The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-31

creatures can be seen riding up on the
canvas or trying to run down or out
at the sides. If they only knew what
was good for them they would ride
comfortably UP the shoot into the
chicken room prepared for them on the
second floor. But they don't, at least
some of them don't, for with a wild
fiutter and cackle a terrified hen took
hop, skip and flying jump through
the outer door. And the bulldog, Mel
lie? Well, she didn't have wings or
feathers Except IN her MOUTH, but
she joined the chicken On the sidewalk
just in front of the door and after a
half-rfinute's ough-and-tumble. walk
ed solemnly back bearing what looked
for all the world like a headless hen in
her mouth. We say headless, because
the dog, being comparatively small
rather dragged the body Of the fowl
along the floor, keeping its hold on the
neck There was neither struggle nor
gurSle from the captive, and to all ap-
pearances it was as dead as it would
ever be. When, however, the dog
reached the shoot and was relieved of
Its burden, the activity and scolding
energy of that hen were as funny as
they We're astonishing. The feathers
on her head were ruff1ed and wet; she
eyed her captOr with vixenly irritation
ana chuckled and cackled all the swear
words in "henology.' A shrek of gen.
ulne surprise was the only comment
b the visitors could make and the show
continued.
HOW SHE DOES IT.
A young chicken fiuttered up and
perched for a second on the shoulder of
one OF the women. Had the refugee not
seen fit to depart the woman would
have had the bull dog on the other
shoulder, for Nellie stopped for no cere-
mony on her career up the ladys back.
However, stack of boxes near bv
formed landing place for the pursued
and pursuer and furnished an excellent
opportunity of watching the skirmish.
The scuif1e comes when the dog has run
the chicken down and is trying to get
held Of it by the right place, for it is a
curious fact that she never ATTEMPTS
to handle her prisoner except by the
nec@t. When she has seized the chicken
she places both paws on it, rolling it
around or holding thus until she can
get its neck just back of the head.
taxing II Tar enough in so that the neck
Is beyond the long, sharp incisor teeth
ana the head protruding from the
size OF the mouth. In this way the hen
escapes injury and is yet held firmly
enough to be brought back with little
EFFORT the grip being so light as to rem
Ger 1t unable to screech CT struggle One
OF the most pleasing and amusing
T. phases of the whole performance is the
marked pleasure which the dog takes
In her work. She stands by the shoot.
eyes alert ears pricl1ed UP and tail
Wagglng. The moment a CHECKER? is
out she makes a dash, after catchir it
nteraily on the fly. When she comes
rack there is a look of triumph in her
eyes that makes them almost human.
Nellie betrays remarkable power of
discrimination, in that she tempers thu,
VlSOf OF her attack to the siren 9Th and
character of her prisoner and invaria-
bly, brings 1t back uninjured 1t is an
easy matter for her to capture ordinary
chickens, for they are not very strong
ard can't fly high, but when a great
turkey gets away it is another matter.
There is chase as wild as any goose
chase ever was. When the game is run
down there follows a lively scuff1e and
then how do you suppose Nellie is going
to drag that long-neclzed, long bodied
thing back without walking on it or
Wiping the sidewalk with it? She Just
gives II a hitch and a swing and the
captive lies over the dogs back, and
It's neck being in its captor's mouth, 1t
Is returned veritable "unspeakabie
turk
Inc coop was soon emptied and then
a perfect fusillade of questions was
poured upon the men in regard to the
remarkable dog
Where did you get that dog?".
Bought it."
But where do they train dogs to do
such things?"
Not anywhere that I know Of,
We'll, then, how did you teach her?o
We cidn't teach her. she just got On
to 1t herself While standing around here
and has been invaluable to us ever
since"
Didn't you have 10 train her MT to
hurt the chickens?"
When truck after truck OF chickens
were coming in here to be unloaded we
didn't nave time to train a dog, es-
pecially as we did rot know what shs
was capable of doing. The first til NJ
we knew she was bringing back our
runaway chickens without h.rting
them"
Was Nellie at the bench slow'
No, but just the same there isn't