The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-08-19
PRAIRIE DOGS.
A Frontiersman Gives His Experience In
Making Pots of Them.

know much about perary dogs?'
asked a frontiersman of New York
Star reporter. "Waal, they're thcr
durndest critters yer ever knowed. |
used ter be stuck on perary dogs. and
played 'em high onct When | fust
went inter Mlssoora | TUX ter perary
dogs like Digger Injun ter a hunk O.
bacon. jist thought they war the
doggondes' slickes' varmints ever see.
Ever shot at a perary dog?"
The listener said he had not
"Waal, eff yer didn't yer needn't ter.
When I fust left Pennsylvany, about
nine years ago, ter go down inter sou,-
Il rifle er pistol ez ther war in Lam
caster county; but when kun across
them perary dogs l jist concluded l
couldn't hit ocean. Ther purties' and
sleekes' perary dog yer ever see war a
settin' on his launches about eighteen
feet from me, when l drew a bead.
When l pulled ther trigger thet perary
dog war gone. 1 looked at my iron ter
see eff hit war all right, an then l ex-
amined ther ground aroun' ther hole
for loose h'ar er piece O. tail er ear.
Their war nuthin' aroun' but peray dog
tracks, so l made up my min thet
MIssoora air war affectin' my shootin'
narves. l he'd missed ther burned thing
ez clean ez a whistle, an when walked
off he jist peeked outer thet hole an
give ME ther laugh. l tried shootin'
perary dogs for three days without git
tin one. an threw up my ham less
my cartridges should give out an a
train robber KUN along.
.'Waal. arter got settled an he'd a
good ranch. 1 sorter got ter likin' the
critters fur ther cunningnest. So fig
gered it out thet would take some o.
the onhappies' an pervide 'em with q
decent home. Know how to ketch a
perary dog? 'Sposed yer didn't. Waal.
yer jist can't ketch 'em emmy way but
one. A Injin put me on ther deal arter
had sperimented with lassos, ther ole
doodle-Dug song. an lots O other tricks.
l sung thet doodle-bug song over er
perary dogs cabin till Almost made
up my min ter go on ther stage ez a
solo artis'. Hit war blame lucky thet
thar war no doodle-bugs in them dig
gins. Their only way yer kin win out
on er perary dog is ther drown him out.
Jist fill his hole with water. an he'll
throw up both hands ez quick ez a
Piute when yer got ther drop on him.
Waal, corraled he and she dog,
an TUX 'em home. Arter awhile ther
family increased, but in course l he'd to
keep a watch on 'em till got 'em inter
trainin'. l KEEP them dogs fur six
months, an they war the slickes' ycr
ever see. They used ter all jump up on
stumps aroun' ther table in my cabin
when TUX my meals. and eat with ME.
They war comp'ny yer see Ev'ry blame
dog knowed his stump, an ther war a
young cyclone O howls. an bitin' an
scratchin' ef ther wrong dog got on thel
wrong stump. Thet war all right an
smooth, but perary dogs is low down in
ther matters l Civ them dogs ez fine a
bringin' up ez the head kid IN Sunday
school. but they were mean-spirited by
birth, an all my teachin' was misused
They got so pestiferous a-breakin' an
a-eatin' an a-tearin' up things thet one
day l TUX 'em all out about ten mile
and dumped 'em 'mongst another colo
ny. druv 'em, yer know, jist like 6
man drives sheep. Well, sir, when
sot down ter breakfast ther mex morn
in play me fur tenderfoot eff every
yaller dog warn't a-settin' ON his stump
an a-look' over ther table. ez much G;
ter say: Hello, ole man! What sortel
chucks you got for breakfas'?' Perary
dogs is mighty curious varmint, an ;
slick one."