Telegram-herald., 1890-02-22
LITTLE STORIES OF ANIMALS.
Dog That Died for . Fool Master-Curf-
Gus Death of a Fox.


81 have never let any Of my dogs re-
trieve birds since an experience / had
with a cruel sportsman over on the Della
ware river late one till." said Scranton
bird shooter the other day. "The man
owned a splendid pointer that knew a
good deal more about some things than
his master did, and we were both shoot
ing quails over him along the banks of
the river. He was harsh with the dog.
and the poor creature was often com
PEELED 70 do what he knew TO be sense
less things, just because he felt certain
that he would be licked like the mischief
if he didn't obey. Each side of the river
was frozen over out TO the main channel,
where there was a strip about foot wide
that wasn't covered with ice. One of
the quail that | shot started TO fiv across
the river and dropped dead on the thin
ice within a few inches of the open chan
mel. Ny companion ordered the pointer
TO go and get it, and the obedient dog
dashed out upon the ice till he got within
a couple of yards or so of the dead bird.
when he halted, for the ice had begun 10
crack under him. Then he looked back
at his master and wagged his tsll, and
his actions told Us as plain as words that
he knew it would be dangerous for him
TO proceed any further.
Il begged the man to call the dog back
and let the minks have the quail, but he
wouldn't listen TO me. Again he ordered
the dog TO fetch the quail in, and again
the dog made an effort to reach it, but
the ice cracked and he turned about,
whined piteously, and in every way that
he knew how begged his master to call
him back. But the heartless man was
determined to make the dog do as he
said, and he yelled savagely at the
pointer to get the dead bird. Then the
dog sprang forward and seized the quail.
7sae ice gave way under him, the cur
rent was swift, and out Of sight the poor
thing went, with the bird in his mouth.
That was the last the cruel man ever saw
Of his obedient dog. He hunted down the
river for long distance, but it was use
less, for the dog had perished under the
ice while faithfully performing mis- duty.
The man was sorry, then, of course, and
indeed the poor dogs death taught him
a lesson he never forgot"
While hunting partridges near Round
Swamp, in Clifton township, last fall,
Aaron Bidgood saw a fox scrambling
around in a mud puddle at great rate.
He was interested in the animals queer
antics. and after he had watched the
lively fox for awhile he came TO the con-
clusion that it was catching frogs, or at
least trying 70 catch them. Its tail was
covered with mud, and it was hopping
and jumping around in mud and water
upon its belly when Bidgood stole up
near enough to see that the sly fellow
was really gobbling up a frog every few
seconds. Bidgood said he didn't care to
molest it Just then. and while he was
watching its capers from the midst Of a
clump of bushes another fox. apparently
the FIRST ones mate. sprang into the mud
hole from the opposite side and went 70
catching the long legged occupants Of
the puddle on its own hook. When Bid
good had looked at the cunning frog cat
ers as long as he cared 70. he yelled. and
the two mud covered foxes houndered
out Of the puddle in a hurry and scam
pered directly toward the clump Of
bushes where the hunter was concealed.
/ They were very much frightened. and
! the mud on their bushy tails and in their
long FUR kept their speed down consid-
erably. and when they came along Bid
/ good killed each Of them with a charge
/ Of bird shot.
/ A fox that had been chased by a hound
/ for ten hours lost it, life in peculiar
/ way in the Lackswanna valley late on a
day in Jsnuarv. Reynard had been p,Ir-
/ sued until ne was pretty well tuckered
! out. and he ran down into The valley
from the Spring Brook side. He pointed
+ FOR the Iackausnns river, bat near the
/ bank be changed his course. swung
7 around large coal breaker, and ran ~
/ the sSeep incline 70 the head house at the
Top II tha breaker. Through the head
7 house he dashed. and then TAT along a
beam. sprang from the end II it 20 3
culni Pile. ard scannpered up the refuss
/ railroad track - the summit. where culr-
I was dumped At the dump the f0T
/ darted past boz and mule. and started
= slide down the steep pitch Z loose
T mine refuse toward ne river. The hase
T cf the cuinl pile has been on fire for sev
Z eraI years, the FIRE extending " tSe SID
I for forty or ffty feet When the foI
( bad begun - side down he couida't scr
T himself. ard he Sid right into the mas
E 4 slowing snthrscite ard vas - hadly
I burned before he cct through il thar be
I lav down sud died close ~ tae rivsr
hank. The hound. inzie q haf Ar
hour. lcped ID The incline - TIRE Rad
f hCusn. T. need srcund and hsved f0T q
+ few se~onds, iost ths scsut. ard ther
. daskei Sorn the slore to zpc' where i
Rad 81 tlse levsl ground. Thera u Tna
I on the track szssr. ard vhen it srsrte'
I II the plane ire secord tine ere 4 IN
nen threw ohuaks e ooal AZ i and j