The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-06-29
Mk poe RorzD.8A Z


with accounts Of the opening of III,
dog pound there for the season. 1T
When the gate was opened the crowd
made rush, which was checked with
some difficulty by the five polieemenas,
signed to duty there. One by one the
eager dog catchers were admitted with
their prizes, and as these were deliver
ed 10 Marriott, tho keeper, they were
raid for by the cashier at the rate Of
tifty cents each. The stream Of rough
visitors continued to pour in until after
II O'Clock, when the gate was closed for
an hour or more. At this time $50 dogs
'had bean impounded, and outside we're
men and boys waiting with rs many
more.
When Marriott returned from dinner
the pound gate was again thrown open,
and ngain began tho purchase ofhodnd
and cur and spaniel for prospective
slaughter or temporary imprisonment.
The traffic was keptup until SIX o clock,
ut which hour 800 dogs crowded the
door Of tue prison, the Ludlow street
Jail Of tho favored few, the Gehenna Of
the iriendless many.
The pound is a sort of hall about
twenty-five feet long and twenty-five
wide, The sides are OF rough stone.
The roof Is OF boards, and provided
with fOur openings for ventilation. The
board floor is marked b. several
parallel rows OF iron Shapes, to which
the dogs IRE chained. At the southern
end OF the room is large tank in
which fifty dogs can DO confined at q
time, When forty.eight hours have
elapsed, the ffst batch Of unfortnnates
will be placed in the tank, the door
closed, the stream OF poisonous gas
turned on, and the troubled lives OF
6fty Of I" mans half.reasoning compau.
ions" brought to close.
The reporter visited the pound, He
found Marriott giving water 10 the dogs.
The din they made with their piteous
bowls and cries was deafening. Many
Of them would not drink, and many
seemingly resigned TO tho worst fate
that might be in store for them, Tlay
prone on tho floor showing no sign Of
anxiety, but with their almost human
eye speaking eloQuently OF their misery
and despair. One fine, silken.haired
animal watched the carpenters Mt work
on the tank with an interest that seem.
ed born OF certain knowledge. that the
huge box before him was yet 10 play
an important part IN tho little drama
of his life. He never changed his posi-.
ton, never took bis eyes away from the
men, but studied their every movement
with intelligent inQuisitiyenesa He
broughtto mind the poor doomed man
ihthe old play who stood "within forty
eight feet Of tho gallows coming his
neck.yerse." Another noticeable pris.
oner was brighteyed little black ter
rier that bad evidently been the object
OF some kind masters care. Like the
pet o. Gains Agrippa, the scholar; or
like the famous mystical companion Of
Doctor Fddslus, he might well have
been the Representative of the Evil
One; for he was deaf to all orders to
be quiet, turned o defiant cyaiupon the
hand about to strike him, and was alto
gether MS unappeasRble rs the black
poodle OF Pope Sylvester J., in whom
the Prince Of Darkness was popularity
supposed 10 hive taken up his abode.
Near him stood two ferocious bull
dogs rendered desperate by their close
confinement. Their tongues lollcd for
out OF their open mouths, and their red
eyes fairly blRzed with rage as they bel
lowed madly for liberty. Tho dogs
which devoured Actmon conld not have
been moro bloodthirsty in appearance
than these horrid pets Of soma brutal
Bill Skies, now perhaps doing the State
service in the stone quarry mp the river.
There were dogs OF all kinds dogs
lame, halt, blind; dogs strong and
.lnsty, and dogs too weak to walk |;
there were little dogs aud big dogs /;
young dogs with round eyes full Of
ignorant wonder; old dogs in whose
cheeks the cadent rheum had fretted
deep channels dogs which fond mas.
ters and mistresses could resognizo at n
glance dogs in whose faces fear and
the deformed hand OF timo had wrought
strange dis6gurements; and there were
dogs OF all colors, from the pure white
even down to that peculiar shade OF
yellow which is supposed to distinguish
the thieving hound Of the plantation
from the tawny.hided "possum dog
ho OF appetite insatiate aud compacity
immensurable.
As the day wore on several persons
called on the pound master in the hope
Of recovering from him their lost pets.
The irst wasa German woman. "oh,
half you got nv leetle dog9" said she.
He vas bretty leetle vite Doodle,
mid no plack on hees poly." She was
allowed to go down the line and OK.
anime the prisoners, but her little white
poodle was not there. "Iloosed him
dis morning. said she. "Ivas eating
my breakfast, uud q boy come und
token him away"
"Como again tomorrow" said Ma.
riott, politely, "and you may find
him"
Another visitor was a nea.ly.iressed
lady, who had lost q small blaok.and'
tan. She was moro successful than the
hrst. As she walked down between the
two lines OF dogs she spied her pet, who
at the same moment recognized his
mistress. She sprang toward him, and
in second the little creature was mes.
tied in her arms, trembling 80 with de,
light that he could make no sound bui
faint whine.
.'If You don want to lose hin,
again" said Marriott. as he received
the three dollars required by law fol
the redemption OF an impounded dog,
I" you must muzzle him."
What yell went up when the it'll,
black.and.tan was released from the
rope that bound him Dozens Of dogs
lnrrn and Email. were on their feet nnd