Magnanimity of a Dog

In the month of August last, a boy of about 11 years of age, the son of one of our citizens, was visiting in the country. As he was crossing a field, a dog pursued him as an intruder upon his masters premises, and the boy being alarmed, ran for some distance, the dog chasing and barking fiercely. At length, as the dog was within a few feet of him, the boy stumbled and fell down a bank and broke his leg. The poor fellow was of course terribly alarmed, the dog still barking at him as he lay helpless at his feet. But the instant the dog perceived that the child was hurt, he returned to his master's house, and by his voice and actions convinced the family that something was wrong. Finally, after having tried in vain to quiet the dog, they followed him till they found the child crying for help, but at such a distance from any house that he could never have made himself heard. Had it not been for the dog, his enemy! the boy would have fainted there, or would have attempted to crawl away, in which case he would doubtless have destroyed his limbs.

The remarkable features in this case are, that the disposition of the dog was so suddenly changed. We often read of dogs making several efforts to save the lives of their masters, or children to whom they are attached, but this is the only instance we have ever met with, where a brute exercised what may be called, without irreverence, the "Christian principle" of kindness to a fallen enemy. In this respect, the dog was much more of a man than many in this world who walk upright.-N. Y. Observer.

What a noble enemy! How much in advance of the Missouri and Illinois mob! Truly this "dog was much more than a man" than all christendom put together. It may be that the spirit which ought to actuate the hearts of christians, has found a truer habitation in the person of a dog than a man. Aside from hydrophobia, dogs never mob, and only steal in case of starvation.