Evening journal., 1899-08-22
BR1NDLE DOGS DYING OUT.
only Nine Now said 20 BE Living In
uIinois--Their Peculiar
Trials.

Trials.
News Of the death Of "relper," the
famous brindle dog owned by James
Idlcr, Of CalhoHn county, calls to mind
the fact that the brindle dog which,
few years ago, was so plentiful ia Amers
lea that he was the subject of satire OF
all American humorists, IS now almost
extinct. Col George C. Gill, of Olym-
piaa Springs, Ky, who has made life
time study OF rLe "brindle" in animals,
Is in the city, and when told of the
dAath Of Yelper said:
"One would hardly be justified in
placing it among the possibilities that
man of extensive general knowledge
and accomplishments should so far for
get himself OF display such amazing
ignorance of the subject, as to assert,
as a certain author has lately done,
knowingly and willfully and publicly,
that the 'brindle steer IS an extinct
Rnlmal, as much So, he says, as the
ichthyosaurus, the mastodon or the
hypothenuse. Now, Che truth of the
matter is that in the state Of Illinois,
largest ever lSnown-reportst to the state
commissioner showing a gain of l3
per cent. over the crop of 1897, and IA
per cent. over that of 1896, and the last
decade shows o gain of little over 21
per cent. A gain is shown for 1898, in
overy state in the union, except Arkan-
sas, which shows a slight falling Off.
] 80. .1.tI Lii 10. go Ia IN
the upgrade, it IS lamentable fact that
tho b1ndle dog is almost extinct. lie
win soon be placed on the list with
the wild pigeon and the American BIZ
son. Scientists and biologists cannot
or have not as yet been able to offer any
explanation of this decadence, which
has been exceedingly rapid.
"The Illinois census shows that in
the year 1855 were 9,347 brindle dogs
in the state; IN 1850, 9,o1s; 1865, 6,51Oi
1870, TAG; 1880, col; 1890, 1s7; 1895,
43: 1898, 9. OF the nine now living
in the state, seven Of these belong TO
the wealthy coon-hunters in Calhoun
county. One Of these named 'Chawm,
Is owned by * 3. Hunter. and last fall
atThv cutting Of coon tree he broke
the record by killing II coons in II
minutes. This can be easily verified,
as Chawm is stiTl alive and residing
with Mr.. Hunter.
"rhe other two noted IN. the census
report are twins, and have taken up
their residence with prominent farEl-
ar near Vienna, johnson county. From
my own observatlon-and have always
tslSsn q lively interest in the matter
I find that q strange fatality, or rath.
er one long continued streak Of bad
luck, has been constantly and oontin
ually with the brindle dog family fol
the past 25 years. Phese are some o.
the things they had to contend with;
IAN epidemic of 'dlstemper' breaks
out IN the nelghborhood, It tackles th'
brindlc dogs fisat and never deigns Z
bother the others ss long as there =
a brindse left. A foclf Of skccp IS chasC'
at night. The farmer starts out Will
his shotgun ne nexS morning, but
careful not 10 shoot q noighbor's dc.
without some evidence Of his com
plicity in the raid, but II he meets
bi1ndle dog he shoots him on genera
principles. coon tree Is to be cut
If th6re are q dozen dogs there, and
one dog Is killed by the falling Of tn
tree, you may safely bet that it IS
( brindle dog. No brindle dog was eve
known to live in town. IIeis strictly
country dog. If he should by any chano
visit the nearest town, 1t is absolutel
sure that he win be compelled to fgh
o the first town dog he meets. Heusuall
gets whipped in theiirst round.
0 $50 many things Of this kind seer
5, TO be 'agin him that ! think some
times that often some bright membc
c of this family becomes SO discourage
that he commits suicide. Chicago II
= Ter Ocean