St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-18
DOG DAYS ARE HERE,
Spring Brings About the An
nual Warfare on Hapless
Dogs.
Blue Blood and Ancient Pedi-
grees a Saving Feat
ure,
Some Humorous Happening
Connected With the
Piracy.
The Sad-Eyed Dog and His
Irrepressible Infant
SaviOrS.


This is the time of year when the war;
fare against the uncultured and friend
less portion of the canine race begins
with vigor, and is pushed to an extreme
almost bordering on utter humiliation.
If through a chain Of circumstances
pup should chance to lack the proper
amount of blue blood to make him a
desirable household pet or companion
for the disciple Of Nimrod, and he is cast
upon cold unfeeling world to exist
upon his own resources. this is the time
of year when the heartless dog catcher
grabs him with an iron hand, and after
few hours for fasting and dog prayer,
methodically helps him out Of existence
with the help of cruel hammer, while
his bleeding corpse is taken away to be
converted into glue, or some other
equally odoriferous compound.
OF course blue blood does not save the
animal from the avaricious clutch of
the dog man, but in most cases he Is
held for time, and then disposed of at
more or less handsome profit to the
man who works the dog end of the mu-
nicipal government. In some cases the
price received for a more than Ordl-
narily highly connected animal is quite
large, and at the end of the season he
begins to feel that the lot of the dog
catcher is far above the lot OF the or
binary mortal. There are many anus
ing sights connected with the dog
traffic in Minneapolis, but one at the
city hall the other day had a little
element of sadness about it.which went
to show that even the most fr1endleSS
sadness and misery.
1t was procession that filed into the
Office, headed by a bright-eyed little
girl who fairly trembled with eager
ness, followed by boy a few years
older and a child of uncertain sex from
the general makeup, leading by an an
tiQuated manila rope sad-eyed speci-
men of the canine race, with a cast in
one eye and limp in the left fore leg.
The animal belonged to that widesbreed
commonly known as the cur. and Jagged
behind as if filled with apprehension,
and suspicion that some overt designs
were in progress against his longevity
of life.
How he misjudged his protectors.
After some inquiry, the poorly-clad trio
found the proper authority, and pro-
claimed in chorus the fact that they had
come to liouidate the assessment against
their pet and playmate. They were
well Informed as to the proper amount
necessary to procure the little brass tag
which was to preserve Carlo from the
general slaughter, and the girl united
dirty pocket handkerchief, that had seen
better days in the dim past, and exposed
to view a collection Of pennies that
would have been rare addition to the
treasures Of the archaeological society.
The tag was procured and tied about
Carlos neck with piece of Irvine. and
the procession filed out of the Office in
reverse order.
Sometimes the capture of dog is at
tended with aggravating circumstances
to the dog scouts. The other day the
dog-catcher captured a huge st. Ber-
nard reposlng peacefully on the side
walk. Here was a find that would
vate sale in case the animal remained
unclaimed, but there was suspicion
that his dogship might not be peace
full party to the capture, so the man de-
vised a plan. He hired two small boys
to slip rope about the dogs neck and
place the other end in his hand. So far
so good. and a triumphant expression
stole over his face.
By this time the quiet animal began
to think it was time for him to act, and
as the man pulled gently on the rope,
the burly animal settled back upon his
launches and resisted. There was a
harder pull without better results, and
the affair resolved itself into tug of
war, at which Deither side seemed to
gain the advantage. Quite crowd had
gathered by this time, and wagers were
made upon the result. The dog man
now began to grow red in the face, and
an expression of interested pleas ure
gradually stole over the features of the
st. Bernard. The rope was pulled to
dangerous tension, and the man nearly
bent double with eXertion. 'Sudndenly
a fiendish light shone in the eyes of the
canine. He made quick rush, the
mans heels few into the air, and with
a joyous bark the shaggy animal
bounded over the fence and was safe in
the bosom of his own family. There was
shout of derison from the assembled
audience, and The dog catcher went his
way minus the rope.
While there is a great amount of
financial satisfaction connected with
the office of city dog catcher, the posi-
ton has its drawbacks, for after man
has once ccepted the position he is
ostracIsed from all select society, and
the 400 at once drop his name from the
list He is set down as pirate on
general principles, and the vast legion
Of dog owners hate him with a whole
some hatred that no amount of time can
heal. His only chance for the future is
to marry into some noble foreign fam
lily after few months of his duties
have made him fortune, and thus sink
the odium of his calling in the coat Of
arms of noble house.
But even there his fate will pursue
him, for he will be looked upon with
suspicion by the higher canine families,
and every wagging tail will stop its mo
ton when he passes by. Never will he
be able to win their forgiveness, and in
his dreams he will see the shapes of de-
parted quadrupedS dancing in hollow
mockery before his dream-filled vision.
Alas! for the poor tramp dogs. The
longer can they hold high carnival
upon the public thOrOughfareS, or baSk
in the sun on the smooth shaved lawns
Of the parks. The high-handed eXter-
minator is abroad in the land, and he
must perforce hide himself in seclusiOn
uutil the curtain of night falls over
sleeping city, when he may sally forth
and assist the musical cat in an effort to
make night hideous. Already the be-
lated pedestrian may find them cOngre
gated in numbers on the deserted streets.
singing odeS to the full-orbed moon,
while the feline chOruses are relegated
to higher roofs than was their wont.