The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
Greatest Hog in the world.

The eredulity of the American people is
something surprising. says the Chicago
Times-Herald.
That it should reach such degree, how
ever, as to induce men of good, average
sense, on general principles, to pay dol
lar each for bristles from a hogs back is
bordering upon the ridiculous.
Shortly after the auction sale of high
grade swine held in Iowa recently, at
which the hog Happy Union was knocked
down for the unheard-of price of $1,000,
d. l.. Howard, the former owner of the
great representative OF the Poland-China
family, was sitting in a hotel lobby at
Council Bluffs talking stock matters with
another swine breeder. The conversation
turned upon Happy Union and several
travelling men who sat near became SO in
terested in the discussion of the famous
hogs great points that, although generally
speaking they took no interest in such
matters, they moved their chairs up and
listened
IT'S wonderful" remarked Mr.. Howard,
THE interest people all over the country
have taken in that hog. Why l have mad
a peck of letters from people 1 never
heard of, asking about Happy Union,
wanting to know more of the details of
the sale, asking for photographs of MIN
and begging for bristle from his back"
Did you give them away?" asked a
travelling man.
No, replied Mr. Howard, 'but we fixed
the price at S. each, and since then have
not mad time to hear from the parties.
brought few bristles along with me-
Forthwith the stockman reached after
his poeketbook, and from one of the pock-
cts therein fishea. out a dozen coal-black
bristes three inches long. These hairs
he hao Nf he
Union, the highest-priced hog in the
world, remarked Mr.. Howard, 'and most
people regard them as genuine curiosi-
ties'
I'D like one myself" ventured one OF
the travelling men. "Pn tell you what I'll
do; I'll give you a dollar for one"
Five dollars is the price, replied How
ard, but if there are five of you travelling
men who care 10 club in you may have
five brtstles for S., the price of one"
The man who had offered dollar said
that would suit him, and Immediately
turned to his two fellow drummers and
importuhed them to go in with him and
accept the proposition.
Why" said he, its worth a dollar of
any mans money to own a bristle from
the back of the greatest hog in the world
especially when its genuineness is vouched
for, purchased from the former owner of
the animal"
Inc otner TWO men finally agreed to
squander a dollar. and then the three
started out to find the other two necessary
to make up the party of five. They found
them in an adjoining room, and the five
hustlers-shrewd, bright men, above the
average-came toward Howard smiling,
each with a silver dollar in his hand.
The stockman counted out the five bris-
ties, each man taking one, and dropped
the five plunks down into his pocket The
purchasers critically examined the three
inch shiny bits of hair. tucked them away
in their personal passbooks, and with
complacent smile, as though they had
just booked $500 order for goods walked
off.
Howard turned to his companion stock
man, who during the conversation and
subsequent deal had remained silent. APP
parently stupefed. and remarked: THAT
wasn't bad. Two days board paid with
five hog bristles. There doesn't seem to
be anything in the way of my making
travelling a profession and taking my wife
along; fifty or a hundred bristles don't
occupy very much space"
well" sighed his companion, 81 never
would have believed it,"