The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-15
THE SNEEzING EPIDEMIC
HAS EXTENDED To COPIAH.
Interesting Encounter with Mad
BOG.
LETTER FROM DOUGAL DALGEqTY.
HAzLnnuRsr, March 9th, 1879,

| llpLi an ShAo'S' 'A'iS't,'A~N'
breadth of this goodly and godly land
The strain on linen observation-disclosures
of all grades, and other and cheaper wipes
of numerous styles and patterns, is unpre'
dented in the annals of influenza. The
epi-zootic is upon us, and in contemplating
the mighty array of red noses, moist eyes,
unmusically husky voices, and other dis
agreeable symptomatic evidences OF its
presence and power among the sons and
daughters of men, we pause moment to
sneeze. Few, indeed, have escaped an att
tack; fewer still have recovered from 1t,
while only smaller few have been tortu-
nate enough TO escape its lingering dis
agreeability by dying. Meanwhile, old
winter, who is the original pattentee OF the
internal barking scourge, has been linger-
ing longer than usual in the lap of spring,
gleefully watching the squirming of its vic
tins. But the bees are humming, the birds
are singing and little boys are digging earth
worms for fish bait-all sufficient reasons
for believing that gloomy winters now
awa',' and imparting to Gentle Annie
the comforting annual assurance that 1.-THE
spriug time has come" or is coming.
And then, mad dogs The terror has
been extreme, though the hydrophobic ia
tality to this date, has been small. Out OF
population of many thousand healthy
dogs in the county, few have gone mad,
and have been providing over the country,
biting their canine fellow citizens, attack
ing cattle, horses, swine, and particularly
sheep. But the Board of Supervisors have
been equal to the emergency, and have
passed an ordinance, prohibiting mad dogs.
No pointer, spaniel, hound, mongrel or
cur of high or low degree is, under the
operation of the ordinance, allowed to go
mad, under penalty of not less than fifty
nor more than twenty-five dollars accord
ding to the size of the dog and death, or
imprisonment for life.
Quite commotion was rased at -
school house last sunday-the law not then
having been Notwithstanding up
the meeting of the singing society; which
was about the middle of ''happy land"
when a highly excited heather came to the
window and briefly stated mad dog. 1t
was at once decided that the members who
had their pistols with them, should move
upon him cautiously, reoonnoiter his posi-
ton, and run if he should be thought dan
gerous. Two or three were mounted on
fleet horses, to assist, in case running
should become necessary. The unarmed
men, with the ladies left to protect them,
were then securely barred in the school
house, and the expedition moved down the
road, under the guidance of the heather,
whose skill with the pistol as stated by
himself, was of the most astonishingly
high order. They soon came upon the
enemy. He lay near the roadside, his head
fronting the crowd, of whom, however, he
took no notice. His eyes were of lurid
ASN'' lid t'hS'O PNolShJ plOtl uAieNt, anu
covered with salaver and foam. The heather
alone, to within five feet; he
first called in a friendly tone; hut the dog
paid no attention. An attempt to frighten,
by scolding and stamping was as little heed
ed. The animal was hopelessly mad, be-
yond doubt, and in mercy the heather
'aised the fatal repeater-his unerring eye
glazed along the barrel and to the victim
steady as the surrounding oaks, the weapon
poised for moment, without the
5remor of nerve the steady forefnger
pressed the yielding trigger, the loud, clear
'eport rang out upon the stiffness of the
sabbath air--and he missed him. But
till the animal moved not; and the execu-
Toner, moving around to his side, attempt
d to approach in flank, thinking to deliver
is next shot at short range of about two |
Il two and half inches Then. suddenly, |
IL the mad dog in that mad dog seemed to
10 aroused, and with spring he bounded
Onward down that road, full on that crowd. |
The heather fired another load (acciden> |
ally) as the furious beast sprang forward |
eleven seconds later the Adventures pass
d the school houSe, the footmen ahead, |
With the horses at full speed, close behind |
hem. Turning to the right nor left, the
og had left the road at its first bending, |
nd was seen no more. Coming up pretty |
Don, the heather explained that if he had
ut had his other repeater, unfortunately
eft at home that morning, that dog would
never "a fotch kick"
The dog was killed mile or two away on
he next morning, and the fact becoming
nown, most, if not all the lost pistols
long the road have been since recovered.
This is the only bona Jide case of rabies
4 this immediate locality, and it is not
nown that the unfortunate yellow dog
ctually bit any others. 1t is positively
nown that he did not bite any one in the
rowd at the school house last Sunday. A
entleman,, however, who has been travel
lg over this and adjoining counties, for
he last two weeks, is responsible for the
-atement that, he was informed in every
he visited, that In the neigh
orhood just above, or the neighborhood
lst below, or in the neighborhood just over
lie creek, ''the dogs had all gone mad, and
itten all the other dogs-and had all died
: been killed, or ought to all die or be I
lled-as well as a great many cattle" {
on may place strict reliance or as much
iance on this statement as you under
and. do.
l have been told in strict confidence by
veral gentlemen that large numbers of
eir friends are continually and persistent
urging them to allow their names to 90
fore the people this fall for Office. Tbase J