I found these interesting websites about Emily Bronte:
Emily's sketch of Keeper
Emily and her Dog, Keeper
The gift came with a warning. Keeper was capable of love and loyalty to a select few but vicious toward others. When Keeper fought another large dog, the local men stood around to watch the spectacle. Emily dove into the fight. She grabbed Keeper by the neck and dashed pepper into the faces of the furious beasts.
Haworth was a clean and orderly home. Tabby, the elderly servant made sure of that. When Keeper decided to take his naps on the counterpane of one of the beds, Tabby demanded that Emily intervene. The mastiff was warned. Found again on the bed, Keeper took a stand. Emily hauled the reluctant dog off the bed. If you've ever seen a bull mastiff, that was a feat in itself. The insulted, infuriated dog turned on his mistress. He growled menacingly as she dragged him down the stairs. But Keeper met with worse fury than he probably imagined. Emily clenched her fists and pummelled the angry dog into submission.
Nursing Keeper's swollen eye, Emily let him know there were no hard feelings. The ever obedient animal followed her everywhere. Emily often sat on a rug and used Keeper as a back rest. She sketched pictures of him. And her attachment to Keeper was illustrated in Charlotte's portrayal of Shirley in the book of the same name about a character based on Emily.
info and pictures of bull mastiefs
I love that the Bronte's were such animal lovers. It's amazing the variety that they had. Emily I think loved them the most of all and rescued many on her beloved moors.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenxo J~
In 1998 I had just gotten a new puppy and was trying to come up with a name. One night I was watching a very old film of Wuthering Heights. As the main character was running across the moors she was calling her dogs name "Keeper"! I thought that was the perfect name for my new pup. So my Rhodesian Ridgeback mix became Keeper. She was big, loyal and loving. And is now still greatly missed after her long life of 15 years.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThat is a beautiful story Sharon. Both dogs, Keeper from Emily and your Keeper, both remembered as big, loyal and loving.
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