Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-04
VALUABLE WAGON DOGS.
Fox Terriers Are Valued and So Are
Bull and Skye Terriers.

From the Chicago Tribune.
Fox terriers are favorites as wagon dogs.
They are easily trained. cute, companiona-
BILE, affectionate and willing. Many butch
ers, bakers grocers and laundrymen have
them. and find them useful, especially In
guarding the wagons while drivers are
delivering parcels They are of service,
too, as watchdogs, for their ears are keen
and their tongues sharp when strangers
approach at night Frequently they are
made to work when they think they are
playing, and not infrequently they prove
of real value in preventing mischief. A
laundrymau on Wrightwood avenue has n
pair of the brightest of fox terriers, and
has taught them to haul small baskets Of
bundled clothing from the wrapping room
into the office, where the packages are ar
ranged alphabetically on the shelves for
the convenience of the delivery clerk. The
same dogs run wild de machine" accom-
pany the wagon, and once, when sneak
thief snatched a big bundle of linen from
the open rear door of The wagon. they
left their posts, overlook the culprit ard
SO impeded his progress that he was still in
sight when the driver returned. The linen
was recovered and the thief let off with a
beating, for which he will long remember
that driver.
Not less valuable as wagon dogs are bull
terriers skye terriers and what gener-
ally known Scotch" terriers The lat
ter Is a variety that seems to include all
dogs that are small, saggy and yellow.
Sometimes they prove possessed of really
wonderful intelligence, was the case CT
the wagon boss" owned by butcher
whose place of business is in West Madi-
son street. The dog had ridden so long
beside the driver of the two-wheeled cart
that he knew where every customer lived,
and would show .mpatience of the liveiiest
kind if the driver, for reasons he could
not inpart to his brute comrada, did not
stop at each familiar gate. Finally, the
driver, an observant sort of genius adopted
the plan of making explanations. For in
stance, if Mrs. Smith had said yesterday
that she would not he at home today and
that the butcher need nu call, the driver,
reaching Mrs. Smiths gate, would tuln to
the dog and say aloud: She's not at home
today The dog got in the habit of look
ing for explanations, and when they were
forthcoming would accept them as due ard
satisfactory.
one day 'Laddie," left alone in the cart,
had chance 20 distinguish himself, and
he proved equal to the occasion. passing
fire engine scared the rather skittish pony
hitched to the cart, AID sharp runaway
was soon in progress. "LadGe," SO the
driver tells the story, seized the reins, and,
bracing himself against the Dashboard
pulled with all his might but his teeth
slipped on the greasy leather and he was
accomplishing little, wher around the near
est corner the pony dashad, and over went
the cart, Laddlc WITH IT, Inc doS was
on his feet in an instant and in hot pursuit.
The pony, greatly impsded by the cart
dragging along on the side of one wheel,
was not running very fast, and the dog
managed to catch the reiTs. which were
dangling by the side. This time he set a
grip at the looped end OF the reins, and he
lay back on his launches and tugged from
side to side, until the pony, worried by the
see-sawing, turned into a gutter and ran
against fence, where the butcher boy
found him, painting with exciHment but
quiet under the steady pull masntalncd by
the almost tucksredout little dog.