THE 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



Vol. 14 May, 1918 No. 5 



Rufus, the Red King 



Anna C. Stryke 

 Claremont, California. 



In these days we are hearing more and more of the part which 

 dogs are taking in rescue work. And what a noble work it is! 

 There is a Dog Hero whose story I must tell because, although 

 he has done no rescuing in the war zone, his career merits as much 

 praise as that of any of the Red Cross dogs. Indeed, until within 

 the past year or two, I doubt whether there was another dog 

 anywhere with so many human lives to his credit, unless it be the 

 St. Bernards of the Alps. 



For six months of last year it was my privilege to be his com- 

 panion. How I wish that you might have shared my pleasure. 

 You would have loved him, as I did, from the moment when his paw 

 met my hand in formal acknowledgment of his master's introduc- 

 tion. As is usual with presentations, I was not quite sure of 

 his name. Upon asking him to reassure me he answered, with a 

 two-syllable bark, that his name was "Rufus", just as his master 

 had said. The friendship thus established continued until I 

 was obliged to take leave of him when I left Pasadena, which is 

 his home. I hope, however, to see him many times before we 

 leave California. 



His master insisted that he is "just dog", by which, of course, 

 he meant that he is the very finest dog in the world. I learned 

 afterwards that he is a Siberian bloodhound. If you never have 

 seen this kind of dog I can help you only by describing Rufus, 

 for he is the only Siberian bloodhound that I ever knew. He 

 wears a thick coat of burnished red, showing, in front, an expanse 

 of white vest. He has the nose of an English bloodhound, 

 making him keen on the scent, while his "facial expression" 

 reflects all the intelligence and lovable disposition of the St. 

 Bernard. This is his story and that of his master. 



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