Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-11-25
TRUE STORIES OF DOGS.

Beyond a 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-held to
hunt them. Both were pointers and
each the property of tobacco grow
er. AS puppies both followed their
owners into the tobacco fields, and at
first sportively nosed over and tum-
bled about the fat. green worms as
they were pulled from the big plants
and flung on the ground. Pretty soon
they got to eating the worms, and
from that to worming on their own
account or course, they caught only
the big fellows as thick as the little
finger. But such was their eagerness
for these choice morsels they often
broke down the upper leaves, resting
the forepaws on them, as they smelled
about. Both had white coats with
liver spots, but in tobacco time 1t was
impossible to tell the spots. Green
tobacco exudes a thick viscid gum,
brownish and strong smelling, and
fouling whatever touches 1t. The
worming dogs were covered with 1t
from nose to tail tip, but never seemed
to mind It, One at least OF these dogs,
could both reason and discriminate
II was her prime delight to run al
ways at her owners heels. but after
she had been sent back half dozen
times from the road to the tobacco
field, she stayed behind unbidden.
when she saw her master start that
way A little later. by time she
thought he was there and busy, she
set out on his track. as hard as she
could leg It, Once in the field, she
ran straight to him. and slipped her
nose in his hand. looking at him the
while, as though asking; Now, you
see me here, what are you going to do
about it?" Dogs show mighty differ
ences In their ways OF killing sheep.
Ours, mongrels and fyces have so lit
tie OF diplomacy. they had as soon run
sheep in the home fields as In any
others. With bird dogs and hounds.
II is far otherwise. They will oc-
casionally go so far as to defend the
miles Off and kill sheep all night long.
Tradition tells of one celebrated sheep
thief. a big white pointer, with black
ears, that was shrewd enough to dis
guise himself by rolling In wet clay
until his white coat was a red one.
Then before going home. he would
hunt water and wash on the mud. But
Justice at last overlook the sly ras-
cal. He was peppered with bird shot
as he leaped the pasture fence. and
came home wet, limping and bleeding
unaccountably, thereby disclosing his
guilt. In days before matches. when
lighting a flre was a matter OF flint
and steel, one Carolina planter trained
his dog Button to fetch him a light for
his pipe when he was far out in the
fields. Button was small and black,
but quick as lightning to learn and to
do. When he was told Fetch fire." he
ran to the house. but not too quickly.
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 Button seized by the un-
split end. and dashed with II at top
speed He seemed to know the
need OF haste-if he was slow the coal
would die. Once by the way OF trick
Button was given a stick afire at one
end-colloqu:ally "a chunk of fire."
The sap driving through II made the
unlighted end too hot to hold In com
fort. Button ran with II as long as
he could. then dropped It, let his
mouth cool. picked 1t up. ran on.
dropped It again. and thus at last