A BLOODHOUND'S GRATITUDE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 689, 10 February 1881, Page 2

A BLOODHOUND'S GRATITUDE.

: The Del roil Free Press tells a remarkable stiiry of a bloodhound's gratitude. at Andersonvillo. The prisoners ware allowed to go out in . Bipiads, ationylv guarded, tocolluot tiriMi'id. Qui day it was the hero's turn lo go, and, for the' first time since his iiiipisuument, he caiiiiht aiulit of •'Colonel Ouchein," the big bloodhound. The Michisjnnder-. noticed that the dog limbed painfully on one of hia dm feet, hut g.ive tilt matter no special attention until, af'er being out half an hour, he sat down to rest near one of the guards. The do/ approached the guard, as if to ask some favor, but was repulsed whh an oath and a threatened blow. He then skulked around and caine near tho prisoner, who saw that he had an old horseshoe nail run into his foot. With.a little ooaxiii" he got the dog near and finally pulled out the nail, and the animal ran awav seemingly well pleased. Twelve days after that, one night about mid-night; a tunnel was ready. The prisoner was a long time getting dear of the neighborhood, and weak and starved as he was, he was nit more than two mileß from the stockade when day broke and " Colonel Gatchem" was put on his track. When he heard, the hound coming he looked for a suitable tree to climb, but failed to find one. Armed with a club he took his sland and determined to make a fight for it, The dog recognised the man and bogan exhibiting every sign of friendship. Aftor a.few minutes the pursuers were heard in the distance. The dog trotted off in that direction and was shortly baying and leading them over a flotitious trail. The prisoner pushed ahead for half an hour and was then rejoined by the dog, who kopt either close to his heels or just ahead of him all day, and lay_beside him in the woods'at night, This position of guardian or companion he maintained until towards night of the second day, when he returned to the stockade. The prisoner was then thirty miles: 'away,: but on Ihe fifth morning he was recaptured. When he returned the hound met and caressed him. From that hour to' the closo nf the war the dog would not take the trail of an escaping prisoner.