The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-09-07
EUROPEAN LETTER.
tFrom our Regular Correspondent

L
like to remain longer in the city of BRUSSELS.
II has been called Il miniature Paris, and in
the number and magniticcncc of its public cdi-
fees, parks and monuments, as well as in the
breadth extent and cleanliness OF its boulc.
wards, il has strong resemblance 10 smaller
edition OF the French capital. The language
spoken by the higher classes is French, but
the nomenclature Of the streets is not much
like that of Paris. The hotel at which l am
stopping IS on the Rue DIES DOuze Apotrcs,
which in plain English is, the street Of the
dozen apostles There is another street having
the name of THE Street Of Good Herbs for
Soup" Belgium has not Il long list of bat
ties and military heroes like France, so she Is
compelled TO use common names for the streets
of her capital In Paris nearly every rue, av-
enue and boulevard suggests history or as
sists to perpetuate fame-as the Avenue
Wagram, the Boulevard Macshcrbes, the IN,
Voltairc | sad the French languar 4 wins
spoken in Belgium, but it is very a1fftror,
French from that spoken in Paris. Tine work
ing classes speak French p ,,tais bp asc;r
vernacular seems to be Fle'.nish Tourists do
not usually wmain at B.nassIss much longor
than may b. necessary 10 drive ovor che city,
make %H excursion TO the field Of Waterloo,
and buy some Of the famous Brussells lace
but there is much here that will repay Il long.
er and more careful study. Some of the most
renowned paintings IN the world are on the
walls Of the Brnssclls galleries, and the works
of the great masters are only less numerous
here than in The Gallery Of the Louvre But
it is not my Intention to write about the gal
leries, monuments and architecture Of the city,
there is more interesting subject: Dogs
Here | have learned the meaning of the ex-
preston, "to work like dog" The canine
species Is here used for the purposes of draft
to an extent that have nevor heard of their
being used elsewhere. They arc used in this
way 10 L limited extent in Switzerland and to
| 4 greater extent in Frankfort and Cologne, but
| in BRUSSELS they are Il very important factor
IN the economy of transportation. II is strange
that more has not been written on the subject,
and that, since they prove so capable, they are
not used for light draft in other countries.
The loads they draw are greater than would
be supposed from the weight of the ANIMAL
greater am sure, in proportion TO the weight
than those drawn by horses or mules but they
are usually employed only as auxilarics, one
dog beng harncssed under cart the Shafts of
which are held and guided by the owner. The
axle of the cart is rrchcd in the middle, in or
der TO enable the animal to stand erect IIar.
messed with Il simple round padded leather
collar, pair Of traces and Il back band, the |
assistance he gives his master, who does little |
more except on ascending ground than guide
the cart, is very great. Usually not more than
as many rs three, and the American Consul
told me that he had seen six and eight to one
wagon, driven in from the country, loaded |
with wood, with the driver on top. In Brus- |
sells there ar many shops for the manufacture
and sale Of dog harness, and in them you may |
buy plain set or one Ornamented with pol. |
ishcd brass. There is dog market held every
Sunday in this city, and here every variety of
dog is bought and sold, the buyers and sellers
being usually market and milk women.
was particular to inquire Of the American
Consul in relation to the species of dog pre-
ierred, but 1t seems that they have no particu-
lar breed, and that no systematic effort has
been made TO improve the breed. observed
that The dogs in most common use were ours,
OF medium size, and of all coiors They seem
to be very enthusiastic pullers, moving at the
spced Of Il brisk walk for man, and they new
er balk; but the moment the wagon stops the
dog lies down. He is always tired, Oh has
been taught the wisdom of conserving his
To all appearances the dogs of BRUSSELS lead
but dogs iiic and all OF 'lGm have dropping
tails and detected, hang.6og air. But how
much better it is for them, for thc" country, l.
and for their posteri,y, TO ne e. Gagged in some
respectable employment, earning an honest
livelihood, than to be- killing sheep, gnawing
bones, bIing the moon, or rushing about the
streets with tin pan To their tails, a. is the
custom Of too many of our American dogs
In Paris the white woody spaniel is indis-
pensahle 10 a fine lady's toilet The fsir Pa
riSieaHc whether she be Of the 6eda AiDlde or
demi monde, must have her dog and she leafs
him by small chain when she promenades,
or takes him in her carriage when she drives {
She would no more omit the little beast han :
She would forget her boots. There ART dog
BARRIERS in Paris who earn livelihood by n
these little pets. The style 70, logs l
his season is To leave girdle of hair around
'sc GV!y and around each leg above the knee
G.. \. s. II
\ san Francisco cores onuent of the Balti. =