The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-24

decide the question whether dog is
property in South Carolina. The Su-
preme Court may be a very wise and
wonderful ASSORTMENT but il does not
seem to understand the dog question.
Any man who knows anything about
B dogs knows that the question whether
q dog is property does not depend at
i all On the law and does depend en-
tirely On the individual dog, and the
! ideas and purposes Of his owner
A dog which can do things and add
! to. the sum Of human happiness and
] assist in making life vorth living is
I prol erty, and mighty good property,
] and his owner if he be worthy Of such
E.a possession, regards him as an avail
able asset, puts . distinct commercial
valuation upon him and is ready to
/ 9f;ght for him, lie for him and in rare
4 cases, even to pay taxes on him. 1t
! Is not often that affection and faith
rush to this desperate extreme, but
there are such instances on record.
S. WI once knew abig, red dog named
Bob. he WAS BY profession ! possuml
hunter and he devoted his time and
thought to thas business with assidul-
5sty; which won success and honors for
I him. He was a serious dog and ap-
/ sparently spent much Of his life in the
deep consideration Of problems about
+ Spossums. Vile other dogs slept he
tho,ulIgph ,lIp His work was to him a joy.
I Like in. Bludso, he never hunked
and he never lied--never came fur
lively crawling at the. rear Of the pro-
/ cessiion, ion never sneaked behind the
colored person With the bag or lodged
Z out II of TIE: range Of the light Of the
torches. In the woods where dark
1 ness Vas deepest or brambles we're
s,thickest his faithful, tireless foot falls
sssrirustled the dead leaves, his nose down
Senquiiriing q. each spot Of ground for
The scent 81; the soft treading prow:l[7;
Ing, Sil,i wandering game: Otherand more
7 frivolous IL IS dogs ght take Eback Cracks
scrssleven; chase Of. after cats or rabbits,
sbut,nots So Bob. The one weakness in
shiis character was atendencg to coons,
but. when he struck q coon track ne {.
said coon and if no. encouraging
II Shouts and hoops responded to his
announcement All 81 , he would quickly turn
from that dangerous and tortuous
career and resume his strict attention
to, business.
twas . delight to- see him work.
He had q large and kindly tolerance
] gfor;;ln;fferior Il; dogs and would investigate
With unwearicd diligence the 'possum
reports ;they from sime to time threw
ont. he never hurried. Exploring
! His own conscience he knew that he
! had never in his life struck a trail and
lost his bird. he attacked the opera
ton Of picking up the track With
gravity becoming its Importance and
the responsibility attaching to it. He
compared with his well balanced nose
the favor Of each foot fall, each place
where possun, hide had touched, may
sbe hours before. When he found it
distinct aud growing and judicially
! determined in his own mind that ne
5s,1 was right-hs opened up. Those who
knew him always waited to hear what
he had to- say. However loud and
general the baying and yelping Of the
balance Of the pack might be, the
white and colored persons of in the
woods waited still and silent to hear
from Bob. he began always with one
triumphant, booming canine shout in
one syllable, and then he took the lead
and made the woods ring with his
yells 81. exnltation and.hisG threats and
denunciations to the doomed foe gal
lopirg anxiousIy on into the darkness
far ahead. Bob was property and real
property at that. he. was respected
by biped and auadruped. He had
business and attended to it. He had
definite standing in the community
and purpose in life and responsible
ties which be understood and lived up
to. When he treed he was always
right and he judged from the lay Of
the ground where the fall and catch
would be aud got there in time.
But there are other dogs. Also there
{ are other people. Some folks actually
attach value to pugs and poodles and
animals Of that kind are, We suppose,
property to those who like them. The
big strong brindle cur with honest
brown eyes who supervises county
premises at night and comes to town