The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-19
From tho Elk Run Gazette.
S,ausue Fisher.

r.,,o ORC MANY remarkable stories oil the
,-,.iIirence of dogs. Indeed, their $50
,i,v is so closely allied to human io Sont
hat we sometimes are inciihe9 " "u I'D
D.rwin's theory of the origin o. ni,t,' i'll III
"a think the dog is not very len .. Ioris If
amongst those that connect VIC nf no.
"rnaiion " with the humpiest ofocf vi "e"-
aadhd. ,oosortness we
~, 1' " coon dogs" and "'possum dogs,
nnd still have squirrel and bird dogs put
an. anu ,nlinwinc. for the truth Of which we eau
.. n,,cb heats Ward Beccher's story OF the
hi" Newfoundland and little greyhound.
Nr. Albert Ashby, in the upper part OF
Eauouicr, Va, has an old bob.taiied point
or named Jack, who for sometime past nas
henn in the habit of taking along when ne
tas :. zone a fishing" in Goose creek,
whose services are even brought IN requlsl-
ton before he reaches the stream, for Mr..
s.. has only to take down bis poles, which
he keeps suspended on wooden pegs IN hls
front porch, when Jack is in perfect costa
CIV. Mr.. A. then quietly remarks 10 MS
fclIow-tisherman, 81 would like TO have my
bait-bs>ket,' when Jack, no matter where
it is. will soon produce 1t. MIR. A. even
thinks that he hides it, as he invariably
brings it home from the creek. The tWo-
legged fisherman need not ask Tor some,
thing TO dig the worms, for Jack mas iouho
the grubbing-hoe behind the hog-pen OF
5 able-vard, and gives mouth to announce
the fact.
jacks services as an adjunct are more
valuable beside the stream, where ne I'M
flipchingly watches the cork, at the least
motion of which he becomes FESTIVE, ana
by the jumping Of tho minnows knows the
approach OF q pike, which having seized
the bait. Jack makes a "dead stand" as
though setting coVey OF blTu-. Ii INC
fish on being landed becomes dlseDsaScd
from the hook near the margin OF the
stream, he manages to keep IL away from
the water, and bears 1t 10 q SAFE pace lil-
land.
In fishing for jack, or pike, rs they are
sometimes called, Mr.. a. is in the habit OF
setting his poles. baitcd with minnows,
tiity or sixty feet apart, Mt TWO places.
placing Jack in sight, up strelm, at one OF
them. On such occasions he Is fully COM
pctent to watch and give notice in the man
ncr stated, lying fat on his all.fOurs, in
teutly watching the cork with counte-
nance expressive of anxiety and cXpecta-
ton, like that of Col. McMurtcr ut Faro,
"waiting the turn" for his last white CHIP.
Mr.. A. on one occasion, when JACK was
thus assisting him (and he himself some
rods distant, llnmindlul OF sport, medi-
vi tut VI ~
large pike had drawn the fishing pole Into
the water. Jack seized the but end with
his teeth, and actually drew the fish ashore
before he got there. IL we did not know
the chal autcr of Dir. Ashby for truthful.
ness we would not believe it. Who can say
TINT dog would do this from mere III
stnct? II is something CHER even than
sagacity. Who can say that ne does not
reason, for he is certainly an apt scholar
j. NJ. Scely, Esq, living near MIR. Ashby,
gentleman of undoubted veracity, corob.
crates this statement, and says: 81 KNOW
the dog WELT white, livcr-color, spotted
pointer. out of an English slut, imported
by Mr.. Richard De Butts; fine dog. l
hunted with him two seasons. and gave nun
to Mr.. Ashby because he had lost bis scent,
accustomed by hunting him early in the
season before the bloom Of the carrot-wecd,
50 abundant on my farm, had been killed
by the frost, though he hunted Web
the next year. Jack is now very oid-too
old To hunt, and for sport, probably thinks
tishing his next best chance.