The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-22
TRUE STORIES OF DOGS.
The Dog Who Disguised Himself
When Out Maraudfng.


Beyond doubt dogs are reasoning
beings; further they have almost hu-
man aptness in acquiring Strange
tastes. AT least two dogs within the
knowledge of this writer, grew so fond
OF tobacco worms they went a-field TO
hunt them. Both were pointers. and
each the property of a tobacco grower
AS puppies both followed their owners
into the tobacco fields, and at first
sportively nosed over and tumbIed
ABOUT the fat green worms, as thew
were pulled from the big plants. and
nuhg on the ground. Pretty soon thev
81 ~ eating the worms, and from
mat TO worming on their own account
or course they caught only the bie
IelioWs' as thick as the little finger
put sucn was their eagerness for these
cholce morsels, they often broke down
the upper leaves, resting the forepaws
on them, as they smelled about Roth
nad white coats with liver spots. hur
IN tobacco time it was Impossible to
eell tne Spots: Green tobacco exudes
d mick visold gum, brownish ana
strong- smelling, and fouling whatever
touches 1t. The worming dogs were
covered with it from nose to tail fin
out never seemed to mind 1T.
one at least of these dogs, could both
reason and discriminate 1t was her
prime delight to run always az her
owners heels. but after she had been
sent pack half dozen times from the
Ioan 10 the tobacco field, she STAYED
DelIlu unpluden, when she saw her
master start that. way. A LITTLE Later
oy the time she thought he was there
ana busy she set out on his track a.
nara as she could leg it, Once in the
nelo' she ran straight to him. and
sllppeo her nose in his hand, looking
up at MIN the while, as though askine7
NOW you see me here. what are vo,,
going to do about it?"
Dogs show mighty differences in their
ways OF Killing sheep. Ours, mongrels
ana iyces nave so little diplomacy tbav
had as soon run sheep in the homo 1aids
as IN any others. With bird dogs ana
MOUNDS IT is far otherwise. They will
occasionally go as far as to defend
the nome f1ocks. then slim g.
or ten miles off, and kill sheep all nirht
iong' Tradition tells of one celaN
orated sheep thief, a big white pointer
Win plack ears, that was shrevd
eIiousn TO disguise himself by rolling
III Wet Gay until his white coat was
a Ieu one. Ihen before going home.
ne would hunt water, and wash off tha
sly rascal. He was peppered VIII
pro shot as he leaped the pasture
renee, and came home wet. iimpinr
and bleeding unaccountably thereh1,
disclosing his guilt
In days before matches, when light
ing fire was a matter of flint and
steel one Carolina planter trained his
dos' Button to fetch him lights for
ms pipe when he was far out I'm the
neids. Button was small and black.
put quick as lightning to learn and
, 90. When he was told "Ftech fire."
he ran TO the house. but not too ouiclk-
~ found his mistress. or her eldest
daughter got upon his hind legs. and
gave one short bark They knew what
that meant. and at once put a live coal
IN the split end OF a small stick. which
Sutton seized by the unspllt end, and
dashed Off with II at top speed. He
seemed to know the need of haste--if
ne was slow the coal would die. Once
by the way OF trick Button was given
d SUCK afire at one end-oolloqulally