St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-05-18

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S50,0O0 PET-MR. BERGH sQUELCHED
THE COMING CARNIvAL-A MONEY
HUNT STRANGE SUICIDE -AMUsE-
MENTs-''MR. HE-NO."-MIss NELSON.
New YORK, May IL, 1877.
To the Editor of the CaledoRian:
Presumably for the purpose of Great
ing a reaction of public feeling in their
favor at moment when their race is
being made the subject of severe legis-
lation, as well as to demonstrate to the
tyrant man their dignity and import
ance, the canine aristOcracy have this
week been in Congress assembled. The
place of meeting was Gilmore's Garden,
and the full title of the assemblage, The
First Annual New York Bench Show of
Dogs. 1t is rather curious to note how
surely prosecution engenders sympathy.
Two months ago it did not seem as
though there was soul in town except
Mr.. Bergh who could be called friend
of the dog. The humiliation of the
whole tribe seemed to be demanded,
and blOod-thirsty ordinances were pro-
posed for its repression. No sooner,
however, did the dog law pass, pre-
scribing collar, license, muzzle and
four foot string for leading in the street,
or else instant death, than the tide
seemed to turn and one began to hear
less about ''the useless and dangerous
nuisance" and more about "man's faith
full friend.' To cap the climax the
Westminster Kennel Club got up the
show just closed, and then the revulsion
was complete.
The collection of dogs contained about
twelve hundred animals, comprising
pretty nearly every known variety from
the giant Ulm and st. Bernard breeds
down to the tiny black and tan weigh
ing pound or two and so ''finely bred"
technically speaking, as to be almost
hairless and constantly shivering. Hunt
ing dogs were naturally most largely
represented and included most of the
valuable animals. Many of these were
ticketed $1,000, few $1,000, one or
two $4,000, and upon one deerhound
bred in Queen Victora's kennels was
fixed the astounding price of 10000
pounds sterling, or $4,000 in gold 1t
Is calculated to engender respect in the
beholder to interview dogs who repre-
sent III their own shaggy persons more
money than most of lis are likely to
ever get hold of but so far us my ex-
perience goes, these canine princes are
just as affable and even administrative
in their treatment of visitors us though
they couldn't raise money enough to
pay license fee and keep out of the
dog catcher's hands.
The exhibitions was success finan-
cially, and still more so in point of in
terest. Between two and three thou
sand dollars were given as prizes in the
shape of money, silver cups, guns, ETC.,
and something of ii balance will he turn
ed over to Mr.. Bergh, who intends to
use it i'll carrying out his long cherished
plan for home for sick and homeless
dogs. The attendance was il jam from
beginning to end, and its decidedly
high-toned character forebodes AN in
crease in the dog fever, which has al
ready become epidemic among our up
per ten.
The show had many ludicrous fea-
lures, but nothing funnier than an cpl
sode on Tuesday afternoon when the
above named benevolent gentleman
tried to make Il speech to the company
assembled. OF course, the numerous
purps who either didn't like their tenn
porary quarters or whose feelings were
hurt by their masters desertion gave
constant vent to their woes in IL deafem-
ing chorus of bowls and yelps. When
Mr.. Bergh opened his mouth to speak
the PandemOnium of sound swelled up
with tenfold violence. He tried to 90
on with his speech but the clamor of
his ungrateful constituents reduced his
rhetoric to dumb show. Three or four
times Il lull in the tumult encouraged
him to proceed, when, as though by a
preconcerted arrangement the dogs
would belch forth volumes of complaint.
The President of the Society for the
Protection, etc, looked very mad, and
at last, amid the shouts and applause
of the audience, backed down and out
dartlng parting glance ut his noisy
tOrmentors which threatened vague hor-
rors.
Our long talked of Carnival is at hand
at last A carnival in the middle of
May, after Lent is past and forgotten,
might well seem an anomaly to the
original maskers of the old world, whose
softer climate allows it to come in its
proper place, just before the long sea-
son of fasting and prayer. 1t is a good
deal more sensible, however, for us in
this latitude to have the festival, which
Ill spite of its symbolic origin is cele-
brated only for itself, at a season when
professions and outdoor fun generally
don't have to be smothered in Overcoats.
This first New York carnival is to be
modelled on that of the southern cities,
being ruled by chosen king, whose
burlesque proclamation, printed on
mammoth Illuminated posters, orna-
ments our street corners and hotels.
The programme includes immense pro-
: cessiOns both day and evening, the fes-
tivities eliminating in grand masked
ball at night at Gilmore's Garden, which
will be f1Oored over for the purpose at
at IA cost of $4,000. From this bail
presume no New York clerk who can
raise S. for a ticket will permit himself
to be absent. On the whole the affair
promises to be success of its kind, and
next week | shall be able to say how
well those promises were fulfilled.
The mania fol hunting up Capt. Kidd's
buried money has NOT yet expired. A
society has been formed in a neighbor-
ing coast town called the Society for
Unearthing Hidden Treasure, which all
who are in a hurry to get rich and are
too lazy to work are cordially invited
to join. This worthy corporation has
just been thrown into a flutter by let
ter from a Brooklyn man who knows