The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-01-18

puppies are always plenty and to be
had for the asking their wants in this
line are supplied, and the puppy
grows into the heart of his young mas
ter while he is growing into n homely,
worthless cur. As we live, we natu-
rally love also to "let live" 1t seems
n cruelty TO deprive an animal of its
lie, though 1T is comparatively n nuis-
ance, and except it become menace
to the neighborhood, it goes at liberty
and runs at large
Where the pure bred classes of ca
mines are kept and best known, their
valuable qualities and characteristics
are Mt once recognized, aud it is such
dogs that farmers stand greatly in
need of. But they are altogether too
few. The farm dog should be one
that Is by nature, or that can readily
be trained, to be useful He should
have no knowledge of the world be-
yond his own home. He should he
well fed and we'll cared for, and should
be treated considerably and kindly.
nor should imposition upon him be al
lowed at any time. Dog nature is a
sensitive and very affectionate nature,
and Is deserving of respect He is
the better for all the petting he gets
at the hands of all the family, and
praise of him is never Ill bestowed.
lie will invariably repay it with inter.
est by making additional effort 60
please in the very next task that is
either set him to do, or that is self
imposed. He is never laggard, but,
If the dog we bear in mind, he is al
ways seeking out something to busy
himself about that he knows will be
approved by his master.
Ben is one of those ss-breed
dogs that have, as class, been con
demned. Yet he is of fairly good
parentage, for it is known that his
mother was n Scotch terrier, but upon
the other side nothing definite or par
ucuiarly encouraging is known. He
Is very small aud slender, but he has
the spirit and the belief in his own
powers of n mastiif. He knows moth
ing of fear, and no enemy has ever
daunted his courage. He is invalua-
bic wherever he undertakes to render
assistance. In the poultry yard he is
perfect safeguard, and he dispatches
every skunk, weasel aud rat that ever
dares put ia an appearance. He will
trndge through the cornfields with his
master, the day long, disposing of
gophers, and he kills great numbers
OF them. 1t is the steady worker that
@ccomplishes most, and Ben persist
emily tracks them to their death He
enjoys his work, and the farm gives
proof OF the value of his by the lesser
and lesser numbers of these cornfield
pests year by year. In handling swine
he again proves himself invaluable.
He If growing gray in service. having
served "a farm helper for nearly nine
years. The bright tan of his head has
become so plentifully sprinkled with
gray hairs as to have made him look
venerable. Still he appears to be IA
young as ever, and any slight ailment
is anxiously watched aud locked TO by
the family. The character of this mon
grel is worthy OF perpetuation, though
not advocating the perpetuity of any
race of mongrels, whether of high or
low degree in the scale of life.
We should be glad to see better
class of farm dogs kept than we find,
and it lies largely in the hands of the
farmers to better this condition of af
fairs. Valuable property is yearly
destroyed by this rowing, Worthless
element. The ''nobody's dogs" are an
conditioned, starved race, and they
are countless. And it is safe to say
that the majority of farm dogs are OF
little, If any more, value than the dog
that drifts from place to place aud sim
ply exists.-Nellie Hawks, in the
Epitomist.