The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-01-04

stuHu, 80 iOuS as flue tTeaIs HOiu
out.
4 A race of men who dearly loved tn
canine body polite, settlel Smithville
The first person who emigrated thith
= er, brou hit two dogs with him, anG
from these patriarchl ours sprlng :
long and illustiious line of descend
ants.
I Now, every single individual il
Smithville owns at least one dog
more frequently, two-and it is no
uncommon for one family to have +:
halt dozen interesting ours attached
to its msnage. ze
/ In fact nobody in Smithville woulC
dare tosexist Mitlrout.a dog. A dos
is the patent of respectability, = the
coat of arms of every genteel family.
And of course, as in all other hob
bies, there is a great rivalry amene
the proprietors of the dogs. Eacl
man, woman and child, thinks his. OF
I her dog the most beautiful, useful
noble and intelligent animal in the
whole canine world; and quarrels
knockdowns and rows generally, arc
of every day orcurrence-all on ac-
count Of the dogs.
But when the news of the sublime
New York Dog Show reached Smith
vile. the people, tospe ak expressively,
got new wrinkle! What was to
hinder them froii, having rival show
right there at houe? 1t was most
luminous idea, and for FIVE mortal
hours the village streets raIg with the
talk of the principle dog ,proprietors,
on the Interesting tepic.
1t was decided at last. The show
was n settled thing. 1t would come
off in the Town Hall on the, following
| Thursday at ten O'clock in the fore
noon. without regard to weather.
Each person entering a dog for exh:-
hilton to pay the fee of one. dollar,
find the dog in provisions, be respon-
sib!e for his good behavior aud he
rrady to explain his fine points at all
times to the judges and interested
spectators. The number of animals
to be exhibited was limited 10 five
hundred a'lmiitance to all citizens
free outsiders fifteen cents. Tickets
to he had at the door. rs.
This WAS the sum and substance of
the fiming hand-bills which stared at
one Fl ON every wall, gate post and
uroccupied bit of board in Smithville,
and during the four days that inter
venel between their appearance and
the important epoch they indicated,
the excitenen; throughout the entire
Smithville community was tremend
Gus.
People woull acclsa me ofexager
aiing If were to attempt 4 lesciPtion
OF it, and in fact it was perfectly in
describalle. 1t was in the very midst
of the hayinm season, but haying was
nothing to dogs! they swallowed mp
every other interest
The men formed themselves into
knots at street corners to discuss the
relative merits of their favorit~; and
IT,. wornen, each with particular pet
chr at her heels, visited their neig,-
bors, aud wondered. over cups of fra
grant Onlong, whose dog woull win
the highest prize.
AT last the eventual day arrive1.-
The large old fashioned Town Hall
was decorated with sprays of ever
green. green spruce trees, red roses,
lunches OF feathcry asparagus. and
Fourth OF July insignia generally.
At an early honr the people began
to assemble. Most of the dogs enter
ed for exhibition were already there
growing discontentc.lly in their res
pective pens. and swapping at the
skirts of every a'lniring passer-hy.
The juiges, six grave visaged mon.
in white linen c. as, occupied a desk
at the extreme right of tho hall
Tho SmrthviIle Brass B lud footed
GU, Yankee Dnole and Old Dog
Tray from a stand on the let. and
the spectators f''e'l the body Of the
buildifg. - -
BY the side of the expected to-be
prize dogs. stood their several owners
ready tn enlarge To the Judges on the
virtues and grades of their favor
ties.
Undoubl ,dlv. the two finest bsntes
in the collection were the property of
Paul Pratt an elderly blchelor, and
Mrs. Mary Long. an elderly widow.
The former owned very handsome
black and tan bull dog; the latter re-
jniced in the possession of 4 long wool
ed little dog. the very ERECTION of his
species Between these tw fortunate
persons there exi-ied an intense and
bitter rivalry. partly on account of
the dogs. and partly because ESQ sa d
the gns~i: s) Mr.. Pratt. in his youth
ful days, had offered himself ns
husband to the lady and had been
rejected. After the death of the min
she accepted in preference to Pratt,
MIS-. Long had tried her b.st to bring
her old / yer back to his allegiance,
but Mr.. Pratt's sixty years wisdom
scorned the i'lea. and consequently
there was 4 deadly fcud between the
Both idoiiz,d Their dogs. both be-
leved them the acme OF beauty and
|
AT ten O'clock the Judges descended |
from their rostrum and began their
tour of Inspection.
Look here Squire Jenkins! crieA
Yrs. Long. seizing the Squire by his r
ong skirted coat and pulling him
iowa d her, .juSt s"e my dcg! my
larli 6 little Abraham Jeffers n Ma
, ,leon! The very prince of all
! 'lceps with his nj tress every 1
,ightP. sfs
Lord deliver me from bling m his
,lacer exclaimed Paul P,att un'ler ,
lis Ire rth-t'ien to the judges. look
his WY crnntlenain ut my Il II rIl,nt