Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-30
JAcKAL SAVES MASTERS LIFE
Assai1ant of the Man Who
Bcfricnded It

OF all the wild animals that roam the
jungles and plains of the tropical world
more Is so easily tanned and so readily
reduced to that state of docilty where he
will live in daily association with man
| as the jackal. and the story that George
! Caxton. employee at the docks at Port
Chaimette, La, tells serves to bear out
this claim in manner most positive
Caxton, who is a man we'll on in years
| remembers the time when New Orleans
was hardly half the size it is now, and
in that distant day he worked on the
levee as stevedore. contracting for the
loading of the clipper ships that all times
lined the wharves.
Long before the war Irishman named
Burke as Caxton tells the story, kept a
sailor boarding house and saloon in
Tchoupitoulas street, below Jackson ave-
nue.. and Burke had many acquaintances
among the toilers Of the sea One of the
/ tars. who ran on ship which made the
long journey around the cape to the East
1 Indies the Suez canal was not built at
that period-brought him a present a
jackal cub The little thing was hardly
larger than a good-sized puppy, and, as
Burke's sailor friend said, he had to feed
the animal a bottle and nipple, Sc
cured from the captains wife who had
nursing baby, all during the voyage.
Burke took to his pet from the first and
/ would not have exchanged him for the
finest and rarest dog on earth. The little
beast playful a kitten, stood for
all kinds of fondling. and as he grew
older he learned many funny tricks, such
as are taught to dogs
Burke named the jackal Barney, and
the animal developed into a fine specimen
f,.Il
dog, with grayish coat, white breast.
broad head. straight ears and bushy tail,
! he became the pride OF the Irish barmans
heart.
An English captain, up on natural his
tory. who sometimes visited Burke in
search of sailors when short-handed, gave
| the saloon keeper all the dope on the
I jackal species. genius, habits. etc. and
told him how in India the animals were
often used by the English residents as
watch dogs. and II was Burkes delight
when he had the time for IT, to train
Barney in the art of watching and guard
ing.
The jeckal being even more dog than his
close relative. the wolf. is. was an apt
pupil and soon learned to crouch behind
| the counter when the saloon was full of
drunken sailors and tough longshoremen,
| and play guardian over the drawer where
| the money was kept. II any stranger
dared approach the drawer. Barney would
! arise from his crouehing attitude. lower
his head and snarl furiously. It's need
less to say no attempt at burglary was
made on that cash box. Barney conceived
such an attachment for Burke, who was
very gentle and kind to the beast that IL
any one. even in play, raised a hand as
though to strike the barman the jackal
| ~ moi restrained would sDring AT him
with a growl OF rage.
Barney one night was the means OF saw
ing the life of his master and Caxton
never tires telling OF the thrilling incident
on the night in question four sailors
from a Swedish barque were at the coun-
ter drinking. and as the men had been
imbibing all day. they We're in an ad-
vanced state of intoxication and manifest
ing AN ugly temper. After taking several
rounds of cheap whisky they refused to
pay for the last set or drinks. and when
Burke insisted on getting what belonged
to him one of the Swedes struck MIN a
glancing blow with his fist and knocked
his cap on Most all Irishmen are fighters,
and Burke. true TO the traditions OF his
race, was ever ready with his hard fists to
answer the tap OF the gong. Burke, upon
receiving the blow, which did not hurt
him much, with a yell of anger jumped
over the counter and made for the Scan
dinavian quartet with the dash Of a cy-
clone. He keeled two OF the ugly bunch
over. and as he was swinging for the Jaw
of the man who had struck him the fourth
sailor lifted chair 10 knock the freshman
down. Burke smashed the party he was
after, but the bruised and groEgy sea-
man went TO the floor the Swede with
the chair connected with Burks's head