The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-09-23
dogs AS DRAUGHr ANIMALS.


Among the reports from the Consuls OF
the United States for July il the follow
ing, from the American consul ct Liege,
Belgium:
The first distinctive institution that at
tracts the attention of . stranger in Bel
GUM is the working dog. From time
immemorial this hereditary loafer has
been given over to pleasure; but, like
certain other of the privileged classes in
this revolving world of ours, he has had
his dsy-at least in Belgium. Such anna
teur service a. he has rendered in the
the past in aiding the shepherd, guarding
the household, and rushing with sledges
through the frozen regions of the north IL
too much in acco rdance with his instincts
to be classified as labor; so 1t is here, for
the frat time In his history, that the me-
cessity of doing something for which
natural repugnance is felt (and this, be-
lieve, constitutes the essential difference
between work and play has been forced
upon him; but, like the old noblesse, he
accepts the change cheerfully and pa.
tiently performs his task. Sentimental.
lists, taking no thought of the man or even
of the woman whose burden he shares,
may complain that he is greatly wronged
but sensible people must rejoice that he
has at last been set to work and com.
PEELED to earn his own living.
Liege is city of large wealth and
great industrial activity, possessing the
largest mandatory of machines and ma
chinery in the world and employing as
many horses as any other town of its size
in Europe, and yet for every horse at
least two dogs are to be seen in harness
on Its streets. They are to be met at all
hours of the day. but in the early morn
ing the boulevards are literally alive
with them. Traffickers (mostly women)
with gayly painted carts drawn by we'll
fed dogs are then seen striving to be first
in the market place. A pretty bare.
headed Walloon peasant girl moving
briskly at the side of flower cart drawn
by stalwart massive is pleasing vision
to the early riser. But not only the gar
dener, but also the butcher, the baker,
the grocer, the porter, the expressman-
common carriers of all kinds, indeed
engage his services. His step is so much
quicker than that of the horse that he
WILL in an hour cover twice the distance
and carry with him greater burden in
proportion to his size
Six hundred pounds is the usual
draught of an ordinary dog, though a
mastiff is often taxed with as much again.
They are driven single, double, and some.
times three and four abreast, and are
h,tched, indifferently, in front of, beneath
or behind the cart or wagon. When the
vehicle is loaded, the driver walks, direct
ing its course and in emergencies laying
his shoulder to the wheel; but when the
load has been discharged, he often
mounts the box and rushes like Jehu
through the streets. It will not surprise
those who know that the steam engine
was familiar to the Romans as toy to be
told that the hollow revolving cylinder
used in squirrel cages has been turned to
account here ia the movement of light
machinery by charging its scale and SUBJ
shutting "Fido" for Bunny" I have
also seen him treading an endless belt in
the service of wood sawyer. A gentle.
man of Liege, retaining his fonduess for
loungiDg on the bouleyards after losing
the use of his legs, had perambulator
so constructed that a Danish hound
which had been his companion for years
could be hitched and almost concealed
between the wheels, and now appears as
regularly in his old haunts as any of his
friends. The hound is not only as happy
as when he loite-ed at his masters heels,
but is manifestly proud Of the service he
renders him.
Let it not be forgotten that the Bel
gians are among the most refined and
cultivated people on earth, and that this
new use Of the dog is one Of the latest
and most approved developments of their
civilization. Thirty years ago. have no
doubt dog in harness would have ex-
cited as much remark in this city as he
would to-day in Louisville or Memphis,
though he is now as we'll recognized an
institution of the people a. tie mule is
IN either of those cities.
Rigorous discipline and the long habit
Of wearing muzzles seems to have sub
dued the belligerent instincts of these
dogs, for they now meet as strangers at
the crossings without those supercilious
inspections and hostile demonstrations
which characterize both men and dogs
till they have received the last touches of |
civilization. There RENAME, however, q
rudimentary love of the chase, of which
the artful driver often avails himself to
quicken their speed; though, a. Lord
Chesterfield in his excessive refinement is
said to have laughed without cachinna-
ZION, they have learned to hunt without
barking. But a more interesting incl
dent OF their labor il the complete ex-
q.