Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-01-11
BULL DOG AND PIG.

Canine Fury Up Against q Com
mon West Virginia Raxorback.
Under the heading Of profit and loss
in the Standard Oil company's books
there is an entry II bulldog" followed
by some details. The dog is catalogued
on the loss side of the balance.
It is said that he is the only dog ever
owned by that powerful combination,
and after. it's experience with him the
company Is not likely to invest in any
more Of his kind. He became a Stand
ard Oil dog in this way:
One Of the company's stations near
Charleston, w. ", had suffered the
loss Of many barrels from the depreda-
ton of thieves, who found them use
full as firewood. After trying in vain
to capture or get shot at the thieves.
Blake Stewart. who had charge Of the
office, sent a requisition to the division
office in Baltimore for one large and
savage bulldog.
In the course of time after some fluc-
tuation of red tape the division office
notified Mr.. Stewart that 1t possessed
no facilities for the purchase or ma
nipulation Of savage bulldogs, but that
IL he thought he could obtain one To-
cally Of sufficient degree of ferocity
for $40 that sum was at his disposal.
Two days later a Negro delivered to
Mr.. Stewart a brindle bulldog chained
to the end of pole. The Negro ex-
planned to Mr.. Stewart that the reason
he used the pole instead Of rope was
that its stiffness was Of advantage In
keeping the beast at proper and re-
spectful distance. The dog was duly
established in the barrel yard and went
on record as an employe Of the Stand
ard Oil company, with an allowance
for maintenance.
The office force then went about
making the acquaintance Of the new
acquisition. Mr.. Stewart conducted
his advances from the top Of shed,
which, he being an agile and athletic
person, had gained just before the dog
got to him.
The head clerk tried the mower of his
hypnotic eye on the beast, Ind, though
normally a dignifled and slow-moving
person, he cleared the fence by vault
that was the admiration Of all behold
ers. Several other EMPLOYEES tried to
osta blish friendly relations. and those
who got awav were the lucky ones.
Thew named the dog Fury. and en-
ployed a trainer from Charleston to
come down and train him. Three min
utes after his introduction to Fury the
trainer gave up his job. together with
considerable portion Of his raiment
and went home.
Thereafter Fury ruled the roost.
There were no more barrels stolen, for
his reputation went abroad in the land;
but there were other difficulties.
When a stock of barrels was acquir-
ed, it took the major part Of the Of
flee force, armed with clubs, to drive
Fury to cover while the workmen got
the stock out.
In the course Of time Fury became
little more peaceable and would allow
a few favored acquaintances around
the place: but no stranger ever got so
much as one foot inside the inclosure
without Fastening to take 1t out again
before the dog could fasten to 1t. Fury
earned his salary.
One day a wandering pig came nos
ing around the inclosure, found loose
place In the fence and made his way In.
Now the West Virginia breed Of pig Is
not the fat, lazy, and inert porker OF
the farmyard. He Is lean, sharp
backed, sinewy animal who has had
to make his own way in the world for
so long that he Is thoroughly equipped
to take care Of himself.
The only thing he considers 1t worth
while to get out Of the way Of Is a
railroad train; and he sometimes con-
tests the right Of way with that, un-
der which circumstances both train
and pig commonly leave the track to-
gether.
Either Fury didn't understand the
nature Of the invader or his lordly ca
reer had puffed him up with an un-
due sense of his own abilities. With
snarl of concentrated rage he made for
the trespasser and launched his pow
erful body like a thunderbolt straight
at piggy's throat.
There was a wild clamor Of grunts,
s1u ,als, growls and howls that at once
brought Mr.. Stewart and the rest out
in haste All they could see was mad
whirl of dust and writhing bodies.
Then a streak emerged from the
whirl It was Fury. Away he went,
yelling murder at every leap, and the
pig after him. After two circuits of
the yard Fury noted the hole in the
fence, and with a yelp Of mingled JOY
and shame started through 1t.
1t was more Of a squeeze for piggy,
but he got through, too. There was no
doubt about his Intentions; he meant
murder Fury realized 1t. He took to
the railroad track and headed east
ward.
When the curve, half mile up the
road. hid him from view, the pursuer
was running head down and tall up,
with a vigor which suggested that OBJ
stinacy of pursuit for which his kind
Is proverbial.
At the Standard Oil once they wait
ed until closing time, expecting to
gloat over the return Of chastened
and dropping Fury. But he came not;
neither that day, nor the next, nor the
next. Then Mr.. Stewart, following his
instructions to notify the company OF
any loss Of property, wired the division