The Opelousas courier., 1896-04-04
LONDON'S DEMON DOG.
Cherished n Great Animusity Towar
Fashionable Bicycle Riders.

Jerome X. Jerome has been playing
the jester again. In a recent issue of
his weekly he thus tells of a demon
dog which for some tlmt was a factor
Of Importance to those who spent the
morning hours wheeling in Hyde Park.
His story is as followsi
Hyde Park hicyclists are nervous
riders, and a small: dog is their
chief terror. | have been watching
with some interest during the last few
days the career-now happily ended
Ct one of the most active. one of the
most daring and one of the most Ill,
scr,lpulous w~ire-haired terriers that
has ever dominated the passes of Rot
ten ow. Vt nine o'clHck to the minuf,.
every morning this dog entered the ride
by the passage that OPENS into the park
alongside knightsbiid ge barracks.
lemurely and sedate!y he would sit
upon his launches II the edge of the
curb and cast his eyes east and asT
There was something about that eye
which fascinated every bicN2 list within
half a mile. Ladies' in Hyde Park cor.
ncr would catch sight of him in the far
distance. They would attempt to ride
IN with a careless and indifferent ai",
but that dogs Y would draw them.
and by the time they reached Albert
gate they were mere webbing bags OF
INDIGESTION.
Strong men would screw up their
courage AMI endeayor to ride by it. A.
a hundred yards distance or so their
courage would ooze out. They COIN
menced to describe the involuntary
circles. Looking up and down the row
one could see a whole line of bicyclist7
gradually becoming utterly demora!-
lzed. The dog never moved. but JUS
looked. Men would get off and pretend
that something had rome wrong witt,
their chain. Ladies' would dash INTO the
curb. and giggle Historically at people
they did not know. " the exact
psychological moment when there was
o sufficient nerve among the whot"
crowd to face a black beetle. that de
mon dog would give one tiendish yeiE
and dash into the middle of the road.
The collapse would Ire complete, and
the police and park keepers would be
engaged for the ext half hour picking
mp cyclists and sorting them on their
respective machines.
THE dog became notorious. His
fame went abroad throughout Bicycling
land. Expert riders arrived upon til"
Gene. expressing a determination TO
ride over him and kill him. But the
deg had studied bicycling aud knew his
work. and the experts roo over man.
things and injured many things, but
they never touched the dog. TheI.
Scotland Yard was communicated with
and the police came down in force ia
capture him. Two young co%nstables.
full of pride. in their lneNperienca
thought they could manage it by them
selves-with disastrous results. Each
constable came provided with a piece
of rope. and when the dog rushed into
the road they both rushed after it.
The few bicycles that, the dog did MOI
upset the policemen upset. y mudd.'
and disreputable looking crowd, that
had once been well dressed and happy.
cursed the policemen and everything
else THAT WAS iOt1lu tDout. IC Cot-
stables crept away to a quiet corner
10 scrape each other. The dog, reme1n-
bering an appointment, trotted off to
kard the Marble arcn.
But the of civilization were
Hot exhausted. An Intelligent con
stable was found-where urd how |
am not prepared to. say. He was a mar
Of and may be il his happy
youth he had been a cowboy. He cam"
provided with a lasso, weighted with
a bit of lead. It was d mean trick, and
the dog was not prepared for it. Amid
cheers he -oped in the dog, together
with a respectable old gentleman WING
had come down to ride in the row TO.
the first time, having beer told that i;
was just the place for a beginner. Tbs
struggle was desperate. but the police,
man was reinforced and the last | sa "
Of that dog he was being led away by
five policemen. [ shall regret his ali
sence. and so, [ think, when they com,
10 reflect upon the matter, will the
Hyde Park bicyclists Pedaling witt
grim seriousness up and down along
4 straight bit of muddy road must vt
unexciting work. That dog gave them
something to think about. He leaves
Il blank behind Hmm. Y. Mail ant
Express.