STORY OF A DOG

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13326, 1 May 1941, Page 7

STORY OF A DOG

ALSATIAN OF LAST WAR When Heine's master died in Montreal the other day this remarkable story was sent to the Children's Newspaper. Heine was a small black Alsatian puppy, the sole living creature left in a Belgian village during the last war. A Canadian soldier marching through saw her sitting pathetically by a ruined house and, loving animals, picked her up and put her inside his coat. The two became inseparable, and when the war was over and the Canadian was in England on his way home Heine was with him. Unhappy Heine

Man and dog separated for the first time when Heine was not allowed to go to Montreal with her master until she had been some time in quarantine.

It was several hours before he received word that Heine was on her way to him, and it happened that just at that time he was called out of town on business, so he asked his brother to look after his pet for him. So the brother was on the wharf to meet Heine and take her home. But when her master arrived back in Montreal a few days later to his dismay there was no Heine. She had fretted so much that she escaped from her kennel. Police headquarters still remember the search which then began. The city was combed from end to end. Advertisements were put in all the newspapers. Many people telephoned to say they had seen a small Alsatian dog, but it was not his. By this time her master was frantic. He had become attached to the dog that he loved the animal like $. human being. All his firends helped. Then one day he heard that a dog answering to Heine's description had been seen in one of the suburbs. The idea came to him that perhaps if he got together the men who had been in the band of his regiment (all of whom had known Heine in France), and if they marched through the suburb playing the old tunes they had played in France, Heine might hear the familiar music and appear. And so the men arranged to rarrive at three in the afternoon outside the gate of McGill University. At exactly three o'clock- Heine's master stepped out of his car- to greet them. He opened the car door and there, waiting for him on the pavement was Heine! A Dramatic Meeting They were both so overcome that they leapt into each other's arms and rolled on the ground in joy, and tears came to the eyes of the spectators. To this day nobody knows how Heine came to be there at that exact moment.

Heine lived to be ner master s darling for about ten years. Now they are together again, for he, too, has passed away. He was Mr Shearer, whose niece is a well-known film actress.