The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-02-26
HE TALKED TOO MUCH.
And Resolved to Address All Of his
Crafty oonvernation 10 mlm-
self IN Future,

! gay and conFereat1onals I'm gong 70
stake myself to nickel car ride. go
way out into the country somewhere,
walk from the car about ae0 yards
into the woods. and say d all TO my
self" remarked a p street household
or, mournfuIly, relates the Washing
ton Star.
"And here's why:
Last summer, when the time came
around for me TO dig up another two
dollars for dog tag for my fox ter
rier, sort o. Sidestepped on the prop
osition. / happened just 10 need the
two dollars for something else al the
time. and. as / had been buying two
dollars worth of dog license for that
mutt from the district government for
about eight years, concluded that ]
had done about my share, considering
how many dogs there are running
about WaShington that never save the
color Of . tag. Moreover, somebody
had stolen the old tag from my dogs
collar only a few days before.
$50 / decided TO become g little
crafty and dodge the two dollar dog
tax, for the present year.
"'These dog-catchers,' said I TO my.
self, never take q peek at the tags
attached 70 the dogs collars. II they
see any old kind OF a tag jingling from
9 dog's collar, they pass on. taking II
for granted that that dogs tar 80 all
paid and settled for. Consequently,
what's the use of paying two dollars
for little piece Of brass that's never
looked at, when brass Is so cheap7'
1--WE got a little tinkering work
room fitted up at my house, and onons
Sunday made dog tag. didn't
have any model, the old tag, an say,
having been swiped from the dogs coli
lar by some predatory youngster,
probably, but, after fooling around for
awhile. framed up a piece of brass
and stamped IL SO thatitlooked a-plen-
ty Like an honestrand-truly dog col
lar.
snow son. remarked 20 the mutt
when ] fastened the eutely<tamped
piece Of brass to his collar, 'ali you've
got to do in 70 sit or stand around
looking innocent or chesty, as you
please, when you see tle dog-cateher
coming your way, and you won't be
bothered. The piece Of braks'll biuh
him out all right. Don't sneak away
or try TO crawl under a porch or any
thing Ike that just because you your
self know that you've got a phony or
bogus dog tax on, and the dog swiperIl
never know the difference
"The dog wagged his tail as much
as to say. I'm next, ell right and
the next afternoon when / was COM
ing home from the Office / saw him
sitting placidly on the pavement
watching a dog-eateher with a net
just AZ II his deg tag was as good aa
any ever issued by the district gov
eminent. The spectacle tickled me
almost foolish, was so delighted
with my own ingenuity. After that
the dog-eatcher's wagon came by the
house time and again while my fox
terrier was fooling around in front.
but none of the canine kidnaperz
made any move toward grabbing the
dog-the counterfeit tag had 'em
fooled proper.
"Well, one evening last week on my
way home from the Office in the open
carl was sitting in the last ssat--I
got 70 telling a friend who sat along.
side me about the great dag-tax-
dodging game of mine.
ats the simplest thing in life,' l
told him, and q man that's got the
gumption to edge up little piece Of
brass has got no more right 10 pay
two dollars dog tax than he has to
pay carupaign assessment when he
can dodge it. and then went ahead
and explained the thing 10 him at
great length, chuckling gleefully the
while and poking him IN the ribs at
intervals the better 70 force him TO
see how cute and cunnin' had been.
/ noticed that a roughly dressed
black man standing right behind Us
on the rear platform of the open car
seemed 10 extract a heap Of amuse-
ment from my recital. lie iust
doubled himself up laughing over II.
and he got OF the car at P street
where debarked. lie was Etill
laughing wholesomely TO himself az
he walked down = street behind me,
and ] was glad that my little story Of
the way I had chiseled the dog de-
partment Of the district government
out Of two dollars for dog tar tiel,ied
him hugely.
'Bnt ! wasn't so glad when. on the
following evening. few moments
after ! had got home from the Office
that same black mnn-and he was
stili ehuclsling, too. confouud himl-
aiighted suddenly from the rear step
Of the doR-cateher's wagon, threw
his net skilfally over my fox terrier
with the phony tag, and gathered him
IN. And wasn't ticilled a BIT, either,
when ] had 20 call over 20 the pound
and dig mp a hve-dollar note, three
dollars for charges and two dollars
for tag, 20 get that dog Of mine