The Bessemer indicator., 1893-12-23

and yet to people that know him the
most interesting of them all.
There are still very few bull dogs in
America, but the breed is growing in
favor and popularity. And nowhere is
his bowlegged and heavy jowlcd
majesty received with more gratifica-
tion than in feminine circles. 1t seems
curious this women's reception of him.
when bull dog traditions and history
are considered. For throughout fic-
tion and story the bull dog is spoken of
as the most vicious and i'll tempered of
brutes-thc very last kind of dog tc
down the tavenuc" us womans COM
panion.
The bulldog, however, has been
grossly slandercd. The sins of mon
grcls who have perhaps n touch of
bulldog blood in their veins have been
visited upon him and caused his bad
rcputc. The simon pure bull of pedi-
gree and ranking is one of the sweet
est tempered dogs in existence. His
composure is unrutlled, and he does
not periodically growl and fret.
These dogs are seen more and more
on the avenue" each day, says the
New York Herald Fashion has be-
gun to set her mark on them, and the
only difficulty is that they are hard to
secure and a long purse is needed. No
other dog is SO hard to breed and SO
hard to raise. Once well marked,
full blooded pup is for sale there is n
clnmor of buyers, and the chances are
that he goes at last to one of the fam
Gus kennels in baltimore, the east or
about New York.
Yet, for all that, some admirable
specimens of the breed may be seen
daily trotting along the avenue"
held in leash by daintily gloved hands.
In all probability the best specimen
of the ''bull'' in the city that takes a
daily constitutional, under feminine
leash and is familiar to strollers of the
swell district, is the dog owned by
Mrs. Frederick Nelson. Fred Geb-
hardts sister. He is brindlod French
toy, that new breed of "bulr that is
just coming into popularity here,
smaller than his English brother and
not so decided in wrinkle, yet with the
same general characteristics In color
he is dark. in disposition quiet and Sc
date Mrs. Nelson brought him from
Paris year ago, fresh from honors at
the French shows. He is as typical a
dog of the French breed as it would be
possible to find. His ears-a distin-
gushing mark in this class of canincs
stick up stately and resolutely, u
sign that the breed is pure.
Whatever NAV be the other plans
of the Nelson household, the daily
exercise of this dog goes on with
unabated regularity. Mrs. Nelson S
maid takes him walking whenever
her mistress is unable to do 20. lie is
seen besides in the Nelson carriage, in
the park and the perfection of groom
ing looks cut on the world with intel
lgcnt eyes.
Hardly less admirable in the way of
points is Miss Kip's French brindle,
the first of these dogs imported here.
He is the con>tant companion of his
mistress, and it is said among her
friends that she never allows him out
of her sight. When she visits Europe,
as she has done once or twice since his
arrival in this country, the small
brindlc takes the sea voyage, too, and
bears 1t exceedingly well.
Her continual watch over him is due
to what proved n thrilling incident in
his dogship's life. A year or so ago
Miss Kip was standing at the foot of
the steps of her house on the avenue
talking to u knot of friends. His dog
ship, unlcashcd, was placidly running
back and forth. When they turned to
look for him, however, he was gone,
and search proved unavailing. In de-
spair Miss Kip offered reward of 500.
and several days later the dog was re-
turned. 1t was aftcrward found that