"Mike" the Dog

From the "Quincy Quill," Quincy, WA

12-16-1904

"Mike is dead. That is to say that Mike, who was a big, tough, ugly, good-natured bull-dog, got up against the wrong proposition the other day, in the shape of a train, and consequently Mike passed to happy dogdom in two parts, where in a ll probability he is now enjoying his eternal daily scraps with other dogs.

"Mike, whose surname might be said to be Heywood-Richardson_Hale, launched forth into town life about a year ago and found it most congenial, as he had plenty of dogs to fight, his undescribable ugly features attracting attention, and his good nature winning many a hand pat.

"Mike first came to town to act as guardian of the bank, where he resided nightly for some time. But eventually losing the job through negligence he became patrolman over the dog fraternity in town. Certain it was that Mike would rather fight than eat, unless it was to eat some other dog, and day after day Mike might be seen coming down street, grinning and happy, although covered with blood and numerous dog bites.

"Unlike most bull-dogs, however, be had a very sensitive nature and hated to have any mean trick played on him. Such he never forgot or forgave, and of such was one when one day he was standing near the piston of a locomotive the engineer opened some valves and Mike got steam-heated. This was too much for his dogship and he promptly grabbed the cowcatcher, but the train refused to come his way.

"Ever since that day Mike challenged the train, whenever he was around, until it was ended by Mike getting under a wheel, and as the wheel was not a dog, Mike got the worst of it.

"Peace to his ashes."