail, seemed to say to them, " take cburage,you are safe." And they were safe. The Newfoundland had led them into the centre of. the ploughed land: the roaring flames swept round the sides of it, almost stifling them with heat and smoke, but leaving them unharmed, and in a fow minutes the danger .was past. When in a few days the father of tho family returned, he found his little home a blackoned heap of cinders, yet ho was !profoundly thankful;that his wife and family had been delivered in suoh awful peril, and, though almost starving wore safe. In this case, where human reason was at it's wit's end, the instinct of a Newfoundland dog saved p'reoious lives