The morning call., 1892-09-19
HOGAN'S FOOL Dog AJAX.
Ee Was What Might Be
Termed a Slayer.
DEATH ALONE STOPPED HIN.
Eea.tbyesking Affair That Killed the Dog
and Blastel an Innocent Conductors
Young Life.

Golden Gate Park, will be shocked as we'll
as panied to hear of the sad death OF Farmer
Hogan fool dog, Ajax.
He passed away yesterday under circum-
stances that brand him as having possessed
more heart and less brains than any dog
that ever lived. Poor Ajax. He was an abb
soIute chump in most respects, but his latest
exp, oit which brought about his untimely
end will ever live in the memory Of man as
a monument to the answering fidelity OF
Che canine race.
Ajax made his first trip to the city ten
davs ago. when Farmer Hogan drove in
from San Bruno with the dog following
along behind. At that time he was a large.
robust, pie-eolored animal. physically per-
feet, but his intellectual attachments were
not such as would command respect even
from a country dog, ard he soon los; what
little sense he had, also his lie, IN TIE MAD
Wbirl of a metropolitan existence. IN TACT
the exquisite mental and physicaI torture,
not 20 mention anxiety, endured by Ajax
would have finished less hardy dog IN
half the time
Farmer Hogan came 10 town on business.
which he transacted under tie personal
superYisiOn Of Ajax, and then set out about
noon to visit friend on Octaya street. near
Ellis. lie took car 13 Of the Eilis-Street
line at Stockton. AjaX was somewhat
alarmed when his master buried himself 10
The sky-blue vehicle which started off with
DO visible means OF propulsion. but as tie
dog had no other friend IN the city he con-
cluded 10 follow, which lie dld, keeping
sharp eve on the car, and also on Conductor
Frank McAdams, who leaned gracefully
over the rear rail
Nothing occurred to disturb Ajax's eQuan-
Unity until the car reached the crossing at
Ellis and Leayenworth streets. There
Farmer Hogan beth0ught himself of an i'm
p0rtant matter that he had neglected, and
al once decided to return. As be was on
the point of leaving car Is the down car
STOPPED abreast Of the one he was on, and
Hogan stepped from one platform 10 the
other and took a seat inside without attract
ing the attention Of Ajax, who was absorbed
in watching the passengers transfer TO the
P0St-street line.
Poor needless Ajax! Little did he wot OF
the misery ID store for him.
THIS was the turning pointin Ajax's giddy
young life, changing him from happy,
thOughtless dog who had never known a
care TO a hungry, homeless, haggard, heart
sick and f0Tsaken Outcast, wearing his earn
est life away in a ceaseleSS, senSeless vigil
inspired by motives little short Of divine,
but unhall9Hed by even the faintest q lim-
mer OF reason. However, Ajax was not
aware Of the change in his prospects al that
time, which, perhaps, was all for the best
Gate Park and the setting sun. So did that
fool d0g, Ajax, bounding along close behind,
sometimes on f0uI legs and again on three,
wagging his tail and barking loudly at town
dogs smaller than himself. he followed
the car 10 the park, where he enjoyed a brief
interval Of troubled rest while the vehicle
swung round on The turntable. In a few
minutes the ear started back. So did Ajax,
cavortiug as before with the lend belief
that be knew his business.
He accompanied his charge back TO the
junction Of Ellis and Stockton streets,
where il balanced and swung 10 the other
track and pulled out for the park again,
with 4 jaX hot on the tran. Never for u
moment aid the dog lose sight of that car.
after the third trip a jaX ceased to caYOrt
and bark, as he required considerable wind
in his regular business. What at first
seemed a little pleasure trip had settled
down into q dull and decidedly laborious
routine of UnTeQuited travel, and the Joy
gradually died cut Of j laX's life. But he
never missed trip or took his eyes from the
car.
When the car was shunted into the barn
At midnight Ajax was there by It's side,
somewhat fatiEued, it is true, but still hope
fui. lie slept beside his charge WIKI one
eye open, arose al 8 o'clock in the morning,
refreshed 10 a measure and ready TO resume
bis trips 20 and from the park.
Naturally, in the course Of q few days
tTlcted the attention Of Conductor Ne
Adams, who hattered himself that he had
made mash But Aiax's respectful yet
distant demeanor soon convinced the con-
ductor that be was mistaken in the charac-
ter Of the dog.
By a happy thought McAdams recalled
the incident of Farmer Hogan aud the dog.
the formers sudden exit from the car and
the latter's subsequent attachment for the
same.
From that time on the streetear men took
an interest in Ajax. They petted and fed
him and tried every means in their power
to convince the dog that he was laboring
under grave miSapprehension. McAdaras
even dragged him into the car one morning
when II was entirely empty, but still Ajax
refused to be convinced. He eyed the con-
ductor with a troubled, half doubling ex-
preston, which plainly said:
Il believe You are my friend in some
things, but al the same time you may be
giving me the double cross. / saw my
master go into this car. he didn't come
ont again, and Pm going to stay with the
deal until he does turn up"
Having thus defined his position Ajax
once more took up his weary trot ana soon
became known from one END OF the line to
the other. But the strain and hardships Of
his busy career soon told on him. Dark,
heavy rings appeared under his eyes and he
grew weak and gaunt and hobbled as he
keep up.
Many times he would have fallen by the
waysde but for friendly brick-carts and
dirt-wagons that got stuck on the track
leDg enough for breathing spells. Ills eyes
grew dim aud blurred from the clouds OF
sand and dust swept up by the wind, and
the constant patter Of MS poor, bruised feet
on the slippery iroU slat rail wore his toe
nails down TO the quick; and his tracks
were like the red, red rose.
Once more the kind-hearted streetcar
men came to the rescue and bound the suf-
fering feet up in bits of gunnysack, which
afforded slight relief but even then Ajax
limped simultaneously with ali four Of his
feet
Bets were being laid as to how much
longer 4 jaX would hold out, when the
climax came yesterday afternoon. The
car, inward bound, stopped at OctaVia and
Ellis TO unload fat woman, and, as this
proceeding occupies some time, Ajax
caught up and was resting under tile rear
platform. As the fat woman got off at one
side, Farmer Hogan, who had just paid a
visit TO his OctaVia-street friend, got on at
the other and took 4 seat inside. The car
BOWED along to the tuTGtable and stopped
as Ajax, worn 20 shadow Of his former
self, staggered up in time 10 see Farmer
Hogan alight from the vehicle.
For one brief second only did Ajax gaze
lovingly upon those long-lost features to
CVLflli ililuatil Aiihb Et WAS not MS SlnktD.
4nen ne turned his wan IA G to Conductor
McAdams, and mastering his fast-failing
strength he transfxed that unhappy mortal
with one long, lingering look, in which joy.
disappointment, hatred, remorse for mis-
spent He and forgiveness were strangely
blended. Then the weary head fell for
ward, the Tired legs collapsed and Ajax
rolled over in the dust, the ragged, unkenipt
corr sc of heartbrokea dog
Conductor McAdams is on the verge of
becoming blighted being.
The burning glance of those bloodshot
eyes haunts him. and he talks OF resigning
from the road and going TO some part Of
Europe where he is said to have relatives.
Since penning the above tear-Stained lines
/ have had a short talk with the streetcar
people which changed my feeling of grief to
one Of profound admiration for the marvel
Gus vitality and staying qualities displayed
by the lamented Ajax The round distance
between the two turntables is something
over seven milos. A car averages pinefeen