Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-06-01
Dogs in Berlin.

enondS the Injury has q dog or two.
And the breeds of dogs are almost as
numerous as the people. The upper
classes affect large bloodhounds, heavy
and strong enough to make short work
OF man on occasion; or else they 60
to the opposite extreme, and are the
happy owners of diminutive lap dogs,
whose sleek sides and embroidered
blankets bear eloquent testimony to the
love, and even alteration, they are held
in by their doting female owners. But
these are what might be called the aris-
tocratic circle of the dog society. Be-
low this exclusive and blue-blooded
layer comes the much more numerous,
and more useful, plebian dog, who has
to earn his own living and aid his mas
ter In getting his. To an American
there is something very amusing in this
utilizing of dog power, and one watches
the curious little carts GO Gathering over
the stone pavements with mingled feel
ings of pity for the dog and anger to-
ward the masters who force the poor
little brutes to make horses of them
selves. But everybody in the lower
classes must work, and work hard, to
keep the wolf from the door; and, if the
dogs are unfortunate enough to be born
into q peasant family, one should not
feel very bad about it. But the dogs
some of them, at least-seem to feel
pretty happy and contented, and 60
trotting along in front of their load with
their tails mp and wagging, while their
masters busy themselves in pulling back
onsthe wagon tongue TO restrain their
exgerness.
One sees various combinations and
sfpioS rsf don of
with the wealth and station IN life of the
owners. For ordinary purposes and
light work, a single dog is sufficient, but
when the load to be drawn is q little
heavier, and the owners purse will not
permit of the extra expense of another
dog to feed, a boy is put in on the other
side of the tongue, and dog and boy go
contentedly along together, the dog, OF
course, doing most OF the work, and the
boy, as all boys will, amusing himself by
whistling, racing with other teams, and
stopping now and then to discuss mat
tiers with other boys. When there isn't
q boy handy, which is tolerably fire.
quent, an old woman or girl bitches
herself in alongside of the dog and tugs
along steadily, feeling, no doubt, happy
and contented in her possession OF one
of woman's rights. Those who are
little weather. or little more aristo-
cratic employ a double team of dogs,
and the creme de la creme, so to speak,
of the peasantry 60 to the extravaganza
of hitching in three dogs. But this lat
fer is rather rare, because the old
women are sufficiently numerous TO en-
able one to avoid such an extravagant
outlay. The old women must be fed,
and why should they remain idle? Not
only are these dog teams employed by
the peasants to draw their loads of veg
etables, milk and the like, but some of
the stores have them attached TO deliv-
cry wagons. Perhaps it is merely
matter of taste, but it seems to me that
purchase of dry goods delivered by one
of these dog teams would not seem so
good as if it were delivered by one of
the fine turnouts one sees in San Fran
cisco bearing the names of some of the
dry goods firms there. One can not i'm
agine dow much there is in early educa-
ton until he has had an opportunity to
test it.
Although Berlin is, in many respects,
q very paradise for dogs, yet in some
others it is not. For every dog, be he
plebeian or aristocrat, must wear tag
and a muzzle; so that a dog can not
amuse himself by getting into heated
political discussions with other dogs,
nor can he assert his independence by
demonstrating in tone of biting sar-
casm with one who is unfortunate
enough to tread on his tail. There is no
respect for dog parsonage in the impo-
sition of the muzzle; but, from the
fierce, resentful bloodhound down to the
little, fearful, cringing poodle, all must
fhax- ~,
public During the .'dog days" every
dog must be led by string when he
appears on the street, on pain of confis-
cation and destruction. But when the
dreaded days are over and there is no
more danger from rabid CANNES, there
is sort of dog holiday. On a certain
day all the dogs appear on the streets
decked in ribbons Enthusiastically disposed
about neck, body and tail. On such
day the streets are a moving kaleido-
scope of bright colors, and the dogs,
freed from strings and leashes, go bark
ing and frisking about the streets. In
some cities of Germany the dogs are
allowed greater liberties than this, and
are permitted to run about on this day
freed from the restraint of even muz-
zle. One can then amase himself to his
hearts content in watching the antics
and gambols of dogs of all shapes, sizes,
colors, degrees of decorations and sta
tons in life. Dog nature, vanity and
jealousy appear greatest on such an
occasion; for dogs, as well as men,
know when they are well dressed; are
proud of bright eolors, and are as jeal-
Gus of their more fortunate fellows as
are their masters. At such times canine
alterations are numerous, and ribbons
and decorations suffer. Some dog be-
longing to an aristocratie family will
come trotting down the street swelled
with pride over his expensive trim nlings
and decorations, and casting disdainfuI
chances at his less fortunate fellows.
But he does not 60 very far before he
falls in with some democratic dog who
does not believe in an aristocracy, and
the result is that the aristoerat Is hum
bled and rolled in the dirt, and goes off
home, bleeding aud stripped of his rib
bons, to carry CONSERVATION into the
bosom of some doting mistress, while