PARTED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 124, 18 February 1908, Page 8

PARTED.

A MAN AND A DOG. Tho scene was the Queen's Wharf, and tho occasion the departuro ; of the.'U.S.S. Company's steamer Warrimoo for Sydney. It was about 4 p.m. on' Friday, and' as the steamor's human' freight'included two or three ."personages" of consequence in 'the 'community, tho - crowd which gathered on tho wharf to witness her; departuro was larger than usual.. . r -■ . The bugle' had sounded "All Ashore," ono gangway had been lowered 'and tho-other was just about to be cast 'off when ■ a seaman, explaining to tho crowd that ho was escorting "a rejected, saloon passenger," hurried down, leading by a string a j mediumsized dog. . ' ' . '"Where's this goin' ?" queried the gangway man, indicating tho dog. "Got to leave J im ashore; them's'my .orders'," replied tho sailor as ho tied tho,' dog to an adjacent box on the wharf and scuttled back, the gangway man querulously protesting that he would not bo responsible for tho "mongrel." The animal .was soon forgotten in the absorption of tho crowd in tho departure of tho steamer., . Tho ropes were' cast off, the en-gine-room';, telegraph' ; .-rang, - and tho vessel slowly drew out, whilo handkerchiefs . fluttered in the air, hats waved, and final messages wero shrieked across the intervening space. - . . - Suddenly a man on the deck of tho steamer rushed frantically '.to tho 'side, clambered over tho rail,, and in anothor second would have boen floundering'in tho harbour, had not two or threo pairs, of hands, grabbed him, and hauled him, struggling and gesticulating, back to the deck. Baffled in'what.ever purpose ho had ini view, ho twisted and writhed in .tho toils of his captors, and shook his fist at things in general. ■ • Tho handkerchiefs on the wharf had meanwhilo ceased to flutter, and a speculative silenco prevailed. : W,hat was tho matter ? Matter enough. Hero was a man who had trained a dog to such a degree' that the public were twilling to pay.for tho privilego of witnessing. the results, of his education. - Tho-man was a professional, entertainer, and- earned his ■living by exhibiting' his "world-famed performing dog.!' Ho proposed to open; up .in Sydney, and-duly embarked on the Warrimoo, accompanied by his dog. Having tied tho animal up he wont to his cabin about his ,luggage, and' in his absence tho ship's offi cors; finding that tho certificate of health required by law had not:been attached to tho dog's passage ticket, ordered him to be removed to tho wharf. The owner did not discover this'until tho steamor was about 30 yards off, and then, suddenly espying the sourco of his income sitting disconsolately on tho wharf, and realising that, professionally speaking, thoy two were one, ho, made a desperate attempt to rejoin his ' partnor, with what result has been already told..