The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-29
A DOG AND a FOX.


and Became Fast Friends.
"A tall, ungainly sort OF beast, with as
handsome brown eyes as animal ever
had, came ON the run swinging down the
old Pardy clearing up in Herkimer
county, N. Y. At first glance it seemed
to resemble some Of the Adirondack ami
mails known to woodsmen. 1t was dog
like, but lacked tail. II was lanky
like young deer, but was dirty brown
instead of white. spotted red. Its head.
however. was of a shape and form. with
cars such as foxes have. After the re-
semblance to fox was noted other fea-
lures were seen to be caricatures OF tho
fox, but the lack of a tail was explain
able only by the supposition that it had
been shot OF or bitten of.
Every six or eight rods the tramp fox
stopped and looked back over his Shout
der with his ears cooked up. Before he
got across the clearing the yip-yip OF
Phil Perry's fighting dog was heard
over the ridge, and that showed why
the fox was running and stopped to look
back at that time of the day. Suddenly
the fox turned and ran like a streak on
its back trail half dozen rods, then
It turned sharply to the right and leaped
iust as far as it could every jump for
score of times, then it lay down behind
q little clump of briers with its moss
on its paws. Pills dog came whoopins
along, looking squat when compared
with the fox.
Occasionally the dog would lick his
chops as if he wanted to bite something,
When he got opposite the place where
the fox had left the back trail, the dog
did something that surprised the fox
nightly. Instead of following the trail
straight ahead, the dog turned square to
the left and headed for the fox's hiding
place with ears laid back and teeth
showing. The fox had made fool OF
itself by running up wind SO that the
dog caught its scent. The fox must
have been fabbergasted somewhat for
it jumped to its feet and ran up the
clearing a couple of rods, then turned
and started for the woods, but the dog
was too close. The fox had got to fight,
and that right away, if the dog could
make it.
The fox faced about and started at
the dog full speed, and running low
down, as If 1t were keeping its knees
Bonded. It looked like a head-on coll
lision, but it wasn't. Just as the two
we're about to chaw noses the fox jumped
sideways, and turned in time to nip the
dog on the flank as he went tearing
past in way that drew blood. The dog
turned after it had gone ten fest, and
saw the fox headed for him with its
ears laid back, whereupon the dog laid
his ears back and made for fhe fox as
before. The fox got close to the dog
again, hoped sideways, and nipped the
dogs other flank. If ever dog was
fighting mad it was Pills fighting dog
et thatmoment. He turned with a growl
of rage and, as before, the fox was
headed for him full tilt, apparently just
as anxious as before for the rough-and-
tumble grapple for which the dog was
aching. That made the dog forget his
past experiences, and once more he
made for the fox. This time the fox
leaped over the dog and bit him m the
small of the back. 1t doubled the dog
up in a heap, and he sat up to look over
his shoulder at the fox, which was sit
ting on its launches licking its chops
as IL splitting out hair.
Phil Perry's fighting dog is uncom'
monty smart, besides being fighter,
and he knew when he was on the losing
side of the trouble. Although the dog
was about as strong as ever, and not at
all rinded, he knew that in the end
he was bound to be whipped. He looked
the fox In the eye and licked his chops.
The fox licked its chops The dog
showed its teeth. The fox grinned, too.
The dog wagged his tail. The fox
couldn't because it didn't have any. but
it looked as though it would like to wag.
The dog then got up and began to trot
of toward the woods, looking over his
shoulder at the fox. The fox followed.
An hour later Albert Jones saw deer
crossing the Dix swamp chopping on
the run, He waited and in few minute.
heard the dogs zip. When the dog came
In sight on the trail the fox was along.
side. The two had made up and routed
deer. Phips dog has been in the woods
more than ever, and it is believed ha
runs with the fox he couldn't Gck.-N.
Y Sun :