The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-08-03
BR1NDLE DOGS DYING OUT.
Only Nine Now Said to BE Living II
IllinOis-Thcfr Peculiar
Trials.


News of the death of "Yelper," The
famous brindle dog owned by Jane.
Idlcr, of Calhoun county, calls to mine
the fact that the brindle dog which, /,
few years ago, was so plentiful in Amer
lea that he was the subject of satire o.
all American humorists, is now almos'
extinct. Col. George c. Gill, of Olym
plan Springs, KY, who has made life
lime study of the ''brindle" in animals
Is in the city, and when told of the
death of Yelper said:
"One would hardly be justified in
placing it among the possibilities thai
a man of extensive general knowledge
and accomplishments should SO far for
get himself or display such amazing
ignorance of the subject, as to assert
as certain author has lately done
knowingly and willfully and publicly
that the 'brindle steer is an extinct
animal, as much so,' he says, as the
ichthyosaurus, the mastodon or the
hypothenuse.' Now, the truth of the
matter is that in the state of Illinois
the 1898 crop of brindle steers is the
largest ever known-reportst to the state
commissioner showing gain of 13
per cent. over the crop of 1897, and IA
per cent. over that of 1896, and the last
decade shows gain of a little over 81
per cent. A gain is shown for 1898, in
every state in the union, except ArkaE
sas, which shows slight falling off.
Now, while the brindle steer is OF
the upgrade, it is a lamentable fact that
the brindle dog is almost extinct. He
will 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 beer exceedingly rapid.
''The Illinois census shows that in
the year 1855 were 9,347 brindle dogs
in the state; in 1860, 9,O18; 1865, 6,51O;
1870. 1,726; 1880, COL; 1890, 1877; 1895.
43; 1898, Q. 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 A. b. Hunter, and last fall
at the cutting of a coon tree he broke
the record by killing II coons in II
minutes. This can be easily verified.
as Chawm is still alive and residing
with Mr.. Hunter.
1.-THE other two noted in the census
report are twins, and have taken up
their residence with prominent farm
or near Vienna, johnson county. From
my own observation-and have always
taken lively interest in the matter
find that a strange fatality, or rath-
er one long continued streak of bad
luck, has been constantly and contin-
ually with the brindle dog family for
the things they had to contend with:
IAN epidemic of 'distemper' breaks
out in the neighborhood, it tackles the
brindle dogs first and never deigns to
bother the others as long as there is
a brindle left. A flock of sheep is chased
at night. The farmer starts out with
his shotgun the next morning, but is
careful not to shoot neighbours dog
| without some evidence of his COM
plicity in the raid, but if he meets
brindle dog he shoots him on general
principles. A coon tree is to be cut,
If there are dozen dogs there, and if
one dog is killed by the falling of the
tree, you may safely bet that it is a
brindle dog. No brindle dog was ever
known to live in a town. Heis strictly
country dog. If he should by any chance
visit the nearest town, it is absolutely
sure that he will be compelled to fight
the first town dog he meets. Heusually
gets whipped in the first round.
$50 many things of this kind seem
to be 'agin him that l think some
times that often some bright member
of this family becomes SO discouraged
that he commits suicide. Chicago In
| ter Ocean.