Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-10-11
The Hog.


We remember reading many years ago. a
school-boy's essay on The Hog Its COM
neneelnent was somewhat like this: THE hog
is mean. sneakiug. filthy cuss To get into
mischief IS the great motive of his life. Next
TO breaking into somebody's cornield. his
greatest pleasure is 10 waliow in filthy mud-
hole: We are inclined to endorse that boys
opinion ON The Hog. When he wrote tbtSt.
lines. no doubt, he had q vivid recollection of
the many furnishings ne had got for not keep
ing The Hog out of the cnrnfield. We have
all known of pet animals OF nearly every spe-
cles IN existence. but who ever knew of a pct
hog The 1sraelites. with the sanction of The
Almighty, regarded him with loathinc and
abhorance- BE Is so regarded to-day nv the
iahomedan peoples of the earth And vet
this obnoxious animal has not only made out
TO survive tbs great prejudice against him.
but has become highly priced in every Chris
tan land While all admit that he is an I'M
clean beast. and he nourishes himself and is
fattened upon very Objectionable diet, yet he
retains his position as AT Indispensable domeF-
tic animal The Hog has evidently been placed
upon the earth for some good purpose-what
is lLf we confess we can see but one good use
he can be- put to that is to furnish food for
man The Hogs proper place is on the table
everywhere else be is an unuitigated nuisance
But our antipathy to this enclcan brute does
not go to the extent of the Jews. Placed upon
the table in the form of old ham or fresh snu-
sage, We are forced to the admission that we
have leaning towards The Hog. Hog is n
dirty in man. Who has not known of some
individual, in nearly every community, with
this d!staseful subTiqIlet attached to his pat
ronymic?
When we consider the innate tendency of
the hog to mischief, we can scarcely believe
that the vast herd of swine into which the
legion of devils entered were choked in the
sea: Some must have survived to transmit
their posterity down to the present generation
In every condition of life The Hog maintains
his character as u pest and nuisance. Even
when confined to pen, and not allowed to
/ eku, 81. =. -
the ncighborhood.
On the farm. his inVeteratc propensity to
devilment is the farmers constant worry by
day and the burden of his dreams by night.
in his zenith. Here,
''IIe is monarch of all he SURVEYS
| To his rightsthere arc none TO dispute"
These unprctending little hlmlcts without
corporate law and but poorly protected by
State law, are subjected TO many incouvcni-
ences and hRrdShiPs, bat the greatest of them
all-ay of all combined-is The Hog. The cit
liens of these small villages have no option to
vote upon the question of ''hog in or hog out ~
| 1t is hog out all the time Yes he is ont TO
prowl around and deprcdatc upon the neigh
borhood to belittcr and make filthy the only
thoroughtare to sprawl his lazy carcass
across the highway and impede the passage of
| vchiclcs-in short he is out on the public as a
general marauder and pest. He brushes pub
nc spirit and renders abortive every effort at
improvement OF appearance i'll the village
! should some industrious housewife make the
| attempt. by withdrawing her front yard pal
ings. within q few hours the work of her hands
will be hideously marred by great streaks OF
mud. Should some aspiring citizen desire to
| improve tbs appearance of his domicle by put
! ting fresh coat of paint on his front gate, he
| will scarcely have finished his job, before the
inevitable hog will arise from his wallow. on
the opposite side of the street and deliber-
ately spread his whole length against tina,
| gate, with his small dcvilish eye cooked up in
pure delight.
1t is useless to complain. There is no hclp
for the dwcllcrs in our small villages from the
tyranny of The Hog Any talk of appealing
| to law will ouly arouse the ire of the vcncra-
| Die patriarch of the village, who, for more
than halfcentury. has beenpasturing his flocks
and herds free Of cost, upon the public domaiu
! and upon his nefghbors. He seems to think
! he has an iualienGblG right to thus use high.
ways, and cntert0ins but slight regard for tho
rights of his neighbOF5.
Row whit are we to do about The Hog p
| Are we to continue this weary existence -un.
| der his dcspotic rule Cannot our Legislators
those aspiring young geniuses who are SO
eager to become our law makcrs-do some
thing for us AT prcscntthe outlook is gloomy
indeed We can see Toprospect of Immediate
deliverance from this great torment of our
lives, and shall have 10 exercise patience and
trust in Providence.
a SIrFFEPvu FpoNr rTrrp TJo,