Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-01-25

overland passengers are feasted ON
venison, bear meat, wild fowl, caribou,
ptarmigan and other products of the
country, is the most pretentious part
of the house and is almost medieval in
its picturesqueness.
When lighted by the flaming pine
logs in the fireplace and by tallow dips
ranged along the dining tables in their
quaint brass candlesticks, it is a place
to inspire the poet and the romancer
with fresh visions of the days when
romance was the commonplace reality.
To realize that the dog catcher is an
unknown parsonage in Savanne, one
has only to take glimpse at the space
behind the stations kitchen, where the
entire canine population of the north
west. so it would seem, congregates
each morning to fight over the food
which the hurried travellers leave be-
hind them.
In this howiing, yelping and raven
Gus pack are dogs of every degree. color
and shape. From hasty census of the
motley aggregation l estimated that
every human inha bitant of Savanne
must have at least five dogs-with a
liberal surplus remaining for distribu-
tion among the rowing Indian populaee
on the outskirts. The latter would
certainly be able to pass through a five
year faInine anu not know what it is to
be without meat in the pot, if the dogs
which assemble in the rear of the Grant
kitchen should not make a sudden and
discreet immigration.
There is but one inhabitant of the
village who lords it over the dogs.
lie is a half-grown bear cub who guards
the door of the Hudson Bay cOmpany's
warehouse. There is scarcely cur
within the limits of Savanne which has
not felt the sting of blow from jacks
paw, and not few of them have been
permanently put to sleep through this
benign agency.
Of course no man who has escaped
from the walls of a city and goes out
upon an inviting expanse of snow such
as surrounds this place could think of
foregoing u dog sIedge excursion. But
from sad experience let me offer all
who may find themselves confronted
Will. this temptation the advice SO fire.
quently protfered to those about to
marry: Don't do it,
mined to visit Lake Ka-p,-si-ka-pi-ka
Oh max and its famous painted rocks.
This lake is about 200 miles north
east Of Savanne, and was told thn.
good dog team would haul me there in
two days, and that it would be most
delightful journey. A-nIick (The Beav-
er) who was said to own the best dog
team in S3vanne. encouraged this pleas
ant fiction and agreed to make the TRIP
for five dollars. He was engaged and
we set out early one morning. light
weight buckSk in-colored dog named
Windigonb was in the lead. followed
by four sober-faced dogs, each OF which
was nearly twice his weight. L he ,dth
breaker started off with an eager
yelp, which quite won my heart, and
marked him for a favorite. Had 1
known that Windigoob is choice Indian
slang for d worthless, shirling cur,
| might have suspected the crafty de-
ceiver. but l was blissfully ignorant
cf the meaning of the word.
The first five miles over the hard
snow was eXhilarating sport, and [
anticipated the entire journey. Then
the sledge began to slacken it's speed,
and | noticed that the traces between
Windigoob and the Iext dog were limp.
A-mick also recognized this fact, and
the lash of his whip shot out with
singing crack in the direction of Wirdi-
goob's back. The tawny cur heard the
descending rawhide; and suddenly
rolled himself up into ball, the other
dogs piled upon him. and. as we'll
calculated result. the backs of the other
dogs caught the lash.
1t required Il half hour to unrave' the
tangle into which WIndigoob had con-
trived to knot the traces.
Again we started on and all went well
for some ten miles. when a ra abbit sud-
denly started up from a bush beside
the trail. An eXuItant yelp escaped
from the leader and was taken up by
his followers.
The whole pack turned OFF at right
angles and | was rolled out into the
snow When | had picked myself up
the dogs were 40 rods away and rhe
sledg4 was touching the snow only at
rare intervals.
Another hour eIasped before we over
took the penitent pack. and again eX-
tricated them from the tangled traces.
Fortunately we were near TYPICAL
northwest maison-one that had been
built and deserted by couple Of adj
venturous young EngIishmen years be-
FORE Here we camped for the night
and turned our face. homeward me
next morning. TO make the expe-
rience still more agg-avating, the dogs.
who we'll knew that they we're going
in the direction of the home kenneI in
the rear of the station kitchen, made
the distance without n mishap and in
one-fourth the time required for the
outward journey. I'll. j. J.
A Born Fighter.
NO, sir, man with a face like that
is never a coward.
How do you know?
Its so hoInely that he couldn't have
~ r,N0ilinrr crr. Z M