A SPANIEL'S FAITHFULNESS.

Western Star, 21 March 1922, Page 4

A SPANIEL'S FAITHFULNESS.

A story is told of a little spaniel that prevented, the capture ahd death of Wiiilain of Orange.

Tlie incident is said to be a true one, and to have occurred ou September 11, 1572, when Don Frederick, with a large force, established himself near the Havre gate of Moms, while the Prince of Orange was encamped within halit a league of the same •place. Don Frederick hazarded a night attack on the prince's camp, which nearly resulted in the capture of the prince himself. A chosen band of 600 arquebusiers, attired, a& was customary in nocturnal expeditions, with their shirts outside their armour, that they might recognise each o'ther in the darkness, were led by Julian Romero, within the lines of the enemy.- The sentinels were Cut down, the whole army wae surprised, and for' a moment powerless, while for two hours long, from one o'clock in the morning until three, the Spaniards .butchered their foes, hardly roused from their, sleep, icnoraut by how small a force they had been thus suddenly surprised, and unable in the confusion to' distinguish between friend and foe. The boldest, led by Julian in person, made at once for the prince's tent. His guards and himself were in profound sleep, but a email spaniel, thai always parsed the night upon his bed, was a more faithful sentinel. The creature sprang forward, .barking furiously at the sound of hostile footsteps, and scratching his ' master's face with his paws. There was but just time for the prince to mount a. horse that was'ready saddled, and to effect his escape through the darkness before \m enemies sprang, into his tent. Hi s servants were cut down, his master of the horse and two of the secretaries, who gained their saddles a moment later, all lost their lives; and but for the little dogV watchfulness William of Orange, upon whetse shoulders the whole weight of his country's fortune jrte-. pended, would have been led within a week to an ignomiinous death. Afterwards to his dying ( d'ay the prince kept a spaniel of the same race in his bed chamber.