Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-04-30

onto you as you passed along the road.
When we got in the state of Missouri,
really believe we saw more dogs than
folks. 1t seemed as though at each
house, there was at least one dog to each
| member of the family, ALWAYS ready to
make dart at you as you rode up to the
fence in front OF the house.
No, l don t like dogs. One dav while
keeping batch at the old Brewers creek
mill, Old Pard and l concluded we
would go over and see some of our girls
that lived on top of the hill. In front of
the house was porch, which was sever
al feet from the ground. To reach the
porch great logs had been sawed off Of
different lengths. and set on end for stairs.
As we reached the house, all of the girls
came to the porch. Old Pard walked up
the steps and followed Just as had
set my right foot On the porch a great
black dog slipped up behind me and
caught me by the leg. l tell you Just
whlrled and gave that dog such kick
with my right foot; | sent him bowling
down the hill, and there he laid and
howled. At last he got UP and crawled
under the house, and whined until we
went away. ALWAYS after that, if that
dog saw me coming, he would go howl
ing under the house, and there he would
remain as long as l stayed about the
place. Nor no calling would fetch HIM
out.
The first year we had the mill at the
red bank on Stout's creek, | would, when
the water was in good stage. saw way
into the night. One dark cloudy night,
had been saving until towards mid
night. After shutting all the water
gates, | started for home. | had sold
Betsey" on nv shoulder, for | always
kept her with me. As l crossed the
fields | came to a cross fence, which L
climbed. AS | jumped to the ground
some large animal jumped at my face
and gave fearful growl, so close to my
face, | felt the hot breath and froth flew
in my face. 1t frightened me so ju nped
to one side. AS l did so L fetched old
'old Betsey" to my face and fired, and
such yell as that dog made! and all
was still. [ did not stop to load but
made tracks for home. The next morn
ing went to see if could find the ami
NAL. A few yards from where | shot
lay large black dog, dead. did not
know whose dog it was. but have al
ways believed that dog was mad. l tell
you it scared me awfully. think must
have lost at least two years growth. l
have often thought | might have grown
to have been man of good size if l had
not have had so many years growth
scared out of me. The best weight ever
reached was two hundred ana five pounds.
| think, under more favorable circum-
stances, / would have made better growth.
| was never afraid of any panther, wolf,
lynx, dog or any other animal, if they
gave me half of show, but to sneak mp
| on you in the dark is not very pleasant.
No, sir, don't like dog. How many
| times when stock or hogs would get in
the crops, you set the dog on them to
drive them out and it costs you more
| time and trouble than to have gone and
driven the stock out in the first place, to
say nothing of the tearing down and
tramping crops in the ground.
And then, the sheep. How many
millions of sheep have been killed by
dogs. and all laid TO the wolves. Per-
haps wolf had not been in the country
for years. One year, soon after we came
to this Valley, father went to Ohio and
bought large lot Of Merino and Saxon
sheep. We were going into the wool
business. When our flock had got up to
about two hundred, the iron mines start
| ed which brought in large class of peo-
pie from all parts of the country, and all
their dogs. Soon these dogs commenced
killing oursheep; some nights they woul d
kill dozen We guarded those sheep
every night, If the dogs could not get
mutton at night, they would wait until
the sheep were in the pasture and go for
them. One day 1 saw about sixteen
| dogs making towards the flock. l caught
my big double -barreled gun. Just as the
dogs had got one sheep down and d0z-
en- dogs were tearing it, fired both bar
rels into the pile. You just ought to
have heard those dogs howl. Every dog
that could go went, some limping. AS
came up to the pile, l found L had four
dead, and two most dead, and two that
could crawl. thought thai was pretty
| good, as it was not very gooG day for
| dogs.
Then to have a dog stick his nose
| against your hand, orjump and lick your
face, tah. And when you have fixed up
| flower beds and terraces nicely, and get
your flowers growing, to have dog GO
and dig the whole thing up to lie down
in. 1 don't wonder the wife gets mad.
Again, as soon as the spring day comes,
so that the good wife can open the doors
| to let in a ray of sunshine, TO have the
dog tracking his muddy feet back and
forth through the house. It's aggravat-
ing, | know, for have been there.
Il. p. X.
4 n .1r ~