Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-01-29
A DOG AND a FOX.
The Two Went Deer Hunting Together
and Became Fast Friends.

tno TWO went Decr 1tuntinK lOSttnoI
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
Dld Pardy clearing up in Herkimer
county. N. Y. AT first glance it seemed
to resemble some of the Adirondack ami
mails known to woodsmen. II was dog
like, but lacked tail II was lanky
like n 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-
semblnnce to fox was noted other fea-
lures were seen to be caricatures OF the
fox, but the lack of a tail was explain
able only by the superstition that it had
been shot Off or bitten off.
Every six or eight rods the tramp fox
stopped and looked back over his shout
Tier 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
It's back trail half dozen rods, then
II turned sharply to the right and leaped
just as far as 1t could every jump for
score of times, then it lay down behind
a little clump of briers with its nose
on it's paws. Pills dog came whooping
along. looking squat when compared
with the fox.
Occasionally the dog would lick his
chops as The 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 it's scent. The fox must
have been fabbergasted somewhat for
IL jumped to its feet and ran up the
clearing couple of rods, then turned
| nd started for the woods, but the dog
Dis 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 II 1t were keeping its knees
Bonded. 1t looked like head-on col
lision, but it wasn't. Just as the two
were aboutto 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 il had gone ten feet, and
saw the fox headed for him with its
ears laid back, whereupon the dog laid
his ears back and made for the 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
at that moment. He turned with 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 in the
small of the back. 1t doubled the dog
up In 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 winded, he knew that in the end
ne 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 il didn't have any, but
It looked as though it would like 10 wag
The dog then got up and began to tro'
off toward the woods, looking over hi.
shoulder at the fox. The fox followed
An hour later Albert Jones saw n deel
crossing the Dix swamp chopping OF
the run. He waited and in few minutes
heard the dogs zip. When the dog came
IN sight on the trail the fox was along
side. The two had made up and routec
deer. Pills dog has been in the woods
more than ever, and it is believed h;
runs with the fox he couldn't lick.-N
Y. Sun. ~