The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-02-09
TIE RAzoR-BACK HOG.

TIE RAZoR.BACK HOG.
To the traveller through Texas one
of the strangess and most peculiar
features. of the landscape is the razor
back hog He is of the swiss cottage
style of architecture. His physical
outline is angular to a degree un-
known outside of text book on the
science Of geometry. His eaEs-
or the few rags ard tatters of them
that the dogs have left, are furled
back with knowing, yagabondish {
air. His tail has no curl in it-al-
though CIR artist has decorated him
with one in the above illustration-
but it hangs aft, limp as wet dish
rag hung out of q back window to 5
dry. The highest peak of his CORFU
gated back is six inches above the
level of the root of his tail. BE dees
not walk with slow and stately step
of patrician Berkshire, but usually
goes, in lively tret. he leaves the
impression that he was late in start
ing:in the morning and is making mp
for lost time, or that he is in doubt
about the payment Of that CHECK, and
is hurrying to get it cashed before
the bank closes.
The country razor-back proRls
around in the woods and lives on
acorns, pecan nuts aad roots when
he can spare time he climbs under
his owners fence and assists 10 har-
Vestiug the corn crop. In this respect he
is neighborly to a fault and, when his
duty to his owners crop will allow, he
will readily turn in and assist the
neigbbor, even working at night
rather than see the crop spoil for
want of attention.
He does not know the luxury Of
sty. He never gets fat, and, from
| the day of his birth, sometimes two
years roll into eternity before he is
| dig enough to kill.
Crossing the razor-baek With blue
blood stock makes but little improve
ueut. The only effective way to i'm
prove. him is to cross him with
railroad train. He then becomes
an imported Berkshire or Poland
China hog, and if he does not knock the
traia off the track, the railroad COM
pany pays for him at the rate ofore
dollar a pound, for which they are
allowed the nourDfni privilege Of
shoVeliug the remains of the track.
The ham of country razor-bsck
is more. juicy than the hind Leg of an
iron 6re-dog, but not quite so fat s
pine knot.
The city razor-back differs from his
country relative only in the matter Of
the quality of his food,s and in the
length of his tail. The. atty species
prey on the roots Of tropical plants
and other garden luxuries instead Of
corn. and eat cinders and old type in
the back alley instead of the scorns
and pecaus Of the breezy woodlands,
that are assimiiated 10 the digestive
organs of the country sus dper.
The tail Of the city hog has usually
been chewed offin early life By dogs
iD other words, it has been curtailed.
This, and the arid patches on his
back, where the hair has been scalded
off By the enraged boarding house
cook, adds much to the picturesque
appearance of the brute. a man
once told us that the razor-back hog
was the only bird Of prey that was
amphibious ip its habits, and eoald
lift a gate of its hinges without
rufing a feather.
As the novelists say, mach might
be said on this very interesting sub
ject,' but time is money, ana we are
forced to conclude briefly With the
following 'pome' by one Of the old
masters
Ye pigge he is pretty fowl
And wond' 'rous good to eat;
Hys ham is good, likewise his jowi,
| And exc hys little fsete.
But yon ty thousand years
trow you still win fayle
To make q six purse Of hys ears
OF wissel Of his tayle:
! Teas Sittiags.
- Z i.