The Empathetic Pup of Idol Hill
A local carpenter finds comfort in a loyal companion who mirrors his own physical struggle.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A carpenter at Idol Hill, who has the misfortune to be permanently lame from an accident received in the prosecution of his trade some years ago, has a dog which is his almost constant companion. This dog, although perfectly sound in wind and limb, invariably limps when in company with his master, but at all other times runs nimbly as a colt. Whether it is a case of sympathy, fellow-feeling for a fellow living, or not, we cannot state, but respectfully submit the case to scientific men, assuring them that the story is strictly true.
“This dog, although perfectly sound in wind and limb, invariably limps when in company with his master.”
While this brief report from 1876 is a quaint piece of human-interest, it mirrors the long-standing tradition of Seattle newspapers capturing the quiet, daily bonds between people and animals. Today, the deep connection between Seattleites and their pets remains a defining, albeit softer, feature of the city's character, even as the urban landscape has drastically evolved from the days of Idol Hill.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.